Tiger Woods' Return to Augusta a 'Slap in the Face to Women'?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

There are good reasons Tiger Woods picked the Masters Tournament for his upcoming return to professional golf. Held at the most storied and historic home of the game in America, Augusta National was where Woods won his first major in 1997, and its long-established rules of etiquette should protect him from heckling crowds or prying questions from reporters.

Tiger Woods reflects on the sex scandal and his return to golf.But if Woods is looking to win hearts and minds as much as he is a green jacket, some women say, there is no worse place than Augusta National for him to seek redemption -- it's a club that notoriously excludes women from becoming members.

Calling Woods' decision to play at the Masters a "slap in the face to women," USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan said discrimination at the club against women is tolerated in ways it would not be if African-Americans or other minorities were similarly excluded


http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/tiger-woods-return-augusta-slap-face-women/story?id=10150531

[CBR]

1. I am pretty sure every other male golfer plays there as well but

Tiger MUST be the one who stands up. God, I hope he wins big this week and everyone shuts the hell up.

[Captain Hilts]

5. He played the discrimination card in the Nike ads, otherwise, not. nt

[CBR]

12. The majority of other PGA golfers haven't discussed discrimination

EVER because they are not victims of it. I am sure Tiger has experienced it. They all are in the same boat -- Tiger should not be singled out for this.

[Captain Hilts]

16. He profited on it by doing the Nike ad. I think the PGA is the one at fault, not the

golfers, actually.

But Tini Navratalova didn't do ads that cashed in on discrimination based on sex or sexual preference, as Woods did on racism.

And Augusta National has every right to limit their membership to left-handed redheads if they want to do so. It's a private club. I just marvel that the PGA endorses this discriminatory policy.

You're right, Woods is not the one at fault in this sense.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

36. Well, technically speaking . . .

I just marvel that the PGA endorses this discriminatory policy.

. . . the Masters is not a PGA-sanctioned event. Just as Augusta is a private club, the tournament itself is a private event (which explains, for instance, why aging past champions, who have long ago surrendered their PGA Tour card, can be seen competing in the event). While I believe that the PGA Tour does include Masters winnings in its season-long "money list," that's about as far as it goes in terms of its giving formal recognition to the tournament itself.

At the same time, as I understand it, the PGA Tour has its own policy under which all courses hosting events on the Tour (as well on as the LPGA Tour and the Champions Tour) must represent in tournament contracts that they do not discriminate in their membership practices and their policies on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin. Thus, you won't see a PGA Tour event held at a private club that has, for instance, a formal "men only" or "whites only" policy.

[gratuitous]

48. The Masters IS recognized as one of the four "majors"

And the PGA credits victories there for a golfer's lifetime achievement of so-called major championships, helping to determine fitness for their Hall of Fame. The PGA desperately wants to have it both ways: The prestige of the Bobby Jones-designed course, and the cachet and tradition of Augusta "National" Golf Club (What "nation" is being referred to?), whilst distancing itself from the less savory aspects of institutionalized racism and sexism.

Folks who enjoy The Masters would really like all this unpleasantness to go away. Folks who enjoy justice and American ideals of equality would really like The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club to try joining the rest of the civilized world. I believe Jesus called it perfectly: A white sepulchre, clean and washed on the outside, but inside full of corruption.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

52. Geez . . .

. . . all I noted was the (indisputable) fact that, contrary to what the original poster apparently believed, the Masters is not a PGA Tour event. And, at the same time, the PGA Tour does have its own anti-discrimination policy, for what that's worth.

Personally, I don't really care one way or the other. I find that watching other people play sports -- as opposed to one's actually participating in them -- a faintly ridiculous activity.

As for a private institution like Augusta, I don't quite understand why people get so bent out of shape that a bunch of rednecks want to hang a "no girls allowed" sign outside their treehouse.

[gratuitous]

62. Because it's "out there" as the popular media like to say

Wall-to-wall blanket coverage, such that you can't get away from it if you try. And the fawning, soft-focus tone of the coverage is enough to persuade any number of people that they're watching a nice, clean, wholesome entertainment, worthy of the coverage. Literally billions of dollars spent, and in a consumeristic, capitalistic society such as ours, that commands attention and buys respectability, much as we would all like things to be different. Glossing over the unsavory aspects doesn't limit the PGA's culpability (or CBS's for that matter) for its participation.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

64. Well, there are a lot of things out there that I can't seem to . . .

. . . "get away from," but I don't lose sleep over it at night.

And you'd be surprised how easy it is to "get away from" such things if you don't actively seek out things to get upset about. At least, in my experience, such is the case.

[michreject]

72. The Masters is not a PGA event

The whole shebang is private.

[Kalyke]

58. I hope he crashes and burns...

Which reminds me. I need to pop over to Nike's website and tell them how disgusting they are.

I used to buy their shoes. Now it will be Converse or Rebok.

[CBR]

61. So Tiger is the reason you abandon Nike?

Sweatshops -- whatever; Philandering golfer -- Nike can suck it.

[Romulox]

78. I suggest you go with the Converse. nt

[Brickbat]

2. While I agree with the point that it's insulting that Augusta still will not admit women as members

and is still on the PGA tour, Brennan is stretching to make the point here.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Yes, she is. Augusta National is a private club. They can limit it to only redheads if they want.

It's the PGA that is endorsing this policy by having their 'tournament' there.

[Brickbat]

9. Yup.

I think we were typing at the same time there.

[The Straight Story]

3. Wonder what they think of women only gyms? (nt)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Women Join Those Gyms Not To Be Ogled

And I know you don't need me to explain where your logic leads if you substitute tace for gender.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

20. Men join Augusta not to have to walk around the lady's teebox after their drive.

:shrug:

[cherokeeprogressive]

21. LOL!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. What Other Forms Of Discrimnation Do You Find Funny?

~

[cherokeeprogressive]

32. I laughed because on the Municipal Courses I play on, we walk THROUGH the women's teebox.

Thanks for playing though!:hi:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

40. Me too, hopefully after my drive

and not after the second or third shot.

But it happens

:rofl:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. What Other Institutions Should Women Be Excluded From?

:shrug:

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

27. wHAT oTHER iNSTITUTIONS sHOULD mEN bE eXCLUDED fROM ¿

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. Only Those Where There's A Rational Basis For Excluding Them

What is the rational basis for excluding women from Augusta?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

38. See post # 20

[Taitertots]

22. Also known as the "It is Ok when I do it" policy

Why don't you try to substitute race or religion?
Men are not allowed because women don't want men looking at them.
Blacks are not allowed because white don't want blacks looking at them.
Jews are not allowed because Mormons don't want jews looking at them.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. That's A Distinction Without A Difference

Some women go to all women gyms because they are uncomfortable working out around men;especially women with body image problems be they real or perceived.

We know that groups have their own pageants, organization, clubs, et cetera that have nothing to do with the desire to discriminate, i.e, the NAACP, Miss Black America, The United Negro College Fund though I have actually seen people argue for their caucasian corollaries.

[Taitertots]

39. I see, the blacks only drinking fountain is not discrimination because people were uncomfortable

Some men are uncomfortable playing golf around women. Some men used to be uncomfortable playing golf with blacks, and some women might not want to work out with Lebanese people.

Business shouldn't cater to bigotry.

Excluding people based on race is discrimination regardless of their color. Those groups are being discriminatory.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. How About Miss Black America? The United Negro College Fund?

The American Indian College Fund.

There are social reasons for exclusivity.

What part of an overweight woman not wanting to work out in front of men don't you understand?

[Book Lover]

28. That they are safe places for women to exercise, and not places where business deals are made around

the ninth tee.

Wonder what you think of your daughter, mother, and/or wife being treated in a sexist manner throughout her life?

[Captain Hilts]

4. If the club wants to exclude people that's their business.But does the PGA want to endorse it?

It seems they do.

[closeupready]

14. It does indeed seem they do.

n/t

[AngryAmish]

29. THe relationship between Augusta and the PGA is complicated

For years it was not a PGA Tour event. Actually it really isn't a PGA event. It is it's own thing. The money counts for the PGA, but also for the European Tour and the Asian Tour.

Does the PGA of America put on the event? No. Who determines the field? The membership, with rules that change slightly year to year.

But, to your greater point, they count the money to the exempt list so I guess they endorse it.

[Captain Hilts]

42. Yes, good points. nt

[Mme. Defarge]

45. Good point - n/t

[Ozymanithrax]

6. As I understand it, he was spanking the women not slapping them around...

So he is as much a "slap in the face" as the the Augusta.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. Why isn't Brennan making the claim that the PGA's return to Augusta is a slap in the face to women?

After all, is Tiger Woods the only golfer on the course this weekend?

My fucking gawd...

Woods chose to return to Augusta because hecklers will probably be escorted to the exit. Would that it were the same for all courses where PGA tournaments were held.

[NewJeffCT]

54. That would be a better point to make

I think. What happened with Tiger Woods is between him and his wife.

[rcrush]

10. Is ABC news bored and just felt like writing a Tiger Woods story?

I thought this shit was past Americas attention span?

[closeupready]

13. Yes, it absolutely is.

K&R

[BonnieJW]

15. Augusta is a slap in the face to women anyway.

Women are not allowed to join.

[Captain Hilts]

17. It's a private club. Membership can be limited to left-handed redheads. The PGA should not

be endorsing their discriminatory policies.

[AngryAmish]

30. Isn't the PGA also a private organization?

[Rex]

18. I really wish the news would report on ACTUAL NEWS that can affect me or people I know.

Celebrities sleeping around is an off-putting topic for me, because after the Bill Clinton Witch Hunt I said I would never care about someones personal liaisons again. Not unless they came up to me personally and told me. Even then I still might not care.

[NeedleCast]

19. So is anyone who rejoins their occupation after committing adultery "slapping women in the face?"

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. Perhaps If It's An Occupation Which Includes The Subjugation Of Women

~

[NeedleCast]

37. How does golf include the subjugation of women?

[CakeGrrl]

25. Oh, please. Then every player to tee off there is doing the same thing.

:eyes:

Some people are outrage junkies, plain and simple.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

47. What If They Excluded Blacks Or Jews?

~

[CakeGrrl]

51. Then lobby to shut them down or boycott them.

If they're breaking a law with discriminatory practices, then take legal action.

If Augusta hasn't yet been shut down, I imagine they're not breaking a law. And for good or ill, there are plenty of females in those Masters galleries who don't seem to be offended on general principle. I'm not saying it's morally right, but there it is.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

55. Not Everything That Is Immoral, Unethical Or Shocks The Conscience Is Illegal

But that doesn't mean people of good will should remain silent.

[CakeGrrl]

71. Then focus on Augusta, not one of many, many players who chooses to play there.

Maybe being the first major of the calendar year had something to do with it too.

Would the author have been able to make her argument if the PGA Championship, played at some other venue, had been the first "comeback" tourney? Smacks of opportunism to me.

[Darth_Kitten]

85. Then it would be the WORST thing on the planet, but we are only talking women here.

Apparently here and elsewhere, they don't rate.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

63. Actually, they seem to be. I don't care about Tiger Woods.

PGA endorses sexism. THAT should be the news.

[kctim]

34. No, its not a slap to anyone

but those of us tired of hearing these types of rants every freakin April.
Have a problem with Woods, Augusta or the PGA? Don't watch.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

49. Is The Answer To Discrimination To Ignore It

~

[kctim]

65. Of course not

actual discrimination that is harmful should always be faced head on. Private clubs setting membership guidelines is not harmful to anybody but the club.
Women have not lost the opportunity to golf and very very very few people give a crap if women golf on Augusta or not.

Instead of wasting time and money protesting women not being allowed to golf at Augusta, use that time and money to make a better course and only invite the LPGA. Nobody but the same few people would notice or even care.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

68. Actually, women ARE allowed to play golf at Augusta . . .

. . . as guests of a member. The club has no women members, however.

[kctim]

69. Great

thank you for the info.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

70. I just thought that, given how "hot" some people get about this subject . . .

. . . it was important to be precise.

In that regard, I should note, too, that, while Augusta ostensibly has no women members -- they don't make their membership list public but, presumably, if they have admitted a woman to the membership we'd have heard about it -- they claim that they actually don't have a formal "policy" precluding female membership. They just don't have any women members.

If you can believe that . . . .

[cbdo2007]

35. Should we boycott all of the advertisers of The Masters also?

Seeing as how this really has nothing to do with Tiger, that would be a far more appropriate response than blaming Tiger for it.

Geez, no wonder there is so much sympathy for Tiger when there are completely baseless attacks against him like this.

[Johonny]

41. You'd think they'd be happy he went to place without women

go figure?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

43. why would women care more about woods, than other golfers?

[onenote]

46. if he had played in another tournament last week

and the masters was his second tournament, would it be any less of a slap in the face to women? if skipped it this year and played in it next year would it be less of a slap? is it more of a slap this year than any other year? and is it more of a slap for tiger to play at Augusta because he was unfaithful than it would be if had not been unfaithful?

I think the answer to all of these questions is easy: no.

[thewiseguy]

50. Running out of material to post?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

53. Running Out Of Smarmy Comments Because Thought Was Never Your Forte?

KISSES

DSB

[thewiseguy]

56. Oh Nooooooz, Tiger hates women!

:sarcasm:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

57. Does A Little Misogyny Give You A Tingling In Your Loins?

~

[NeedleCast]

59. I'm curious how the practices of Augusta apply to Tiger Woods

but not, apparently, all the other golfers playing there.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

60. I'll Give It A Stab

Because of who he is if he refused to play Augusta the consequences would be huge. As an example how many young men opposed the war in Viet Nam and refused to be inducted? But when Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted it helped to bring the whole issue to the forefront.

[cbdo2007]

67. Tiger is notorious for not standing up for anything.

That's not a bad thing. He just goes out and plays golf. Just let him do his thing.

He was once called "Man Of The Year" by Libertarians for refusing to have an opinion on anything. I'm happy for him to keep his opinion to himself and not feel the need to make a big deal out of issues if that's what he wants to do.

[Lance_Boyle]

66. Any woman who so interprets his return to the tour may well need such a slap.

Because unless she personally has some involvement with the case, she would be an outsider struggling mightily to find something at which she might feign offense for the purpose of advancing a victimhood agenda. Such passive aggression is pathetic, harmful, and not worthy of serious discussion in this or any other forum for thinking adults.

[Mojeoux]

83. No slaps...The cvl rits of the Slapee trump the free-speech rits of the slaper. Go Tiger! n/t

[BlooInBloo]

73. If people think every woman who has cheated on her SO should also not be allowed to work...

then fine.

Otherwise, you're just a bunch of hypocrites.

[spanone]

74. bullshit.

[opihimoimoi]

75. double bull shit.....It would be a slap to Golf History if he declined

[DemocratSinceBirth]

76. Is This Bovine Excrement As Well?

USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan said discrimination at the club against women is tolerated in ways it would not be if African-Americans or other minorities were similarly excluded

[opihimoimoi]

86. Does not pertain....to the game....its moot level....

[RedCloud]

77. Augusta is also a red neck icon. Happy now?

[Toasterlad]

79. How Come Nobody Had a Problem With Augusta Before Woods Put His Dick In Other Women?

What does Augusta's discrimination have to do with Tiger Woods? Why should he be held to a different standard than any other golfer who's playing there?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

80. Maybe Because Of His Celebrity If He Spoke Truth To Power People Would Listen.

When Muhammad Ali refused induction into the armed forces during the Viet Nam War he gave voice to many who felt the same way. And he risked his career, his livelihood, and his freedom to do so.

Tiger could have a similar impact on Augusta. He would go from great athlete to social icon.

[Toasterlad]

81. You Don't EXPECT Heroism From People. That's Why It's Heroism.

No one has any right to expect Tiger Woods to be a women's rights pioneer. His celebrity doesn't make him any more responsible to confront misogyny than any other golfer. As long as anyone else plays there, it is unfair to single out Woods.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

82. I Concede Your Point

But there are many who are willing to bestow hero status on Tiger because he's a great golfer. And then you have the spectacle of him begging for privacy while he makes a commercial to publicize the incident, ergo:

http://www.youtube.com/user/NikeGolf?v=5NTRvlrP2NU&feature=pyv&ad=5188597264&kw=new%20tiger%20woods%20commercial

[Captain Hilts]

84. You're completely ignorant if you think that the sexism of Augusta National first came up now. nt

[Toasterlad]

87. Care To Link To a Previous Thread On It?

[Captain Hilts]

88. Here you go...

Google of Augusta National and sexism:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=augusta+national+golf+club+sexism&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

On DU:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=augusta+national+sexism+democratic+underground&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

[Toasterlad]

89. Every Single One Of Those DU Threads Was From This Past Week.

Obviously, no one here found it a big problem prior to the Tiger Woods sex scandal.