GOLF: THE gentleman's game. There are many who want to keep it that way - not so much the "gentleman" part as the "man" part. The defense for keeping golf a "man's game" for the sake of tradition is ridiculous, and the arguments made by those who defend sexist policies are absurd.
The Augusta National Golf Club is the home of the Masters Tournament and one of the most revered golf courses in America. It also has no explicit discriminatory policy to speak of - in a July 9 press release, they claim that the course "has no membership restrictions based on race, color, religion, gender or national origin."
However, their own press release contradicts itself. While they claim that they do not discriminate against women, Hootie Johnson, the chair of Augusta National, asserts that "there may well come a day when women will be invited to join our membership." It logically follows from that statement that women today are not invited to join - directly challenging their purported non-discriminatory policy.
Augusta National was recently approached by Martha Burk, the chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO), about changing their discriminatory policy. In a press release, Augusta National fired back, claiming among other things that they "are being threatened with a public campaign," and warned of a "full-scale effort to force Augusta National to yield to NCWO's will."
In some respects, Augusta National is correct. For instance, the lengths to which feminist groups go are questionable. The wording of the original correspondence from Burk to Augusta National was objectionable - and certainly could be interpreted as a threat.
However, this has no bearing on the actual discriminatory policy itself. Hiding behind a rhetoric of victimhood does nothing to address the policy itself. The fact that Augusta National does not admit women as members is wrong, plain and simple. Nothing that is said in their press release can defend the policy.
Also, the course is quick to defend itself as a private organization. In its press release, Augusta National mentions it several times: "We are therefore puzzled as to why they have targeted our private golf club;" "[Augusta National] is a private golf club;" "The essence of a private club is privacy;" and "With all due respect, we hope Dr. Burk and her colleagues recognize the sanctity of our privacy and continue their good work in a more appropriate arena."
This is also beside the point. Augusta National does have the right to discriminate against women as a private organization. But does that make it right? Of course not. And Augusta National benefits as an organization from the press - the Masters Tournament garners good publicity for the golf club and has contributed toward the course's status as an American institution. If Augusta National can use the media to its own advantage, why shouldn't feminist groups be able to use the media to indict a sexist, outdated and discriminatory policy?
The private status of the course does mean that it can legally discriminate against women - or blacks, gays, even veterans if they'd like. But it doesn't mean that they can avoid responsibility for these practices. There's nothing wrong with feminist groups putting economic and media pressure on Augusta National. Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement did the same in the 1960s to right an injustice - just look at the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The press release by Augusta National does nothing to address or defend their discriminatory policy against women, if no other reason than because it is indefensible. By trying to paint itself out as the victim of a feminist smear campaign, it ends up exposing the lack of justification for its policy.
The bottom line is this: Augusta National's policy of not admitting women as members is sexist and wrong. There is nothing that can change that. They assert that they "will not be bullied, threatened or intimidated" into admitting women. But if the Masters Tournament next year is inundated with protestors and ticket sales and sponsorship starts to fall, they have only themselves and an outdated, sexist policy to blame.
(Brian Cook is a Cavalier Daily opinion editor. He can be reached at bcook@cavalierdaily.com.)
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