By TIM DAHLBERG
The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Ga. Gary Player was camped released within the big walnut woods powering the particular clubhouse, placing your signature to autographs plus posing regarding pictures while they does 50 several years ago. At several snack stands dispersed around Augusta National , pimento cheese sandwiches inside environment friendly wrappers ended up advertising regarding 1962 charges a money fifty.
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A area stuck in a very moment warp, similar to the guys with efficient overcoats who run it.
They gathered Wednesday thus to their annual State in the Masters survey and, despite several wilting azaleas which will produce this year's Masters a bit much less colorful, it seems of which things have never already been superior a single belonging to the last bastions of exclusivity throughout sports.
The Cadillacs away entrance don't have tail fins your period with belly putters, and the participants don't smoke a pipe yeast infection in between shots. But this snacks usually are however cheap, this old-timers retain arriving back, and the natural coat regarding successful is always essentially the most coveted prize around golf.
One various other idea hasn't changed: Membership while in the club is definitely simply by invites only, and women, it seems, don't need to apply.
Why that is definitely come to be a difficulty for a second time this coming year will be mainly a new matter connected with state of affairs the latest visit involving a girl executive to be able to head IBM, one of the principal creates from the Masters. As significantly when any person knows, Virginia Rometty hasn't asked for her personal environmentally friendly jacket, although since continue a number of CEOs with IBM, all male, were members, your woman would go to the superior with the list through default.
Hardly reason to take towards the streets, as activist Martha Burk have ten years ago throughout a good ill-fated make an attempt to open up Augusta National 's membership to help women. Even the most hardcore feminists can be hard-pressed to help next month on account on the millionaire enterprise account manager which lives around the actual rarified air from the lucky elite.
Lee Westwood determined the entire thing amusing.
"What girl or boy issue? I'm a man," the particular Englishman said.
Still, two ages soon after a black gentleman lastly was handed your green jacket to help wear, that primary concern is usually probably equality. I'm not planning to grow to be a representative of Augusta National , as well as odds are usually a person aren't, either, for reasons that are fitted with nothing related to battle and also sex. But for you to on auto-pilot leave out half this international people simply because it can be feminine simply would seem so 1962.
Not for the males while in the environmentally friendly jackets, regarding course. They bristle if the issue is actually brought up along with quickly cover driving a common defensive protect many people know: It's their club, and in addition they alone could consider which belongs.
"As continues to be this scenario when of which problem is asked, almost all issues with member's program at the moment are and get already been historically foreclosures that non-public deliberations of the members," Augusta National chairman Billy Payne explained Wednesday. "That assertion is always specific understanding that continues to be my statement."
Fair enough, I guess. Rich folks can be discriminating taking into consideration in order to that many people reveal a tee container with, however guarantees it can be their club they usually is capable of doing what they wish.
Problem is, while Payne said that will he or she acquired barely done referring to Augusta National's factor inside playing golf along with it has the accountabilities regarding serving expand the number of those who enjoy the actual game. The club really wants to get a lot more men and women playing, they said, specially the particular kids who are the particular upcoming belonging to the game.
As the item stands now, those players could aspiration involving some day being dressed in natural jackets themselves. The young women can't.
That resulted in a good exchange concerning reporters and Payne that, even though testy, bordered on comical. Pressed many periods on what he / she could convey to his granddaughters related to his or her likelihood of joining that club, Payne finally answered:
"My talks by using my granddaughters may also be personal."
"I never learn your current daughters," Payne replied.
If IBM's Rometty planned to allow it to be a problem she without doubt could, but a long way she plus the company, as a minimum publicly, seem content with becoming one from the some major sponsors from the Masters and departing this thrust for alter for you to others. And, like a annoying interpersonal issue, equality during Augusta National isn't going to exactly list up generally there using by ensuring every little one in America increases up able to read and write.
Burk herself is watching brussels coming from afar, certainly not about to get destroyed again. Still, the lady could hardly assistance but modify IBM along with the natural overcoats exactly who caused your girlfriend a great deal grief.
"I imagine it's impressive that one on the premier firms on the planet is definitely having his or her strings ripped by way of a bunch associated with old guys throughout Augusta," your woman said.
That's the way in which points happen with the Masters. No one dares tell that guardians connected with Augusta National things know about do, as well as every time they should do it. It might be a benevolent dictatorship, but no one queries it is a dictatorship.
By the time period Tiger Woods as well as Rory McIlroy tee away from Thursday, the actual IBM matter probably is not going to subject much. Attention will switch into the world of golf once more and the situation is going to be ignored with regard to a minimum of another year.
Best of all, the pimento cheese sandwiches will certainly still merely possibly be a dollar fifty.
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April 05, 2012 04:46 AM EDT
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