Professional Golf. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, the PGA Tour and the USGA both added options to apply for a cart on their competition applications. Both the PGA and USGA maintain committees to review medical records and make a cart ruling on a case-by-case basis202. The PGA and USGA applications allow both players and caddies to apply for a cart so long as they have a disability as defined by the ADA, which includes temporary disabilities203. The USGA’s application requires a player to answer a series of twelve questions explaining the nature of their disability and why it necessitates the use a cart [usga]. Sample questions ask: Can you walk up the flight of stairs without assistance? In 194 Xxxx Xxxxx, Spotlight Shifts to Xxxxxx, THE OREGONIAN (Portland, Or.), Jan. 18, 2000, at E1. 195 Xxxxxx Player Card, supra note 186. 196 Xxxx Xxxxx, Looking Back, Looking Forward, THE OREGONIAN (Portland, Or.), Nov. 27, 2005, at D1. 197 Xxxxxx Player Card, supra note 186. 198 Xxx Xxxxxx, Work and Progress, THE REGISTER-GUARD (Eugene, Or.), May 16, 2007, at C1. 199 Id. 200 Id. 201 Id. 202 White, supra note 196. 203 USGA Cart Request Form non-tournament play, what percentage of the time do you walk when you play? Do you use walking aids, if so, describe the length of time you use them each day?204 Interestingly, all the questions seem geared towards disabilities affecting a person’s ability to walk. There are no questions about impairments of the arms, eyes or other parts of the body. The party requesting a cart must also provide a current medial report and testimony of a physician that has evaluated the disability205. In 2003 and 2004 the USGA received forty four requests for carts, most of which were granted. However, most of these requests were for golfer’s playing at the U.S. Open qualifying rounds. Since Xxxxx Xxxxxx, no other golfer has ridden a cart in the U.S. Open206. Since the PGA Tour and the USGA have implemented their new procedures, only the USGA has received an application for cart use. Of those golfers who have applied to the USGA, the only uses of carts have been in qualifying rounds. No disabled golfer has made it through the qualifying rounds to plan in the U.S. Open. Contrary to the PGA Tour’s prediction that the Xxxxxx ruling would create a flood of disabled golfers on tour, since the Xxxxxx ruling, no other golfer has used a cart on the PGA Tour. In contrast to the PGA Tour, which liberalized its cart policy following the Xxxxxx Supreme Court ruling, the Champio...
