Golfer With iPod Costs Team Spot In State Tourney

The 18th green was a lonely place at Highfields Golf and Country Club in Grafton after Auburn High School golfer Matt Carville was disqualified for listening to his iPod for the last two holes.

That cost his team a spot in the state tournament by one stroke. “I could see the disappointment on the coach’s face,” said Grafton High coach Jack Graham, who was there with his team.

His fellow coach from Auburn, Mike Kaczynski, told the Telegram and Gazette, “I am so saddened by this. This is a great disappointment for our team.”

“We all knew what the rules were. We were all given a rule sheet prior to play. The rules were explained to us prior to play and we as coaches again explained the rules to our men before they went out to play. So there’s no ifs ands or buts. The rule was broken,” said Graham.

A spokesman for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association agrees.
“They brought the youngster in with the coach and they asked if he was using an electronic device. He said yes,” M.I.A.A. spokesman Paul Wetzel told WBZ.

Coach Kaczynski is quoted as saying “It just hurts to go from district champions to not even making the states. But rules are rules, and I have no problem with the decision.”

“Unlike any other sport, golf is a game where we call rules infractions on ourselves. Nobody else does that but we do. And we expect that to be held up by our student athletes,” explained Graham.

The Grafton coach said this is not only a tough lesson for the disqualified golfer and his teammates, it’s also one from which other student athletes can learn in the game of life.

After repeated phone calls and in-person interview requests, Auburn school officials had no comment.

The Groton-Dunstable High School team ended-up Central Massachusetts Division 2 champions.