Hootie tells paper membership supports his stance(No women should ever be members at Augusta)

espn ^ | 4/16/03 | ESPN.com news services

[Diddle E. Squat]

If Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson is a man of his word, his prestigious, all-male golf club will never admit a female member.

In a one-on-one interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution following the completion of The Masters, Johnson said "there never will be a female member, six months after the Masters, a year, 10 years, or ever."

An Augusta National spokesman backed off Johnson's statement, saying Wednesday that it "reflects the political situation and the political pressure put on the club and does not reflect on the future."

The spokesman, Glenn Greenspan, said Augusta has not changed its stance that the club could someday admit a woman member but that it would do so on its own timetable and not under pressure. He said Johnson's comment was reflective of his stance as long as there was outside pressure on the club.

According to the Journal-Constitution's story, Augusta National's membership is solidly behind Johnson.

"Shortly after that fellow Thomas Wyman withdrew his membership in sympathy with the women," Johnson said, "we got out a letter to every member of the club, offering them the privilege of withdrawing if the issue bothered them.

"We didn't have one acceptance. Not one."

Johnson went a step further, addressing rumors that after The Masters, a female member, such as Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez or Judy Bell, the former president of the U.S. Golf Association, might be accepted.

"There never has been, at any time, any consideration of Augusta National taking in women members," Johnson told the Journal-Constitution.

Martha Burk, head of the National Council of Women's Organizations, said at the conclusion of The Masters on Sunday that she hoped to resume within two weeks her campaign to get a female member into Augusta.

Burk said corporate leaders who are members of Augusta will be targeted. She hopes to set up individual meetings to urge them to take a stand against what she considers sex discrimination at the club.

"The club needs to open its doors to women, but the larger goal, and it has been for months, has always been to make sex discrimination as unacceptable in the halls of power as race discrimination is,'' Burk said Sunday.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Well if someday a Hillary-fied court forces Augusta National to offer membership to women, they should offer one to Renee Richards and then declare themselves compliant.

[cksharks]

I have a womans heart I wonder if I would fulfill that bitches request? Hmmmm twiddling thumbs.

[GaConfed]

There are two institutions that have been a constant throughout my entire life which I've always been able to hang on to when the Orwellian PC storm kicks up its chilling, alienating, anti "folks like me" winds. One would be Fresh Air Barbecue between Flovilla and Jackson, Georgia; the other is the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National.

Fresh Air put another restaurant in Macon, and the barbecue is not fit for a dog to eat. Also, the totalitarians at the health department have made them replace the woodchip floor with cement. If Augusta National invites a woman to join due to political pressure, then I think I'll just catch that plane to Tahiti for good, and swear off computers, newspapers, TV, and radio, not to mention conversations about contemporary life out in the world.

[pmc]

I am Woman but believe men should be allowed to have their clubs, women their clubs, and M/W their clubs. Let all these rich women start their own Agusta. Stick to your guns, Hootie!

[Diddle E. Squat]

There's been a Fresh Air BBQ outside of Bogart for at least a decade, and it looked like it had been there a good bit longer than that. I never tried it, though.

But I always got a kick out of there sign, which had the words "Fresh Air" behind the pig's butt.

[Diddle E. Squat]

there=their

[PMCarey]

Burke had what? 50 protesters at Augusta? This issue is DONE.

[Swampmarine]

What a stupid statement. After winning the battle, he just managed to lose the war. Martha will now proceed to roll over him like the 3ID did to Baghdad.

[Vigilantcitizen]

I would love to know what 'ole Lewis Grizzard would have had to say about this. He loved Augusta, hated feminazis like Mz. Butchy Burke, and had a unique way of insulting people without them really knowing it.

[numberonepal]

"[T]here never will be a female member, six months after the Masters, a year, 10 years, or ever."

In my best Parliament Voice - "HERE HERE!"

[Moonman62]

Burke had what? 50 protesters at Augusta? This issue is DONE.

It would be done if Hootie would keep his mouth shut.

[Mr. Mojo]

Hootie's the man, but his attempt to stop on the seemingly dead carcasses of the femibolsheviks could very well backfire. He needs to accept victory and cool the rhetoric for a while.

[Mr. Mojo]

stop = stomp

[Swampmarine]

bump

[GaConfed]

You are right about that now that I think about it. I lived out of state for a good while and was out of touch with these things. I lived in an old farm house outside Wintersville when I went to UGA about 30 years ago. Five of us paid 15 dollars each a month for rent. Man we had some blow outs there!! Was the reason I flunked out, and am trying to go back now at 49 years old. I sure do miss those days. We were bad sometimes, but we knew it, and didn't try to pretend it was good.

[mlmr]

The right to associate with the people you want to associate is basic...Guys, have your golf club..

[valleygal]

Another woman here who totally agrees with you.

[Swampmarine]

bump