Nina Caldwell
Golf has had its fair share of scandals, from high-profile affairs and divorces to drug use and gambling addictions. One of the most famous golf scandals involves Tiger Woods, who made headlines in 2009 when news broke of his long-term affair with Rachel Uchitel. Another notable scandal is the Deepdale Scandal of 1955, involving handicap hoaxing and high-stakes gambling. More recently, in 2024, Scottie Scheffler was arrested before competing in the PGA Championship. The world of golf has also been rocked by insider trading, with Phil Mickelson escaping jail time, and drug use, with Dustin Johnson testing positive for marijuana and cocaine and being kicked off the tour in 2014.
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What You'll Learn
The Deepdale Scandal
The scandal centred around a $45,000 Calcutta auction, a form of betting where golfers in a tournament are auctioned off to bidders, and the "owners" of the winning team split their winnings with the players. Calcuttas were often rigged, with golfers misrepresenting their handicaps or accepting bribes to lose.
In the 1955 Deepdale Calcutta, two three-handicap golfers entered the amateur tournament, claiming handicaps of 17 and 18. They went on to win the tournament by five strokes, netting themselves and their backers $16,000 each from the $45,000 pool. The scandal was exposed when one of the players confessed in a letter to the club president, and the story was picked up by the newspapers.
As a result of the scandal, the United States Golf Association (USGA) formally banned Calcuttas. The two golfers involved, Bill Roberts and an accomplice, lost their amateur standing for conduct "detrimental" to golf. Roberts was ostracised from the golf community and faced threats and harassment. He never applied for reinstatement of his amateur status and largely disappeared from the golf world.
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Tiger Woods' affairs
Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time and is one of the most famous athletes in modern history. However, in 2009, at the peak of his career, Woods became the centre of a scandal when news broke that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Elin Nordegren.
In November 2009, the National Enquirer published a story claiming that Woods had an affair with New York City nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel, who denied the allegation. Two days later, Woods was involved in a single-vehicle collision outside his Florida home. He was treated for minor facial lacerations and received a ticket for careless driving. Following media speculation about the cause of the crash, Woods released a statement on his website, taking sole responsibility for the incident and calling it a "private matter". Uchitel later admitted to the affair and revealed that she met Woods through Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.
In the days and months following Woods's admission of infidelity, several companies re-evaluated their relationships with him. Accenture, AT&T, Gatorade, and General Motors ended their sponsorship deals, while Gillette suspended advertising featuring Woods. Woods checked into rehab for sex addiction after more than 10 women came forward with stories of alleged affairs and hookups involving him. Nordegren initially stayed by her husband's side as he sought medical help, but in early 2010, the couple officially separated and divorced in August of that year.
Despite the scandal, Woods remained romantically involved with skier Lindsay Vonn and later Erica Herman. In March 2023, it was announced that Woods and Herman had separated when Herman attempted to nullify her non-disclosure agreement with Woods, citing the Speak Out Act as her reason for filing. She later dropped the action and stated she was never a victim of sexual harassment or abuse at the hands of Woods or any of his associates.
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Scottie Scheffler's arrest
On the morning of Friday, May 17, 2024, Scottie Scheffler, the World No. 1 golfer, was arrested by Louisville Metro Police as he tried to drive into the entrance of Valhalla Golf Club, the site of the PGA Championship. Hours earlier, a man had been struck and killed by a shuttle bus outside the club. Scheffler was unaware of the incident and proceeded as instructed.
Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic. The assault charge is a felony, while the others are misdemeanors. Detective Bryan Gillis, the arresting officer, claimed that Scheffler "refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging [him] to the ground." Gillis reported suffering "pain, swelling and abrasions" and was taken to the hospital.
Scheffler was released from custody without bail at 8:40 a.m. and arrived at Valhalla less than an hour before his scheduled tee-off at 10:08 a.m. He managed a quick breakfast and a brief warm-up before his round. Fans greeted him with supportive chants, and some even wore T-shirts featuring his mugshot. Despite the incident, Scheffler went on to win five more tournaments in 2024, including an Olympic gold medal and his first FedEx Cup championship.
The arrest of Scheffler, known for his calm demeanor and impeccable sportsmanship, came as a shock to the golf world. It also brought attention to the Louisville Metro Police Department, which was already under investigation for alleged civil rights abuses. Videos released after the incident contradicted key elements of the official police report, and it was noted that Gillis did not have his body camera activated during the arrest. All charges against Scheffler were dropped 12 days later.
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Drug use and doping
Golf has had its fair share of drug use and doping scandals over the years. While the Professional Golfers Association has been drug testing its players since 2008, there have been several high-profile cases that have shaken the sport.
One of the most notable scandals involved Robert Garrigus, who tested positive for marijuana and received a ban from the PGA Tour. This case was particularly noteworthy because it was the first publicly reported ban for recreational drug use since the PGA Tour changed its rules in 2017. The PGA Tour had previously only revealed bans for performance-enhancing breaches of policy.
Another golfer who fell foul of the PGA Tour's anti-doping policy was Matt Every, who was banned in 2010 for testing positive for marijuana. At the time, the Tour did not disclose the reason for his ban, but Every later revealed that he had inhaled marijuana smoke in a room with friends. He expressed his disbelief at the decision, stating that he did not think he had done anything wrong.
In 2014, a golfer named Johnson was suspended for six months by the PGA Tour after reportedly testing positive for drugs. Johnson, however, attributed his problems to excessive drinking rather than drug use. He denied ever failing a drug test on the PGA Tour and took a leave of absence to seek help for his personal challenges.
While these cases have brought the issue of drug use and doping in golf into the spotlight, it is worth noting that the PGA Tour has faced criticism for its handling of recreational drug use. Some have argued that the Tour's approach has led to unfair scepticism surrounding golfers who disappear from tournament view for extended periods. Additionally, there have been calls for the PGA to permit cannabis use, with nearly 60% of polled players at the 2019 Safeway Open expressing this sentiment.
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Scorecard scandals
Golf has had its fair share of controversies and scandals over the years, including scorecard scandals.
One of the most infamous incidents was the Deepdale Scandal of 1955, also known as the handicap hoax. Bill Roberts and his accomplice lost their amateur standing due to conduct "detrimental" to golf, with Roberts never regaining his status and becoming a "lost soul" in the golf world.
Another scorecard scandal involved Jordan Spieth, who had to forfeit the lead after three rounds in a PGA Tour event due to an inaccurate scorecard. This incident highlighted the importance of adhering to esoteric golfing rules and the potential consequences of even minor infractions.
Cheating scandals have also plagued the sport, with Vijay Singh, Patrick Reed, and Justin Doeden all facing accusations. In the case of Doeden, players noticed a discrepancy in his scorecard, which led to an investigation and his public admission of cheating.
Drug scandals have also impacted the sport, with Bhavik Patel and Dustin Johnson suspended for performance-enhancing drug use. While Johnson attributed his problems primarily to excessive drinking, both cases highlighted the presence of substances in golf.
These scorecard scandals and controversies have shaped the sport, leading to increased scrutiny and a focus on upholding the integrity and honesty that golf strives for.
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Frequently asked questions
The Deepdale Scandal, also known as the handicap hoax, is the most infamous scandal in golf history. It involves a 1955 game in a leafy Long Island suburb of New York City, where Bill Roberts and Helmar lost their amateur standing for conduct "detrimental" to golf.
In 2009, at the peak of his career, news broke that Tiger Woods had a long-term mistress, Rachel Uchitel. Other women also came forward with claims that they had been intimate with Woods while he was married to Elin Nordegren. Woods and Nordegren publicly split in early 2010 and finalised their divorce in August of the same year.
In 2017, Phil Mickelson was involved in a three-way insider trading scandal. He walked away unscathed, but the two other people involved ended up in court facing long jail terms.
In 2024, Scottie Scheffler was arrested by Louisville Metro Police officers as he tried to drive into the Valhalla Golf Club parking lot for the PGA Championship tournament. He later called the incident a big misunderstanding.
