STUART — Tiger Woods will not be carrying his own bag.
But neither will he be allowed to legally drive a golf cart on public roads after having his driver's license suspended in a plea agreement hearing Sept. 2 at the Martin County Courthouse.
Woods' driver's license was suspended for five years and he will pay $1,500 in fines in a plea agreement stemming from his March 27 arrest on DUI charges and refusal to submit to a sobriety test after a crash not far from his Jupiter Island home.
The DUI charge was reduced to reckless, willful driving, which comes with a five-year license suspension and $1,000 fine. Woods pleaded no-contest, meaning he accepted the punishment without formally admitting guilt.
His refusal to submit to the sobriety test comes
with a five-year license suspension and a $500 fine. The two license suspensions will be served concurrently.
Driving a golf cart on public roads is against the law if your driver's license is suspended or revoked. But Woods will be allowed to throw his golf bag on the back of a cart and get behind the wheel of that cart while playing 18 holes.
Florida law says anyone 18 or older operating a golf cart on public roads must carry a driver's license or valid, government-issued photo ID. Driving a motorized vehicle on public roads with a suspended license violates traffic laws and leads to extra penalties or charges.
When driving a golf cart on private land, private golf courses, or gated communities if the property owner allows it, standard state roadway license rules typically are not enforced, though local community rules still apply.
Tiger Woods will go to jail if caught driving
Martin County Judge Darren Steele warned Woods that he would be sent to jail if he is caught driving.
At a news conference following the hearing, State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl had a warning for Woods:
"If I can send any message to Mr. Woods, it's simply this: Of all the people in the world who should not get behind the wheel of a car, it's the gentleman who is one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. Somebody will see it whether it's in Georgia or Nevada, New York or where have you. He's not to drive a car."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Can Tiger Woods drive a golf cart after plea deal, suspended license?
