Casey Martin, a professional golfer with a disability, was entitled to use a golf cart during PGA Tour tournaments, according to the Supreme Court. The Court found that the PGA Tour was a place of public accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that allowing Martin to use a cart was a reasonable accommodation that did not fundamentally alter the nature of the game.
This Supreme Court case clarified the application of Title III of the ADA (public accommodations) to professional sports and the concept of “reasonable modification.” Professional golfer Casey Martin, who had a circulatory disorder that made walking painful, requested to use a golf cart. The PGA Tour argued that walking was an essential part of the game. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Martin, finding that allowing him to use a cart was a reasonable modification that did not fundamentally alter the nature of the PGA Tour events. This case established that even professional sports organisations are subject to the ADA’s public accommodation requirements.