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Augusta National Golf Club now admits women


Merlyn_LeRoy

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Somewhat on-topic, as their male-only membership has sometimes come up in this forum:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/sports/golf/augusta-national-golf-club-to-add-first-two-female-members.html

 

[Condoleezza Rice and Darla D. Moore (local businesswoman)]

 

What seems to have been the impetus for this was when the CEO of IBM, Virginia M. Rometty, one of the sponsors of the Masters tournament, was not admitted, even though that has been the tradition. So maybe the BSA will change when there's a gay or atheist president of the US.

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Unlike most private country clubs, Augusta National does not have applications. They invite only who they wish. In fact, the legend is that if one tries to apply, it nearly guarantees that they will not be elected to membership. Glad to see that the club changed on its' own terms. When the topic first became an issue, the Masters went on TV without sponsors. When asked how long that they could continue, the answer was at least ten years. So it is unlikely that IBM had anything to do with the decision as far as sponsorship. Like the BSA, they have the right to select their membership.

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Billy Payne said that Augusta National wouldn't 'change at the point of a bayonet.'

 

So once the bayonet was withdrawn, and most of the world forgot who Martha Burke was, Augusta National admitted two fine citizens who just happened to be female.

 

Would you not just love to play nine holes with Condi!

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it is unlikely that IBM had anything to do with the decision as far as sponsorship.

 

It may be that the $$ weren't the issue, but the negative publicity of the whole thing wasn't helpful. I can imagine the leaders getting together and saying "Do we want this to be the story every year?" and also "Do we really want to exclude the CEO of our biggest sponsor?"

 

Just too much negative publicity, and not a lot of reason to stick with the policy. Same thing that will eventually get the BSA to change.

 

I think this is a fine on-topic post from Merlyn.

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Maybe they admitted them because members wanted them allowed so they could golf with them. It could be that simple. I wouldn't mind spending a day picking the brain of someone like Condi Rice. The idea that she would not be admitted to something that would accept the likes of me, well, that's hilarious.

 

No, Augusta National would not accept the likes of me. It was just an expression. ;)

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Papadaddy - I have the legal right to wear my underwear on my head, that doesn't make it right.

 

No one is arguing that Augusta or the BSA do not have the legal right to set there own membership qualifications.

 

What I feel is worthy of discussion is how does one react to such an institution? Augusta admitted if first black member in 1990 - after some businesses pulled advertising dollars from another "white only" golf club hosted the PGA championship. So, what type of decision does Tiger Woods have to play there? I for one, don't think that by playing in the Masters in 1995 he was endorsing that type of exclusionary practice. Similarly, by becoming a member of the BSA shouldn't be seen as endorsing the current BSA exclusionary policies.

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