Spectators

Recently, I have noticed that spectators in the sport of golf have taken it upon themselves to regulate the sport.

In at least two different instances* in the last few weeks, a player has either been penalized, investigated or disqualified because a spectator (at home) has called into the network or tournament to claim that they witnessed a rule violation on TV.

Now it doesn't completely surprise me that people call in, because people are weird that way, but what surprises me is that the regulating officials at the tournament listen.

That would be like someone calling in during the last quarter of a football game to say that number 71 was offsides in the first quarter but the refs didn't catch it. It is ridiculous. I think that the PGA, the USGA, and the LPGA need to figure out a way to deal with call ins. The reason that there are officials on the field of play is so that they can catch this kind of thing as it happens. The fact that viewers at home are using what is essentially "replays" is bogus and they need to address it.

*Two instances that I have witnessed, there may have been more. None of the alleged violations were on purpose, they were either accidental double hits out of a sand trap, or a misinterpretation of the rules.