Just say No: Golf to enact anti-doping policy

The pressure has been on for a while, and now the bough has finally broken. Golf, who has fought off insinuations of any performance-enhancing drug issues, has now enacted an anti-doping policy that will be enforced starting in 2008. Drug testing could begin as early as next spring, although details such as when to test and any penalties are still being worked out.

It was a universal effort from the PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour, U.S. Golf Association, Royal & Ancient Golf Club, Augusta National Golf Club and the PGA of America, meaning the policy ultimately would cover golf at the highest level all over the world, including the four major championships.

Golf has resisted drug testing since the question was first posed at the start of the decade, claiming there has been no evidence of performance-enhancing drugs for golf or anyone using them. Even if that were the case, it's been suggested that golf could get by on its centuries-old honor code of players calling penalties on themselves. But as doping began to surface in baseball and cycling and several other sports, golf came under increasing pressure to develop a policy.

The next step is to make sure its players know what's on the banned list, how to seek a medical waiver and what the punishment would be if a test came back positive.

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Just say No: Golf to enact anti-doping policy

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