"My comments were weighed heavily before they came out of my mouth, and they were meant to address the larger issue of what I believe to be the decaying traditions of the game. This game has always had at its core the belief that self-governing gives the game its appeal. Inasmuch as we play the game for camaraderie. The self-governing tradition is slowly being replaced by a catch-me-if-you-can attitude.
"I think the whole golf world was watching how the Reed incident was treated. Including the young men and women who will soon be on their respective tours. If the catch-me-if-you-can attitude pervades junior golf, 10 years later it pervades professional golf and that concerns me. And was the origin of my remarks."
If it were only true Brandel....it does not make a lick of difference what Reed does on course as to what some other aspiring pro or junior golfer does. Anyone who watched it knows it was wrong. Golf is a great game, but moral decay is not setting in because Reed,s behavior. I don't have a problem with Brandel calling Reed out, he should....and I don't even have a problem with calling him a cheater, but to hide behind "decaying traditions" etc is disingenuous on his part. The game is fine. And if a junior golfer even hints that Reed situation is ok, use it as a teaching moment, not as a moment to question the game as a whole!