Pro Golfers Should Boycott Augusta 'National' Golf Club

The Masters Golf tournament was held last week, as it is every year, at the Augusta National Golf Club -- a private, mens-only club.

Imagine the tournament were held in a private, whites-only club, or a private, no-jews club, or a private no-muslims club, or a private no-hispanics club, or a private no-Asians club, or a private no-Irish, or a private no-gays club, ... .

People would be outraged. But somehow there is far too little outrage over the exclusion of half our world's population from this club.

The Augusta "National" Golf Club has a Constitutional right as a private establishment to decide its membership. If Augusta wants to ostracize women, it's free to do so.

But professional golfers are also free to do the right thing and boycott Augusta until the club changes its policy. There are plenty of outstanding golf clubs around the country that are open to all members of society and that would be thrilled to host the tournament in the season of Easter and Passover, which celebrate redemption, freedom, and equality.

It wouldn't take much to get this boycott underway. Were Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Charl Schwartzel, and a few other top players, whose ancestors experienced or practiced discrimination, to jointly announce they weren't going to play at a club that discriminates against women or anyone else, all the other top players would quickly follow suit.

And, low and behold, Augusta would change its rules overnight and join the 21st Century. If it didn't, the Masters would go on and Augusta would fade into obscurity, where its current policies should properly leave it.

 

Follow Laurence J. Kotlikoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kotlikoff

Comments

[mmarsh63]

09:19 AM on 04/12/2012

This really is unbelievable. I have recently come from watching the Masters, and it is one of the last places where ladies are treated with chivalry and the utmost respect. Women are let through the door first and offered seats unlike the rest of the “equal” world which women seem to be striving for. The behaviour of men towards women at the club is also far different from the behaviour that would be shown to a black person in a white only club. The two issues are vastly different. So stop comparing them

[dustyfw]

03:01 AM on 04/10/2012

I can't join Curves because they sexually discriminate. Please write an article asking that all female fitness trainers boycott them. Thank you.

http://www.curves.com/

[Icleaks]

07:53 PM on 04/09/2012

22 years ago the PGA decided to eliminate tournaments at clubs that had "no blacks" policies (shoal creek among others). Augusta welcomed their first black member soon after.

[jmarshall999]

07:03 PM on 04/09/2012

So why are private women's only clubs ok?

[Tim Forston]

01:20 PM on 04/09/2012

oh good God, really you have nothing better to do that gripe about this which isnt going to change anything but make you feel good about yourself and 'whose ancestors experienced or practiced discrimination' shut up just get over yourself it is a private club and it is not a PGA event if you want to join a club that admits women then have at it go ahead they dont complain that other clubs admit women they simply stated that its up to the members to vote to allow women at augusta national i have never seen a felmale shriner have you? how about a male girl scout peddling those awesome cookies? if this is all you have to complain about you must have a pretty awesome life

[Laurence J. Kotlikoff]

04:51 PM on 04/09/2012

How would you feel if it were a Whites-Only club? Explain the difference. best, Larry

[Tim Forston]

07:04 PM on 04/09/2012

well its not a whites only club there are no longer any whites only clubs and i dont think there should be any whites only clubs that is a lame argument how would you feel if it was a womens only club would you complain about that would you raise hell and try and get it boycotted? i am not talking about race or sex i am talking about a privately owned and operated institution the only people who have the right to complain about augusta national not allowing female members are 1. the owners of the club who can change it or 2. the members of the club who can also bring it up for a vote. and by the way there is a waiting list to be a member of augusta national that is YEARS long are you going done should they be able to skip to the head of the line ahead of people who have been rightfully waiting and paid their dues to join i dont think so

[Tim Forston]

07:06 PM on 04/09/2012

and its not like women can not play at augusta national they can play as a member guest anytime they want and a longer response is coming if this one posts first

[UltimateChampion]

01:04 PM on 04/09/2012

Is this a joke? Race religion, and gender are three entirely different circumstances. There are men's and women's restrooms that don't discriminate by race or religion. There are men- and women-only college and professional sports leagues that don't discriminate by race or religion. Even Boy and Girl Scouts of America allow only male or female members, without discriminating by race or gender. All the things I've mentioned are "National", as you say. Should I stop buying Girl Scout cookies until they start allowing boys to join?

[Laurence J. Kotlikoff]

04:50 PM on 04/09/2012

No joke. It's not your office bathroom. It's the biggest golfing tournament in the world and each year the issue keeps coming up and for good reason. This is not about gender differences. A bathroom is about gender differences. This is about discrimination. I trust you can see the difference. And I do see your point about Boy and Girl Scouts. This is situation-specific. And were I Tiger Woods I wouldn't play golf at Augusta until they admitted women. Nor would I play golf at a whites-only club were I Tiger. He'd see the point if it were a whites-only club. He should see it here as well. It's as plain as day.