Once again, The Masters proved to be a fantastic test of skill for the professional golfers competing, and great entertainment for the golf fans watching on television. There was something conspicuously different about this year’s Masters television coverage: There were no commercials. Thanks to the protests of Martha Burk and her National Council of Women’s Organizations, the commercial sponsors of the event backed away from having their advertisements run during the coverage. Great!
In the past year, Burk has been on countless talk shows and public appearances to discuss the membership policies of The Masters’ home course, Augusta National Golf Club. As it is, the club does not have any female members, and, according to Masters Chairman Hootie Johnson (That’s right, the guy’s name is Hootie. Are you done chuckling? Great.) the membership really isn’t that interested in inviting any women to join any time soon. Because Augusta National is the host of the one of the most important tournaments in golf, Burk feels that it is morally wrong to not allow women to play there. The problem is, does anyone really care?
Augusta National Golf Club is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the country–pro-golf legend Arnold Palmer was just given an invitation to join some 40 years after winning his first of four green jackets. The membership includes the most powerful people in America, including Bill Gates and finance mogul Warren Buffett. If these guys don’t want women to join the club, then women will not join the club. Besides, the differential treatment of women at golf clubs is nothing altogether unusual.
My family belongs to a country club. There, I said it. In fact, my family belongs to one of the oldest country clubs in Columbus, Ohio, which means that sexism is abound at all times. Women are not allowed to play before certain times on the weekends, and they are not allowed into certain parts of the club, namely the Stag Grill. This is a small grill room attached to the men’s locker room where a fella can go to get a quick dinner, drink some whiskey and play gin rummy until the late hours of the night–and all of this without having to wear pants! As a guy, the Stag Grill is a beautiful thing, a bastion of maledom where a guy can be a guy, and not have to worry about “the little woman” busting in and telling him to put out his stoggie.
The tee time rule is great, too; there is nothing quite as annoying as spending five hours playing behind a foursome of women slowly nudging the ball around the course. There is actually a course in Columbus that is exclusively male, just like Augusta National. Why is no one making a fuss about all of these other courses? Because they are private clubs, and can really do what they want when it comes to rules and membership because it is a voluntary association.
As much as Augusta National’s admittance policy may sound sexist and of a bygone era, it is the members’ prerogative to keep it that way, and no amount of picketing and protesting will change that. Frankly, it is offensive that Martha Burk can come in and force her agenda on people who would otherwise have a quaint and comfortable life. Don’t worry, Hootie, I’m behind you all the way.
