Golf: Privacy, please

By Vincent Musco Sports Central Columnist

Bravo to Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson for making it crystal clear that no outside party would change the membership policy at his beloved course. Johnson's statement was delivered earlier this week following a challenge from the National Council of Women's Organizations to invite women to become members at the all-male private club.

Marth Burk, the Chair of NCWO, urged Johnson to implement the changes to membership policy to include women before the 2003 Masters Tournament so it would not become "an issue." Burk has threatened to contact sponsors of the Masters in hopes of swaying them to her organization's side so that if the policies remain unchanged, they pull their sponsorships.

Johnson and the almost 300 other Augusta National members were not amused.

"We will not be bullied, threatened, or intimidated," Johnson barked.

The scariest part of this story is that people may actually side with the NCWO. What could become a public relations nightmare for the Augusta National Committee and Hootie Johnson could become a monumental precedent for private golf courses across the nation.

There is no law that dictates to private clubs that they must admit women as members. Instead, it is up to the respective membership committees to decide who gets in and who does not.

Don't like it? Tough. Play a public course.

Even if you dislike the fact that Augusta National is arguably the toughest course to get a round on in the world and that the almost 300 members are all exceedingly wealthy, and except for six black members, all white males, you still cannot deny the right of private clubs to remain just that: private.

Even more important in this case is the downright standup job the Augusta National Committee has done to keep the Masters Tournament "a tradition unlike any other." The lack of commercialization of the tournament and telecast distinguishes it from any other tournament played on Tour, and pretty much from any sporting event anywhere. After all, the fact that the Masters is played at Augusta is the only reason anyone pays any attention to it in the first place.

So what would happen if the NCWO won this battle? Maybe the Committee would deteriorate. Maybe they would decide to slow down the greens a little so that the course would be more playable for all. Maybe they would cancel The Masters to hold the NCWO Annual Shotgun Scramble, or demand that The Masters be moved to March. Or maybe a new over-zealous campaign to allow women in The Masters Tournament would emerge, prompting the tournament to change venues to the TPC of Virginia Beach. After all, Marth Burk, in her statement, claimed, "An event of this profile could be held somewhere else." Ugh.

Or maybe not. Maybe nothing would change. Or maybe Hootie and the boys would be refreshed by a new female perspective that would inspire a better Augusta and the same tradition we love at The Masters.

That's not the point.

At stake is the sanctity of the private club of which Augusta National is king. Forcing a change at Augusta would set a precedent for every other club in America. If Augusta ever invites a woman to become a member, it will be the right person and right time according to the Committee.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.