Frankly Friends tell us what they think about drug testing in golf

A sampling of responses of those who said YES:

I believe the game has honesty and integrity but, unfortunately, money corrupts! Eventually, players will feel the need to bulk up to hit bigger drives when they suspect, rightly or wrongly, that someone else may be taking performance enhancing drugs.

Golf is a great sport, not just the game but also the character. Not all who play are true golfers, over the years, values have changed and some players need supervision. Sadly to say, golf today does need drug testing to protect the fairness to the innocent. Thank you.

There is so much money to be made in golf today that I fear our society may lose the honor and honesty that has always made our game the greatest of all.

The beauty of golf is in the reflection of the human condition. Good days, bad days, good luck, and bad luck. An artificial advantage is corruption.

I said "yes" because as the handicap chair at my course, I have found a small percentage of golfers that will do nearly anything to win a few dollars. I always wonder what these people would do for "real money". Thanks for your newsletter.

Only at the professional level. Money is the great corrupter even in Golf.

Yes, golf is a game of honesty and a most revealing show of character. However we all need a little policing or controlling. I think pro golfers need to show us that they are "clean" It does not seem to be the issue as in say baseball, football or athletics. Nevertheless get tested and prove you are clean.

My answer is going to be a minority here, I believe. However, there's a certain method to my madness if you'll bear me out. Golf is the only sport where we self-regulate, and we constantly hear of premier names calling penalties on themselves (yes, where nobody else saw anything) to uphold the honor of the game. I do not feel that a true, honorable golfer, would tarnish the sport by "cheating" through the use of performance-enhancing drugs. I do, however, feel that there probably are drugs out there in the underworld that would, indeed, give an unfair advantage even in golf - but I don't believe a professional would risk that kind of scandal. Soooooooo, I think drug testing DOES have a place in golf. But only to prove to non-golfers that we're an entirely different breed of professional, no to "catch" anyone cheating.

It is a game of honor, but at the professional level, where great sums of money are riding, it is a different ballgame. Therefore I believe in testing the professionals and trusting amateurs.

My reason is because of all the RIDICULOUS amounts of money that is available to the touring pros.They play for way too much money.The total purses should be about $500,000 per week, if they don't like it,they should use their college education and get a real job.

Steroids that can contribute to artificially increased strength or beta blockers that can quiet a thumping heart cheapen the game. It is too easy to rationalize anything that will help us "attack" the course; after all, there is no "defense" in golf. But we miss the deeper nature of the game when we think only in terms of playing "against" the course. When Tiger won the British Open this year, he very much played "with" the course, not "against" it. The outcome, beautiful golf, speaks for itself.

Read the views of those who said NO to drug testing....click here