On Women at Augusta

Everybody's buzzing 'bout the brand new contributors at Augusta National. Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore made history (again -- they're used to doing that, aren't they?) with the aid of turning into the primary girl members in the antique boys' club.

The reactions had been fast and numerous. They span the gamut from the truly snarky editorial via Tim Kawakami at mercurynews.Com to Martha Burk's careful opinions at cnn.Com to Christine Brennan's pretty pragmatic but upbeat article at usatoday.Com to Rex Hoggard's in large part truth-encumbered (however surely constructive) column at golfchannel.Com. (Hoggard's column is the primary one I've visible that announces each ladies first got here up for consideration five years in the past, even though he attributes it to the Associated Press.)

So -- and please pardon the golfing puns -- is this a birdie, par, or bogey?

I think, to begin with, we ought to realise that possibly no person is absolutely on track right here. This is a complicated problem and I haven't (and can't probable) examine the entirety it truly is been written up to now about it. Let me just come up with a few of my own mind.

While I have no doubt that there's a large pocket of sexism at Augusta National, I also doubt that it's as all-pervasive as some would have us believe. I suspect the sexist group is simply more obnoxious about their beliefs than the rest of the membership and therefore determines policy more than the majority would like. The fact is that most players -- even the rich members at ANGC -- head to the course to get away from the hassles of business and therefore bide their time until they suspect they have the best chance to get things done.

I also imagine that this could have happened quicker had it no longer end up such an difficulty. Forget the vintage boys' club image for a second. No businessman who is had full-size success is going to allow different humans tell him what to do, in particular if he views those humans as less successful due to the fact they don't paintings tough sufficient. (I'm not pronouncing they're proper, just it's how humans think. Do you want human beings getting in your business and telling you what to do?)

And it appears probably that Chairman Billy Payne is NOT one of those so-called "Neanderthals" who would be in opposition to this pass. If there have been handiest one revolutionary at ANGC, it might be Billy Payne.

But neither do I trust that is the "large breakthrough" it is being made out to be. Is it historically substantial? Of direction it's miles! Has it opened the doors for extra girls individuals? Potentially -- in spite of everything, you have got to have a primary one earlier than you can have a 2nd one. But it really doesn't assure that the second one (in this case, 0.33 one) gets via that door.

Here's what I think everybody is overlooking. ANGC didn't just accept two women into membership, they accepted two exceptional women into their membership. Moore, among other accomplishments, was the first woman Forbes ever profiled on their cover and she's got a freaking business school named after her, for Pete's sake! Rice is a former Secretary of State, and that may be the least of her accomplishments.

My point here is that the bar for women members has been set extremely high. The old boys' club knows how hard it is for a woman to succeed in business, yet these women can hold their own against virtually any man you want to name! Call the sexist members "Neanderthals" if you want, but you'd have to be a complete idiot not to respect what these women have done... and it's unlikely someone THAT stupid would remain a member of ANGC for very long. Can you name a lot of women who have been this successful AND have the "passion for golf" that ANGC cites as a requirement?

In fact, I think you can make a serious argument that accepting these two accomplished women as members doesn't indicate a changed attitude at all. If Rice and Moore aren't acceptable members, I suspect ANGC would have to remove some of its existing membership simply because they haven't accomplished as much... and the ladies did it in a system that conspires against their success.

So while this is certainly a historic event that could send ripples through the golf world (this means you, R&A), I'll withhold judgment on whether things have really changed on Magnolia Lane.

But I'd also like to congratulate Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore on adding yet another accomplishment to their long lists of successes. Maybe things won't change as much as we hope, but they've still grabbed a couple of green jackets for themselves. I guess that'll be one more reason for the "Neanderthals" who haven't gotten an invite to grunt their disapproval. In that case, I have these words of advice for the ladies...

Next spring, when the cameras turn toward you and your green jackets, make sure you smile REAL BIG for them. As a wise man once said, "The best revenge is living well."

The photos came from Hoggard's column.