Will Augusta National finally be forced to invite a woman?
Masters adheres to traditions. But Billy Payne, club may have to change one. (Curtis Compton)
The mild winter ensures full blooms on the azaleas. Five different winners in the last five years eliminates any hint of predictability. Tiger Woods’ first tour win in 2½ years last week teases us into believing golf’s preeminent figure can return to dominance and provide some red-shirt drama on Sunday.
Welcome to the perfect backdrop for next week’s Masters, bliss for the Lords of Augusta National.
Well, except this: That women issue.
If it had never quite died, it at least had gone dormant, like Bermuda fairways. But the question of whether Augusta National will finally open the doors to female members — even if “at the point of a bayonet,” to reprise the charges of former chairman William “Hootie” Johnson – is bigger now than ever before. Even bigger than when Martha Burk first sent her little letter to Johnson nearly 10 years ago asking about the club’s exclusionary policies, sparking a very public and ugly debate, from break rooms to board rooms.
In January, IBM, which is one of the Masters’ major sponsors and runs the tournament’s website and the technology in the media center, named its new CEO: She’s a she.
Rometty's predecessors all were Augusta National members. (Bloomberg photo)
Virginia “Ginni” Rometty is the ninth CEO in the company’s history but the first female. The previous eight previous CEOs all were extended memberships by Augusta National. The three former CEOs still living remain members, as are the CEOs of the Masters’ other two major sponsors, AT&T and ExxonMobil.
“They’ve got themselves into a quandary, and deservedly so,” said Burk, who organized protests outside of Augusta National’s gates in 2003. She now aids women in corporations who believe they have been victims of sex discrimination. “They need to come into the 21st century. I said it nine years ago and I’ll say it now: They have a Neanderthal attitude, and that doesn’t reflect well on the club or the membership.”
Your move, Billy.
Steve Ethun, Augusta National spokesman, said the club and chairman Billy Payne would have “no comment
Burk doesn't think Billy Payne will respond different than Hootie Johnson. (AP)
or statement” on the situation, which has drawn media attention this week from Bloomberg, Yahoo, ESPN and the New York Times. The response is no surprise. The club generally doesn’t discuss membership policies or much beyond pin placement or the length of the rough.
If Payne is asked about it Wednesday during his annual state-of-the-sod-and-azalea address, his answer likely will be brief and unrevealing.
This is the true Masters’ tradition like no other: One man speaks for the club, and it’s his job to respond with an extended digit, albeit with a well-manicured nail.
My position on this hasn’t changed. Augusta National is a private club, so the club technically is correct when it states it has the right to exclude anybody it desires. But the Masters is the most public of events. It’s on public television. The relative great unwashed can purchase admission (even if tournament badges are difficult to come be).
These aren’t old guys wearing their “Loyal Order of Moose” hats, yukking it up and telling old stories about Jayne Mansfield. (Well, they might be, but that’s not the point.)
Johnson once likened Augusta National’s policies to “sororities, fraternities, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts.” The flaw in that analogy: There’s no yin to Augusta’s and the Masters’ yang.
Payne has been progressive in many ways since taking over for Johnson in 2006. He has expanded television coverage, instituted a junior patron program, sanctioned a Masters video game, even developing an iPhone app with live video streams.
But there has been no movement on women members. Payne has never said “never,” but his actions now will reveal everything. He can’t leave the door open and then do nothing because, in the case of Rometty, it would be setting precedent.
Burk said Rometty (who has declined comment through a spokesman), “has the power in the company to exert influence if she so desires.”
But she’s not sure Payne really cares.
“I’m certain part of the deal when he became chairman was he would adhere to Hootie Johnson’s policies,” she said. “He’s no better or morally responsible than Johnson was.”
We’ll know soon enough. But it really makes no sense for Payne to put this off any longer. This much is certain: Even if the issue goes dormant, it’s never going away.
By Jeff Schultz
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266 comments Add your comment
reebok
March 30th, 2012
9:54 am
It’s a private club. If you don’t like their policies, you are free to say so. You are also free not to tune in to the PGA event they host. As for Ms. Burke, she should be thrilled that Augusta National doesn’t yet have female members…it’s allowed her to be a D-list celbrity for 10 years. Perhaps she could go do something worthwhile now.
Alphare
March 30th, 2012
10:05 am
CraZy,
I am not arguing about exclusive man/woman club being right or wrong. I am arguing for the female IBM CEO to have the membership regardless of gender.
8 previous IBM CEO’s get memberships, all of a sudden a female is not allowed. What do you think if she is your daughter and not allowed the membership?
Ghost from the past
March 30th, 2012
10:07 am
Alphare…I guess you don’t understand the makeup of the memebership. There are companies equal to IBM within their framework.
Final Solution
March 30th, 2012
10:09 am
Hey Billy make her husband a member.
5150 UOAD
March 30th, 2012
10:11 am
Make her EX-husband a member. LOL
CrαZy
March 30th, 2012
10:15 am
What do you think if she is your daughter and not allowed the membership?
I’d tell my daughter, I wish I had a son then I’d get to play Augusta National!! Just kidding.. I’d tell her it’s just rules.
PMC
March 30th, 2012
10:17 am
I guess I don’t understand the logic behind “They’ve got themselves in a quandry.”
How?
PMC
March 30th, 2012
10:18 am
I mean really, there are no clubs for rich women?
CrαZy
March 30th, 2012
10:18 am
8 previous IBM CEO’s get memberships, all of a sudden a female is not allowed.
It’s just rules hopefully people aren’t simple minded and can grasp that they are a private organization and that is simply their rules. Anyone can open a private club and restrict membership however they want including women!!
The Voice of Reason
March 30th, 2012
10:20 am
News Flash!! This isn’t about Agusta National or Billy Payne – it’s all about Burke who is a feminist and wants to ram her philosophy down the troats of anyone who disagrees with her ideology. Apparently, Jeff has bought into her retoric and is now on the “band wagon”. Beleive it or not – there are many PRIVATE WOMEN’S CLUBS that operate by the same rules as Augusta:
Century Club of Rochester, N Y
Century Club of California – San Francisco
Wonen’s City Club – Pasedena
Twentieth Century Club – Pittsburg
Colony Club – N Y C
Acorn Club – Philadelpha
Metropolitan Club – San Francisco
Duluth Women’s Club – Duluth, MN
St Louis Women’s Club – St Louis
just to name a few (Google will give you as many as you want to research)
The point is that neither Burke or Schultz looks at this situation with the whole view in mind but would rather push their own agenda because they have the media spotlight. And, Burke isn’t raising up her head in protest now for the “just cause” but rather to further her notoriety. She couldn’t force the issue in 2004 so now she tries again using a different approach and other people of ilk as a wedge to get her message across.
When both Burke and Schultz prove they care as much about ALL SINGLE GENDER social clubs – men or women and spend as much effort breaking down the barriers of PRIVATE WOMEN’S CLUBS, then their message will become honest and all peoples begin to listen.
PoliticalCorrectnessBS
March 30th, 2012
10:25 am
Come on people nothing is wrong with the promotion of Women’s rights, but this isn’t going to prove anything. What exactly does forcing a PRIVATE organization to remove there all men’s rule to allow women going to do to improve women’s rights? They have the SAME DAM# right as men to open up a golf club and restrict their membership to women only!! This is nothing, but a bunch of drum beaters beating their drums for the sake of making noise.
Alphare
March 30th, 2012
10:38 am
CraZy,
just a few days ago my 8-year daughter was asking me why there is no woman president. I had to tell her in the ancient time men had to go out to do the hard manual labor because the hard labor would be too hard to women. Then it became a tradition that women stay home to take care of children while men work outside the home. When voting started, women staying at home didn’t get to vote because they were not familiar with the outside world.
Now, if a little girl asks you why she is not allowed, you simply tells her that’s the rule? rules can be good and can be bad, rules can be changed too.
I always thought going out of one’s own way to help is a worthy trait, not any more?
5150 UOAD
March 30th, 2012
10:41 am
Come on in Honey but No female showers or bathrooms.
5150 UOAD
March 30th, 2012
10:42 am
We will get you a port-o-john and a garden hose
PMC
March 30th, 2012
10:58 am
You could just tell your daughter that it hasn’t happened yet, Alphare but we have a Female Secretary of State currently and that’s one of the highest offices in the land.
lanier
March 30th, 2012
11:03 am
you are susposed to be a sports writer. why this garbage that belongs in the National Enquirer
please get with the program Jeff
CrαZy
March 30th, 2012
11:05 am
Alphare
Everything in your explanation to your daughter is great!! Except this isn’t a public issue it’s a private organization… it’s not holding women back from anything because women are allowed to do the same thing and have done the same thing in Women only golf clubs around the US and world!! This isn’t a noble cause or an important cause it’s just a freaking private club that only allows 1 gender and it’s not the only club that does this!!
Rodster
March 30th, 2012
11:20 am
i think it’s okay to admit a woman as long as she is willing to help with the dishes.
rivercard
March 30th, 2012
11:20 am
Dave – If it was my daughter , wife, sister or mother I would not feel any differently. First I would be ecstatic that they had reached this level that they would even be considered to be included with the 1% of the 1%. But this isn’t the Chamber of Commerce or some other organization designed to further her career. It is a private mens golf club. I fully support the rights of women to realize their full potential ,but doesn’t mean I support their infringing upon the free association of others.
There are all womens colleges and I fully support that idea. My wife at one time belonged to Junior League. I sure didn’t whine about not being able to be a member.
I don’t buy your reasoning concerning a private club being required by government to obtain licenses and such. The local government forbids me from growing my grass head high, to build my house to code and so on, but they don’t require or even suggest that I invite you into my house.
I hope one day Augusta finds a women they want to invite, but until that time it is their decision .
Tide Rising
March 30th, 2012
11:22 am
Is there something about “private” as in private club that people don’t understand?
“just a few days ago my 8-year daughter was asking me why there is no woman president.”
Alphare,
I do not believe you.
How many 8 year olds would be politically saavy enough to ask why there has never been a female president? How many of them would even know if there has or has not ever been a female president? And what would prompt an 8 year old who is more interested in the playground, barbie dolls, and other 8 year old interests, to ask politicized questions? And where and when would an 8 year old simply come up with this question out of the blue? How would she even know that there has never been a female president? I’m not saying its impossible- just that its extremely unlikely that 8 year olds go around asking political questions such as this.
macho dude
March 30th, 2012
11:29 am
Can I please join the LPGA
Ladies Professional Golf Association ?
Therut
March 30th, 2012
11:30 am
Marvin, you are right on. SHE DOESN’T PLAY GOLF. I have no desire to join a tennis club.I DON’T PLAY TENNIS!
Joey
March 30th, 2012
11:30 am
Jeff Shultz: “And 5150 UOAD — I’ve about had it with you. Deleting most of your comments.”
********************************************
Jeff, um, could you make that permanent? You know it’s hard to have a debate with someone whose posting name begins with U = Urinate.
I’m hopeful.
Thanks.
Buckshot
March 30th, 2012
11:46 am
Good God Almighty! It is a private club! Leave them alone!
Hoorah for Hootie
March 30th, 2012
11:51 am
I am a middle aged white guy who loves golf and plays to a 17. I am as pissed off as Ms Burke about the fact that I can’t get a membership. I am going to send Billy Payne a letter and call a news conference to discuss Augusta’s discriminatory policies against people such as myself. My rallying cry will be that we, the 99.999999999999999999999999999 percenters have had it with their exclusionary policies. Think that the liberal, politically correct, socialist media will give me any press?
It is a PRIVATE CLUB. Get over it. Burke the Jerk has probably single handedly guaranteed that Rommety will not get in. In fact, high profile publicity stunts like this (I mean come on, there are probably less than 250 Augusta members in the world) that undermine rather than help the cause for equal rights. Next thing you know Burke will be complaining that there are no female members of SEAL Team Six – another exclusive club that 99.99999999999999% of us will never belong to.
250 white guys have a club that clings to tradition, so what. Heck, Eisenhower was the only President who has ever been a member, and other than Carl Sanders, I doubt that any other Governors of the State of Georgia have been members. Burke needs to focus on a legitimate issue, like pro choice or equal employment.
Hoorah for Hootie
March 30th, 2012
12:00 pm
Has it ever dawned on anybody that 1) IBM already has three representatives (former CEO’s) in its membership, 2) They may have very well already extended an invite to Rommety as they never publicly discuss membership. I mean when is the last time that you saw a news wire out of Augusta regarding their new members? and 3) Rommety may not even want to be a member.
I think that it would be cool if Rommety showed up at the Masters wearing a green jacket and embarrassed the press and Burke by saying, “I have been a member since January” or Billy Payne announced that Augusta had extended an invitation to her when she assumed the CEO role in January and she politely declined.
Wow
March 30th, 2012
12:05 pm
You people should really read the article before commenting.
1) – Burk did not generate the issue again.
2) – It simply arose by the fact that IBM CEO’s have historically been asked to join.
3) – No one is forcing Rommety on Augusta National.
charliedawg
March 30th, 2012
12:21 pm
Nice to know you read USA Today….
heartofdarkness
March 30th, 2012
12:26 pm
I can not understand how basing a veto on membership because of gender, which is a matter over which a person has no control at birth, could in any way bring credit to an organization. I would expect public corporations with boards of directors composed of women and men might take a dim view of their chief executive being denied membership that has been routinely granted to others in their organization at the same level, who were of a different gender. While one sponsor may not be important to this event, social trends would suggest that the PGA will come under increased pressure to remove this issue from its public image.
Augusta National may choose to remain obstinate on this matter, as they have every legal right to do. Wealth is often an effective insulator from the need to be wise. The problem seems to be that the club seeks to gain great prestige in public from their golf tournament. Increasingly, the contradiction between public attitudes and private preferences will diminish that prestige, as there is nothing admirable in a policy of excluding women per se.
If this were a local boys club, planning their annual tractor pull, the public would rightly pay it no mind. And perhaps that is the direction in which things should go.
jimjones
March 30th, 2012
12:30 pm
Augusta admits the CEO’s of IBM as a courtesy and it is not a rule, male only membership on the other hand, is a rule of the club.
Paul in NH
March 30th, 2012
12:33 pm
Yes – Augusta National IS a private club but if they want to keep it private why do they invite the entire world to their little invitational golf tournament, broadcast it on TV, etc? Augusta could take a leaf out of Cypress Point’s book.
Cypress Point was faced with maintaining their limited membership makeup rather than conform to the PGA Tour’s requirements and they decided to drop out of the ATT National Pro-Am.
PureEvil
March 30th, 2012
12:34 pm
Seems private organizations sould be allowed to do as they please regarding who gets in. Not that any of us should really care it’s not like I’m getting in anytime EVER!! If it gets us another commercial free Masters I’m all women getting pissed off!!!
PureEvil
March 30th, 2012
12:35 pm
I’m all *for* women getting pissed off!!!
resno2
March 30th, 2012
12:39 pm
R-E-S-P-E-C-T that’s what private means to me!!!! Augusta National has been private since before even Martha Burk was born… what part of that 7 letter word does she not understand? We didn’t care then what she thought and we don’t care now.
Martha, a pleading word of advice, go away.
jimjones
March 30th, 2012
12:50 pm
I only hope Augusta has the good sense to ban Schultz from the grounds.
5150 UOAD
March 30th, 2012
12:59 pm
No stinking women!! The He-man Women-Haters club lives at Tech!!
dean
March 30th, 2012
1:00 pm
I tell you. This is getting out of hand. The next thing you know some girl is going to want to join the Boy Scouts.
Dumb dawgs
March 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
“Will Augusta National finally be forced to invite a woman?”
Sure, when frats start inviting women, sororities inviting men and congressioanal black caucus inviting white people.
Dumb dawgs
March 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
“250 white guys have a club that clings to tradition”
NAACP, congressional black caucus…
Nuff said.
SERIOUSLY
March 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
I believe that tryouts should be mandated to determine who the 1st woman to join this private club is!! IF she can show how to correctly use a mans putter & clean his balls THEN & ONLY THEN should she be allowed MEMBERSHIP!!!
Dumb dawgs
March 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
A few years ago Sorenstam played on the PGA tour and came in far behind on the tour. Women were all excited and thought she’d beat the men when it turned out that she was not that great playing with men.
Make sense?
PTC DAWG
March 30th, 2012
1:21 pm
Biggest non story ever. Why the big deal?
I don’t want to joint a Women’s Club.
Larry30
March 30th, 2012
1:27 pm
I hope the club will respond with a collective yawn. The 4 previous CEO’s of IBM weren’t members because of their job titles. They were obviously passionate about the game of golf. Augusta national is not a country club or a business/networking club. It is a golf club. Im astonished you even waste ink on this non story.
Buzzed
March 30th, 2012
1:33 pm
Comparing a private club’s membership to whether a woman can be president is stupid. A woman can’t yet join this particular private club; a woman can be president of the US – if she can get herself elected. And both circumstances are perfectly legal and OK by me. Now, if you want to compare the presidency with AGNC, you could say they are both now a busted flush.
Equality fo All
March 30th, 2012
2:07 pm
I wonder if Martha can influence any of these “Women Only” clubs to open up and let some men in:
American Association for Women Radiologists AAWR
American Association of University Women
American Heritage Girls
American Woman Suffrage Association
Association of Women Professionals
Association for Women in Science (AWIS)
Big Sisters
Business and Professional Women
Concerned Women for America
Commercial Real Estate Women
Daughters of the American Revolution – Historical society (founded 1890)
Daughters of Utah Pioneers – Historical society (founded 1919)
Equal Rights Advocates
Family of Women
Feminists for Life
Feminist Majority Foundation
Degree of Pocahontas
General Federation of Women’s Clubs (1890)
Girl Scouts of the United States of America
Hadassah
Junior League
La Leche League
League of Women Voters
Mommy Mentors
National American Woman Suffrage Association
National Association of Female Professionals
National Association of University Women (NAUW)
National Council of Jewish Women
National Federation of Republican Women
National Organization for Women (NOW)
National Woman Suffrage Association
National Women’s Political Caucus
Pythian Sisters
Rebekah Degree
Royal Neighbors of America
Refugee Women’s Network
Woman’s Christian Temperance Union
Women’s Bowling Congress
Woman’s Missionary Union
Women Open Network
U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce
Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children
Younger Women’s Task Force
Women In Prison
James
March 30th, 2012
2:08 pm
I still think we must ask ourselves if this descrimination is indicative of the type of society we want to live in. Do we want our state of Georgia to constantly be on the wrong side of history. I would like to see this type of case heard by the Supreme Court. I would be very interested in the ruling.
Bob
March 30th, 2012
2:13 pm
Can I as a man join the –
1) “Colony Club” it is a private women only social club in New York City. Founded in 1903
2)”The Metopolitan Club” in San Francisco – This is a women’s club, with a spa, fitness center, library, bar, and lunch room
3) Century Club of Rochester is the oldest private women’s club – Rochester NY
4) The Women’s City Club of Pasadena, where since 1945 we have provided a private club environment for women
And the List goes on (What’s good for the Goose is good for the gander)…
Gritz Blitz
March 30th, 2012
2:20 pm
“The previous eight previous CEOs” — I have no comment on the subject, but thought I would point out some editing that needs to be done.
PonGT
March 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
I find it interesting that emasculated sports writers like yourself are always quick to throw defamatory jabs at the men of Augusta National, presumably because they still have their masculinity and you don’t, by quoting such Gentle Ladies of America like that femi-nazi Martha Burk and call the Men of Augusta “NEANDERTHALS”. Truth is, they aren’t neanderthals, just men who haven’t caved to the fascists of America demanding castration. The men of Augusta National are not behaving like Neanderthals; the women are acting like Athaliahs! Too bad and so sad that you have been transgendered.
PureEvil
March 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
James the Augusta National Golf club could give a flying (word that rhymes with Duck) what the supream court says!! They’re a private club any order to disband would mean the same for hundreds of different organizations around the nation thta only allow 1 gender to join!!