Harrington Out Of Abu Dhabi

[Yanner]

Harrington out after a viewer phoned in.....

[Mike]

This is a farce (leaving aside that Harrington is one of my favourite players) and indicative of how golf regularly gets right up its own backside.

- a movement of one and a half dimples is difficult for the human eye to discern
- such a movement is clearly not a material matter
- such a movement could not possibly give the player any advantage whatsoever
- additionally, there was clearly no intent on the side of the player to try and secure any advantage

As such to kick out a golfer (any golfer) from a pro event where his living depends on it and is also a major media and spectator event is a joke.

It doesn't make golf look good. It doesn't make golf 'superior' to other pro sports where participants dive and cheat.

[aces_up1504]

This viewer interaction is only going to get worse now that they can have an affect in the outcome of a tournament.

We have had two in month, and once the ball has started rolling it can and will only get worse. ( sorry for the pun)

I think the PGA need to move quickly and close the loop hole. We have got the players honesty and a match ref. That should be enough.

[Mike]

This viewer interaction is only going to get worse now that they can have an affect in the outcome of a tournament.

We have had two in month, and once the ball has started rolling it can and will only get worse. ( sorry for the pun)

I think the PGA need to move quickly and close the loop hole. We have got the players honesty and a match ref. That should be enough.

Completely agreed. And also of course it has an unfair effect with TV largely centred on the star players

[Vince Baby]

He also had the option to not move the ball.

As he makes his (lucrative) living from playing the game of golf. I would have thought it'd be in his interests to be careful when marking/un-marking his ball. 

'Specially after the Saltman and Poulter incidents.

A harsh penalty but entirely avoidable and his his own fault.

[3puttwizard]

He also had the option to not move the ball.

As he makes his (lucrative) living from playing the game of golf. I would have thought it'd be in his interests to be careful when marking/un-marking his ball. 

'Specially after the Saltman and Poulter incidents.

A harsh penalty but entirely avoidable and his his own fault.

Agreed. He f**ked up. His fault noone elses.

[Mike]

He also had the option to not move the ball.

But he didnt intend to move the ball. I'm sure he was very careful (why wouldnt he be?)

A harsh penalty but entirely avoidable and his his own fault.

But it isn't entirely avoidable though is it? And I don't see how it's his fault? Where by fault I mean intent, material outcome or advantage gained.

[Mike]

Agreed. He f**ked up. His fault noone elses.

And do you think the punishment fits the crime?

[Sam the Eagle]

Harrington quote:

"I looked down and was pretty sure it had just oscillated and had not moved, so I continued on," said Harrington.

"In slow motion it's pretty clear the ball has moved three dimples forward and it's come back maybe a dimple and a half.

"At the end of the day that's good enough, but I wouldn't have done anything differently - there was nothing I could do about it at that moment in time.

"If I'd called a referee over it would have been pointless because if he'd asked me where my ball was I'd have said it was there. As far as I was concerned it didn't move."

Seems to me he acted in good faith. Didn't he call a penalty on himself at the Masters last year for a similar incident?
At the end of day (pun intended) it was down to the referee to use his discretion and whatever his decision it has to be accepted, and Harrington does just that. That said, for a minor breach like this I would have thought he'd take Harrington's word and close the case without disqualifying him.

[3puttwizard]

Sadly for him yes. He needs to be more careful. Its his job. The rules are the rules.


"It's a minute movement, but it's a movement and he never replaced it, so he should have included a two-stroke penalty.

"The fact that he is unaware he moved the ball unfortunately does not help him. Because he signed for a score lower than actually taken the penalty is disqualification."

[Ged]

At the end of day (pun intended) it was down to the referee to use his discretion and whatever his decision it has to be accepted, and Harrington does just that. That said, for a minor breach like this I would have thought he'd take Harrington's word and close the case without disqualifying him.

Agree

[Mike]

Sadly for him yes. He needs to be more careful. Its his job. The rules are the rules.

And how should he be more careful? What should he have done that he didn't do? The rules, in this instance, are clearly a load of old crap

[3puttwizard]

And how should he be more careful? What should he have done that he didn't do? The rules, in this instance, are clearly a load of old crap

Try not moving the ball. That's a start.

When you play the game you accept the rules. If you don't like the rules don't play the game.

Lots of other golfers have goofed and been DQ'd. They all learn their lesson the hard way.

[Mike]

Try not moving the ball. That's a start.

When you play the game you accept the rules. If you don't like the rules don't play the game.

Oh thanks for that 

[hotbaws]

Try not moving the ball. That's a start.

When you play the game you accept the rules. If you don't like the rules don't play the game.

Lots of other golfers have goofed and been DQ'd. They all learn their lesson the hard way.

It's not a case of accepting the rule FFS

He made an honest call that the ball didn't move forward but some knobjockey in the house using Sky + and watching it in SlowMo decided it had....

What would you say if he'd called the Ref over and say to him 'My ball moved but I believe it didn't roll forward' and the ref accepted this only for the cock with the remote control to email in....?

Would the Ref get DQ'ed too?