And people wonder why golf has a reputation of only being for the elites.
George,
Since when is common courtesy and proper etiquette as described in the first chapter of the USGA rule book solely for the elites ?
I think you are confusing the rude actions of individuals with the instrument; it's not the phone that's rude, it's the person.
Your earlier list of people you've golfed with is impressive, but there is something most if not all of those people have in common - they have made it to the top rung and likely have highly paid and highly competent people who can do their work for them. (And I don't begrudge them that for a second, congrats I say, they've earned it.) Not everyone has that luxury. You're a good Catholic boy
- can you imagine someone trying to contact his priest with an urgent problem and being told, he's on the golf course, can this other gentleman help you? The time lag between someone from the course notifying him and his taking the call himself can make a huge difference.
I can't imagine anyone begrudging someone like Tommy Williamsen his use of a phone for special situations, and I can think of few individuals I would rather join for a round of golf.
If it didn't bother Don Mahaffey (another person high on my list of golf partners), why does it bother so many others that Ben Sims is highly devoted to his job and his country? Ben can join me any time, I would answer his phone for him!
By the way, you did the right thing by asking to be driven in. That's the proper way to handle the situation - make it clear to people that phones are for emergencies. Banning phones is like punishing an entire classroom of kids for the repeated actions of one problem child.
And before you ask, yes, I always obey the rules of any club I am fortunate enough to be at, whether it's cell phone use or dress code. I'm quite sure most do. That's doesn't mean you can't disagree with the rule in question.