The kicker was an anonymous e-mail.

For a couple of years now I had toyed with the idea of doing a story about the honor system in golf and tennis. When I covered my first high school tennis match in 2005 for the North County Times in Escondido, it took me by surprise that there were no officials present. I had no idea that was the norm. I had never been to a tennis match before. As time passed, I thought it might be an intriguing topic to explore -- see how well it works, the problems that arise, etc., etc.

I came here to The Californian last month and presented the story to my editor, who liked my idea. I wasn't sure that I'd actually get around to doing it, though -- until my in-box one day a few weeks back contained an e-mail from Love Golf with a subject line that read "(Team) Girls Cheating" (we'll keep the accused school anonymous, too).

The author was upset about what he/she felt was going on with this particular school, writing in the e-mail: "A person that cheats in golf isn't a real golfer." Whether or not someone cheats in these sports isn't the kind of thing I can verify.

But when I received that e-mail I knew for sure I had to write this story.

I gathered a ton of information from lots of people involved in both sports. The general consensus from those people was this: Cheating happens, but not all the time. Basically there's lots of good, mixed with some bad.

Stockdale tennis coach Dave Hillestad told me about a time this season at a tournament in Fresno where it got kind of ugly between two Fresno schools over a disputed call. Apparently, girls were making snooty comments at one another, and coaches and the tournament director had to get involved.

One of the issues that came up that I alluded to but didn't elaborate on was whether or not most golfers even know USGA rules. Players and coaches said this was a concern particularly for younger, inexperienced players. Who knows that moving, say, a gum wrapper to improve your putting line is OK, but that moving a leaf is illegal because the rule specifies nature vs. unnatural? Or how many strokes you're supposed to add on for water hazard or out of bounds? I don't. And, apparently, neither does every high school player. Some girls said they carry rule books with them, but even that sometimes doesn't help.

Frontier golf coach Tony Bernardin said part of the problem is the girls' fear of confrontation. To help his team, he and his assistant, Tom Aguilar, role play in front of their girls so they can learn how to deal with confrontation.

Central Section commissioner Jim Crichlow told me in our interview that nothing ever makes its way to his desk, in terms of complaints or protests. Certainly that's a good sign.

All in all, the system is far from perfect. It has its wrinkles. By and large, though, it works. I'm surprised the situation doesn't get out of hand, which says something about the student-athletes and their character.

Clearly, most care about their reputations -- not just as athletes, but people.

-- You can read the story about the honor system in golf and tennis by clicking here.