One of the worst things a golfer can be labeled is a cheater. Whether you’re known to employ a foot wedge from time to time or pencil-whip your scorecard, the reputation and disdain for those not willing to play by the rules is a long-held and not easily droppable moniker.
While some can rationalize that it’s not a big deal when someone in their weekend game moves their ball from behind a tree for a better shot, when it comes to professional golf at the highest level, there’s no rationalization that can be made.
Men and women are out on Tour playing for their livelihoods, and while it can be a very lucrative livelihood, competitors taking money out of their pockets in illegal fashion will never be looked upon with favor.
Golf.com surveyed Tour pros for their annual anonymous player poll and found that 44% said they had witnessed a Tour player cheat during a tournament round.
According to our anonymous player poll, nearly half of PGA Tour pros say they’ve witnessed cheating during a tournament. https://t.co/iRMDEzxUiu pic.twitter.com/2VBqEPqdv9
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) September 5, 2018
“Multiple times,” one Tour pro said. “The Tour is a joke when it comes to enforcing the Rules.”
In an interesting twist, when the pro was asked if he or she had ever broken a rule and not reported it, 100% of respondents said they never had.
Either Golf.com did a great job in seeking out the most honorable and reputable players on Tour for their anonymous poll or more than a few respondents weren’t entirely truthful.
