Would you confess, or let it slide?

Would you tell the officials?

  • Yes

    Votes: 9 81.8%
  • No

    Votes: 2 18.2%

  • Total voters
    11

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J.P. Hayes is as honest as we like to think we are - Devil Ball Golf - Golf - Yahoo! Sports


J.P. Hayes is as honest as we like to think we are

By Jay Busbee

ept_sports_golf_experts-842169604-1227127305.jpg

The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching. John Wooden said that, or maybe it was Spider-Man. Whatever, it still holds true; being noble and upstanding is easy enough when you've got people watching, but when you're alone with yourself, when you could do the wrong thing (or avoid the right thing) and get away with it, well -- that's when you find out what kind of person you are.
By that standard, then, J.P. Hayes is among the best that sports has to offer. He played a nonconforming ball for a single hole of the second stage of Q School last weekend. He realized it more than a day after the "violation," called it on himself, and thus disqualified himself from Q School ... with some severe, career-altering effects down the line.
So how did this go down? So easily, you'll cringe:
On his 12th hole of the first round at Deerwood Country Club last Wednesday, Hayes' caddie reached into his golf bag, pulled out a ball and flipped it to Hayes, who missed the green with his tee shot. He then chipped on and marked his ball. It was then that Hayes realized the ball was not the same model Titleist with which he had started his round. That was in violation of the one-ball rule, which stipulates that a player must play the same model throughout a round.
Okay, so, two-stroke penalty, no big deal. He recovered well enough to put himself in position to finish in the top 20 and advance to the third and final round of Q School. The top 25 finishers in that round, plus ties, earn exempt status for the entire 2009 PGA season. So, breathe deep, think about how close you came to disaster, then tee it up for the next round.
Only, while Hayes was breathing deep, he realized something else -- not only did he play the wrong ball, he might have played a ball that wasn't even approved for play at all.
"It was a Titleist prototype, and somehow it had gotten into my bag," he said. "It had been four weeks since Titleist gave me some prototype balls and I tested them. I have no idea how or why it was still in there ... I called an official in Houston that night and said, 'I think I may have a problem. He said they'd call Titleist the next day. I pretty much knew at that point I was going to be disqualified."
Now, the easy move here would be to either do nothing or blame the caddy. Hayes rose above both those temptations, putting all the blame on himself and asserting that everybody else on the PGA in his shoes would have done the exact same thing. We'll never know, but let's hope so.
Also, Hayes already has more than $7 million in career earnings, so it's not like he'd consigned himself to another year working the counter at the Quik Stop. But still, knowing you're taking yourself out of the running for a year of career stability and wealth takes some serious situational ethics.
Would you do it?
Really?
 
read this this morning.

his $7 million puts him in no need of money.

golf is a game where integrity is valued and revered. I would have personally confessed. This isn't baseball or football. The ruling parties will appreciate this and might fine or suspend him, but they wont ban him.
 
impressive, even w/ his income. anyone that got this far prob wouldn't be a fluke and would have another chance. i like to think i would.
 
Wow, good to see character in at least one sport.
 
I would confess. I'm an avid golfer, and honesty is a huge aspect of the game.
 
I would have confessed - He lost his tour card. All he has to do is go to Q school and get it back. Shouldn't be that hard for a golfer of his supposed ability if he is solid. I personally think that due to the fact that he came forward and that he was honest they should have let him keep his card but suspended him from the first two or three tournaments. In the end it was an honest mistake that was brought to light by an honest person in a game where honesty and integrity are valued. I wish all sports were like this.
 
if i have 7 million, whats 200k for winning a tourney?
 
if i have 7 million, whats 200k for winning a tourney?

Plus sponsors. If he would have kept it on the down low and had it come out he would have been ruined. No more tour card, no sponsorships and such.
 
yep if i had the money i would be honest but i cant say that i would if i was broke and really needed the money. i would like to think i would be honest nbut you never know
 
if i have 7 million, whats 200k for winning a tourney?


$7,200,000.00?

i mean. that 200k could buy you one bad ass eg hatch?

idk what i would of done.
probably would of confessed and been like. mah bad guys.
 
How about a decked out twin charged gucci upholstered nsx?
 
Idk. With 7 mil sitting in the bank and 200k for pocket change. i think i would be able to afford to drive a diesel around right now.. i do like some of the diesels that our out driving around.
 
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