<p>Not sure if there are any golf fans here on CC, but if there are, what is your opinion of Augusta National continuing its tradition of inviting the CEO of IBM to join? The controversy has to do with the fact that IBM’s new CEO, Ginni Rommety, is a woman, and IBM is a major sponsor of the tournament and has been for 50 years. Whoa! Will Augusta drop IBM as a sponsor? Will IBM drop Augusta? Will Ginni pretend like this isn’t happening or will she take a stand in the next day or so?</p>
<p>As a female golf fan I hope that Ginni realizes that Augusta is a male only golf club. I respect that they have that tradition, as much as I would LOVE to be a member there (if I got invited and could afford $50,000 for 5 rounds of golf each year), I feel they have every right to exclude women. It’s perfectly ok in this country to have female only clubs, organizations, etc. but as soon as you say “male only” it’s discriminatory. Dh got to play Augusta about 10 years ago with and invite from another major sponsor that his company does business with. It’s on my bucket list of things to do some day (they do allow women to play as guests)…</p>
<p>I certainly hope she is above all of this…</p>
<p>Now, that being said–It’s MASTERS WEEK BABY!!! T-minus 2 hours until live coverage on the internet begins!!!</p>
<p>I think it’s a great opportunity for Augusta to step into the 21st century. How many more top businesswomen are on their way to heading up major corporations? At what point does Augusta look archaic, foolish and irrelevant? The sport of golf is not attracting as many new players as it needs to fill all the golf courses out there. Women in particular are a population the golf industry is trying to attract. The barrier to playing golf is already high with cost, time commitment and (I say this as a woman golfer), a very strong “boys club” vibe on most courses. Why on earth make it even more women-unfriendly by continuing this out dated rule? Eventually the Masters Purists out there will die off and who will be left to play, or care?</p>
<p>I agree with yalemom. Welcome to the USA, Augusta.</p>
<p>I agree with yalemom. And the president of Augusta did himself no favors on the news last night. He appeared smug and mean-spirited, barely answering the questions and treating reporters dismissively. I hope very much that IBM withdraws its support.</p>
<p>I would not be surprised if she has been invited to join and August National has just decided not to make any announcement about it. That would be in keeping with their secretive nature.</p>
<p>Golf is the fastest growing sport in the world, and the US. Yes, courses are hurting because of the economy and overbuilding, but it’s hardly a dying sport. Yes, there is still a male vibe on the course, however, in my experience, a moderate to good female golfer garners a lot of respect on the course. I’ve had many experiences at the starter shack of being paired up with men and the grumbles of playing with a woman, until I tee off, usually out driving most average male players. Attitudes quickly turn around. I have little patience for any player that can’t hit a ball 100 yards yet refuses to yield to faster players. Since more women fall into that category then men, I understand where they are coming from. I carry a single digit handicap, playing from the “men’s” tees and I run into no issues after my first tee shot. I still don’t think Augusta should be forced to be co-ed.</p>
<p>But SteveMA, they aren’t banning just the slow playing high handicap women, for which I could understand, they are banning all women, yet taking sponsorship dollars from corporate sponsors whose companies implement outstanding diversity practices. </p>
<p>My hope is that Ginni stands back and waits, and if they don’t invite her, she loudly announces IBM’s withdrawal of sponsorship dollars for this tournament so that IBM can use their sponsorship in ways that reflects the practices of IBM. </p>
<p>p.s. SteveMA … You and I should play golf sometime … I don’t know very many woman who can play fast and out-drive me, but I’m guessing you are one of them!</p>
<p>Does the new CEO actually play golf? Or is that a silly question because it’s one of the qualifications for CEO?</p>
<p>Not a golfer myself. H and the kids golf. If they don’t invite her, I don’t think she should make any issue about it. That just sounds shrill. If they DO invite her and not any other women, I think she should graciously decline.</p>
<p>Bad memories of 1974, when I wasn’t allowed to play Little League…</p>
<p>It’s discrimination. Change “women” to some other race, and people would be howling. I guess as a private club they can do whatever they want, but I hope the sponsors use some leverage.</p>
<p>The August president was smug, arrogant, and very dismissive on the tv interview.</p>
<p>I don’t care if they want to remain Male only.</p>
<p>I just wonder why any company would want to continue to be affiliated with them. It’s a free country, but I’m kind of suprised they can still find sponsors.</p>
<p>I’m not a golfer but I don’t understand why a golf club would have a ‘male-only’ policy in this day and age. It doesn’t make sense. It’s like having a ‘whites-only’ golf club. Maybe the guys are just worried about being shown up by some female golfers.</p>
<p>Or is she already a member?
[Will</a> Augusta National have its first female member? ? USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/story/2012-03-28/brennan-augusta-national/53841184/1]Will”>http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/story/2012-03-28/brennan-augusta-national/53841184/1)</p>
<p>Why on earth would a woman want to join a “male only” club.</p>
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<p>Right? Yuck.</p>
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<p>As a long time observer of the Augusta National (I’m old enough to have seen Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts tooling around the course in a golf cart during Master week), that’s how I see it unfolding, too. They have probably already invited her to join and will simply continuing their policy of never discussing membership issues. It will be up to the media to figure out if she is a member or not.</p>
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<p>Amen! Or maybe Augusta National can do what some Arab countries do and officially designate a visiting woman dignitary an official man…so that she can function.</p>
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<p>Maybe because membership carries with it amazing networking perks! I agree with the OP though, as long as women approve of sexist groups (ie ‘Society for Women Engineers’) they have no credibility whining about men’s groups. And yes…I know they would let a man join SWE if he wanted to but still…ughhh…I just can’t stand that group (and yes, I’m an engineer who is female).</p>
<p>SnowflakeVT–I’m up for a round any time–I average about 250 or so.</p>
<p>Why is it ok to have all female organizations and not all male organizations. I don’t agree that they should allow female members for that reason alone. If they were the ONLY golf course in the world, ok, maybe, but no, I don’t agree that they should allow women.</p>
<p>How about the all female colleges. Do you think they should have to allow men?</p>
<p>Up to this point in U.S. history, social/ cultural distinctions based on gender have been viewed differently than race-based discrimination. Social preferences, such as gender specific private clubs, have not been subject to sanction by the government unless they involve some public or civic function. When private organizations are condemned for racial discrimination it’s only because of society’s collective personal distain for racism, not by government fiat.</p>
<p>I think a lot of private exclusionary organizations (including some gated communities) are silly, but it’s their right to decide their own membership qualifications.</p>