Q: Is it ever OK to pick up another man's golf ball?
- A Duffer in Cherry Hill
A: Never. Never. Golf is a game of etiquette. You have to play by the rules. You have to call penalties on yourself. That's what makes golf unique from any other sport in the world. If you hit the ball into the woods, you're in the woods by yourself. You can't cheat at golf.
You should never touch anybody's balls. I once touched Dr. J's balls, but we're just friends. In the Sixers locker room, if you turned your head, you'd be kissing Moses' or Dr. J's butt. That locker room was so small. I was like, are you kidding me? I thought I was in the NBA. Couldn't move one way or the other.
Q: Not that long ago, my buddy went through a bad breakup. Then his mother died. I don't know if it's a way of dealing with it or what, but in recent months he's become another person. Basically, he's become a pompous jerk.
My question: Given all he's been through, should I tell him he's become a jerk or not?
- Worried in Northern Liberties
A: Be a good friend and support him. He's gone through a bad breakup and lost his mom. He could be going through some kind of middle-age crisis.
You don't know how a breakup and losing your mom could make a person feel. It has to be devastating, to have two things back-to-back like that. He's probably just going through some things.
Just be a good friend, because that could happen to you someday. You got to be compassionate, man.
--
Questions for Ask Sir Charles can be submitted via email at dnadvice@phillynews.com. For more information about Charles, his Hall-of-Fame NBA career, and his current exploits on television,go to charlesbarkley.com.