Men's only or women's only private clubs, I don't think it has much importance. As long as there is no significant taxpayer support of it and no governmental functions are held there, I don't much care. Boycotting (interesting term there) is fine and encouraging others to do the same is fine, but otherwise let them be. The chucklehead (Hootie?) played into her protesting hands with his overreaction.

The fact that some people are disgusting enough to threaten Burk over the issue is an unfortunate fact of American life. Very similar to the hate directed at the Dixie Chicks, just sick.

Men's only or women's only private clubs, I don't think it has much importance. As long as there is no significant taxpayer support of it and no governmental functions are held there, I don't much care.

While I don't much care about golf, I can see why this is a huge sticking point. If I worked my entire life to be the best golfer I can be and succeeded in becoming one of the best in the world, it would be a huge slap in my face that one of the most prestigious golf courses in the world wouldn't even consider my skill because I was a woman. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if there was a comparable prestigious woman's golf club. But there isn't. And separate but equal hasn't worked in the past for other issues.

There is no real reason to keep women out of the club as far as I can see. Only the desire for rich men to hobnob with one another where they don't have to worry about treating women like people. I have to wonder whether or not they let women into the club as long as their cooking, cleaning, or serving the members.

It's a social club where rich men can network with one another. It has societal ramifications, and is therefore wrong. If there is no compelling reason to keep women out, I don't think they should.

"If I worked my entire life to be the best golfer I can be and succeeded in becoming one of the best in the world, it would be a huge slap in my face that one of the most prestigious golf courses in the world wouldn't even consider my skill because I was a woman." - ellestar

Golf skills are not what get you into the club (unless you win the Masters).

Instead of a frontal assault, follow the money. This article in the WaPo suggests how it's being done. Cut off the supply at the source, at least get companies to stop paying the fees as part of expense accounts:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040902511.html

Last year, Merhri and the Women on Wall Street Project reached a $46 million settlement with Morgan Stanley, the New York investment firm that had been the target of a class action suit filed by the project on behalf of eight female employees. Last week, another settlement, this one for $33 million, was reached with Smith Barney, a division of Citigroup, where Augusta National member Sanford Weill was the former chairman and CEO. Both settlements contained a provision that the companies will no longer reimburse expenses related to entities such as Augusta National that base membership on race or gender.

Burk estimates the Wall Street project will reach at least $200 million in similar settlements of lawsuits directed at other companies being targeted specifically because of their executives' membership in Augusta National, or sponsorship relationships with the club.

"That's the cost to discriminate," she said. "It comes as a direct result of Augusta National not admitting women. In my view, it's far more significant than standing in the middle of a muddy field a mile from the front gate. We have plans to greatly increase the visibility of the project next year. It is very likely this project will reach beyond Wall Street. Firms like Exxon-Mobil, one of the main sponsors of the Masters, General Electric, with members in the club, is not out of the realm of possibility."

Great read. I saw Martha Burk back in '03, what a crazy week.

The article was great as well but the writer mentioned the PGA Tour, the National and that golf is the most sexist sport around. I know this will sound silly but in regard to the game of golf, the Augusta National is a sexist private club, the LPGA is a sexist organization, never could quite get why that is.
Anyone can play in the PGA, only women can play in the LPGA. I can understand that this is because of unequal opportunity to play and excel at the sport and that may have been what the writer was getting at but will the LPGA's women only policy ever change? Will a man who cant make it through q-school or make the PGA tour ever be given an exemption to play on the LPGA? Or will that not happen until we have some sort of metric showing a 50/50 split in professional golf players? Anyone know what the numbers are now? For professionals.

While I understand that it is a private club and technically they can make these kinds of rules, I don't feel that a major, world-famous tournament should be held at a club that blatantly discriminates.

Gawd, when I lived in Georgia and would voice my opinion on the matter, I would get some serious crap. I guess because it's one of the few things of note the state has, you aren't allowed to speak ill of it. Of course, you weren't supposed to speak ill or rock the boat in general, but this seemed particularly sticky for a lot of people. Especially those I knew who were from Augusta. Which by the way, doesn't have much else going for it.

yep Liza, the Masters is the golden goose here in Augusta, one does best not to screw with it. Amazing how some people will take that but then others, who make anywhere from 25-90% of their net for the year off of masters traffic have a hard time agreeing that the club should go co-ed or lose the tourny, even if they would normally go that way, too much personally to lose.

Another thing I wonder about the LPGA, and most womens professional sports, if someone could point me to a resource I'd appreciate it. Many of them stipulate that one must be a female at birth to participate, how does that effect trans people? I understand why that rule is there but I would be frustrated if I was really good at golf and was m-t-f.

this is a good link that answers why the lpga needs to exist and refutes a lot of my earlier posts. http://golf.about.com/library/weekly/aa051603a.htm

enjoy the week! tiger or the field, who ya got?

As far as pure sports product is concerned, the LPGA has put out a very entertaining sports experience for golf fans.

As for the Masters, it is Tiger's tournament to lose. His game matches that course (and British Open style courses) much more than traditional U.S. Open style courses.

I fucking hate the Masters. Sorry, the traffic this morning made my contempt for it a little greater. I'm from Augusts (have lived here my whole life) and sexism is rather entrenched in the culture around here. People tend to support the Augusta National's sexism because admitting women would require "dumbing down the course" to make up for the "differences" in skill between men and women. Even bringing up the subject will draw angry looks/comments from people in the area. This is about much more than a golf course or a private club - this is the kind of thinking that is very popular around here in general. Women are to be seen and not heard, they are whining when they ask for rights, and women and men can't be treated the same because they are clearly and irreconcilably different from men.

I also hate Masters Week. It is the worst week out of the entire year. I live in Williston, South Carolina which is only 36 miles to the east of Augusta, Ga. I heard about the ANGC's sexist policies back in January 2003. I blogged about the Augusta National's discriminatory policy earlier this week.

I am sooooooooo not into golf, but the sticking point for me of this protest is the fact that the PGA is ignoring it's own rules. As pointed out in the article, the PGA won't allow its tournaments to be played at a course that allows discrimination...unless it's Augusta?

My future sister-in-law is a huge golfer (she's apparently playing on the circuit just below the LPGA). I think I might ask her what her thoughts are on this....