Masters 2012: Augusta National Chairman Refuses To Discuss Female Membership

[Auggie]

Associated Press / Huffington Post

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jabbed, prodded and poked repeatedly about a topic that never really goes away, Billy Payne wouldn't budge.

Faced with questions at his annual news conference about when a woman would become a member at the home of the Masters, the Augusta National chairman gave different variations of the same answer: That's our business, not yours.

The topic was on the front burner again Wednesday, the eve of the year's first major, because one of the club's longtime sponsors, IBM, has a new CEO – Virginia Rometty. The last four CEOs at IBM, all male, have been invited to be members.

LINK: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/masters-2012-augusta-national-payne-membership_n_1403018.html


A smug Payne (AP Photo).

Augusta National has been in the national spotlight far too long not to admit women. Time's up.

[joeybee12]

1. This is why I never watch it...

This is ridiculous.

[era veteran]

2. I grew up some there.

My Boy Scout Troop parked cars across the street from the Augusta National. What great memories come back thinking of it. Got lots of autographs I don't have now. Gary Player came over and talked with us. This was about '64-'66. In those days there were day tickets that people gave us as they left so I got in everyday.
A beautiful place that should leave behind the heavy baggage of the past and join at least the 1970's. Some relics, such as this 'rule' need to be discarded. Even in '67 the schools were not integrated. I never met a black person until I moved to progressive Kentucky.
The Masters needs to be protected from its 'tradition' bullshit and evolve.

[Auggie]

4. You may recall Cypress Point was once part of the Crosby Pro-Am, now the AT&T

They dropped out of the tournament rather than follow PGA rules and regulations regarding memberships. At the time, 1990, Cypress Point did not have any black members, but did include women.

Can't find anything recent that suggests Cypress Point membership includes blacks. Does anyone know?

It's a private club and, as one might expect, keeps its business practices quite private.

From 1990: http://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/18/sports/cypress-point-drops-pga-tour-event-instead-of-changing-its-rules.html

[hughee99]

5. Sounds like the reverse of Burning Tree, which has black members, but not ONLY no female members...

women aren't allowed ON THE GROUNDS! Wives have to drop husbands off at the front gate.

"Beyond the no-women membership policy, women are not even allowed on the grounds as guests. For many members, Burning Tree functions as their second or third club so they can socialize with the opposite sex at other golf venues."

"There are no women's facilities at the club. Female taxi drivers are not allowed inside the gate. When a woman flying a small plane crashed near the 18th hole in the 1950s, Burning Tree employees quickly secured an area around the pilot and wreckage until the police arrived, when she was removed from the barbwire-protected grounds. When a female Secret Service agent announced herself at the gate in the mid-1980s -- she was working a security detail for the visiting Australian prime minister -- she, too, was turned away."

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/masters/story?id=1534920

[Kingofalldems]

3. To me, anyone who joins an ultra snotty and exclusive

club like that automatically becomes one of them.

[shakeemondown]

6. Is it really that big of a deal? Its just a club..nothing more.

Should they not be allowed to associate with whom ever they wish? Its their business....