The Effects of the Casey Martin Ruling

May 30, 2001 -- Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that golfer Casey Martin will be able to ride a cart in golf tournaments, many people involved in pro sports are asking, "What next?"

Justice Antonin Scalia, one of the two dissenting votes, said he could imagine parents of a Little League player with attention deficit disorder demanding four strikes at bat — because it was 25 percent more difficult for their child to hit a ball.

Martin had argued he needs a cart because even though his golf skills won him a spot on the Professional Golfers Association Tour, the premier U.S. professional golf tour, he has a degenerative leg ailment that makes it almost impossible to walk an 18-hole golf course.

In their case against Martin, the PGA Tour argued that changing its rules for one player's physical condition would fundamentally alter the competition.

Scalia also feared the ruling would lead to many more cases, "and a rich source of lucrative litigation."

But after two lower courts ruled in favor of Martin, there wasn't overwhelming worry in the air. In fact, many people said the ruling wouldn't have much of an effect at all.

Skills Before Obstacles

In the majority opinion, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote, "we have no doubt that allowing Martin to use a golf cart would not fundamentally alter the nature" of the PGA Tour's tournaments.

Sports Illustrated's Frank Deford said the case was unique. "If he tried to use a wheelchair playing tennis or some other individual sport, he obviously couldn't do it," Deford said. "This is one sport, one rare case. I can't see it ever coming up again."

Dave Synowka, the director of the sports management program at Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh, Pa., agreed, "I don't think this is going to be a landmark decision."

He said Martin's golf ability was the most important issue, and his disability came second. "Let's face it, to go on the PGA Tour, you're going to have to shoot par or better," Synowka said.

Deborah Crown, a business professor at the University of Alabama specializing in sports said she expected the case to give rise to others, but warned that "not all would be decided in favor of the athlete."

She also recognized that Martin's case was "unique" because of his skills, and that future cases would also have to involve people who could prove their eligibility.

"Issues of core performance would still have to fit the elite category," she said.

After losing the case, the PGA said it did not expect the case to have that great of an impact.

PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem said the court made it clear that it was ruling only on the case of Casey Martin, and that it seems to have left the PGA some latitude to continue its rule on requiring players to walk.

"We still have a reasonable good chance to maintain the sport as we know it," he said.

The Looming Shadow

Many professional golfers were nevertheless worried.

Some recreational golfers already use carts regularly and few non-golfers see walking as part of athletic performance, but professionals often face fatigue from hours in the hot sun and consecutive days of competition.

Golfing giants Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer argue that using a cart would give Martin an advantage and undermine a basic part of the game.

"It's never been an issue of Casey, it's been an issue of principle," Nicklaus said today. "The idea is having a level playing field. That's all the tour wanted to have … everyone playing under the same rules."

Some golfers said the Supreme Court's ruling may result in a convoy of golf carts on the tour as golfers seek an advantage.

Many pros said they knew of fellow players who already have bad backs and might now apply to use a cart.

"You can't tell me that walking doesn't make a difference. I believe that walking is part of the game," said pro golfer Harrison Frazar.