The Dark Side of the Masters
about the author
Michael Oplinger is a senior at Penn State majoring in media studies and political science. Michael also is a weekly columnist for the Daily Collegian, Penn State's student newspaper.
Over the weekend, the sports world celebrated “a tradition unlike any other,” as the slogan for the Masters goes.
But the Masters also maintains an unfortunate tradition that puts a dark mark on golf’s most heralded weekend.
Augusta National, the golf course that hosts the Masters, has long employed sexist and racist membership policies. Augusta is often considered the most prestigious and exclusive golf club in the country. It has only about 300 members and membership is granted by invitation only.
None of those members are women.
Until 1990, none of those members were black. Before 1975, no black professional golfers were allowed to play in the Masters. Before 1983, all caddies at Augusta were black, until professional players were allowed to bring their own caddies.
Obviously, Augusta’s stance against other races has thankfully lessened over the course of history. It’s hard to imagine the Masters without Tiger Woods, who has won the coveted green jacket four times.
While Augusta has admitted more black members over the past few years — including former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann — it still has not accepted a woman.
The issue tends to get ignored when the tournament comes around every April. However, in the last few years, this has begun to change. In years past, Martha Burk, who was then the chairwoman of the National Council for Women’s Organizations, protested outside the Masters in hopes that Augusta would see the error in their ways.
The protests fell on deaf ears as Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson continued to assert that Augusta was a private club that could admit whoever it wanted. Of course, Augusta has the right to prohibit members from its private club, but that doesn’t mean it should.
As an institution that is practically worshiped by golf fanatics, Augusta has a larger voice than it might want. But the fact is, sports institutions shape and reflect a lot of the stereotypes we develop about society. Augusta has replicated the “good ol’ boys club” stereotype that is often seen in politics and large corporations.
Along with these other societal institutions, Augusta has continued to represent the falsehood that women are inherently different and inferior to men.
The horrible treatment of women at Augusta went even further this weekend. On Sunday, Tara Sullivan, a columnist for the Bergen Record, was denied access to a locker room to conduct a post-round interview. As Sullivan attempted to walk into the locker room with her male colleagues, a security guard stopped her and said she wasn’t allowed inside.
Augusta officials responded by saying they had no policy banning women from the locker room and the security guard acted inappropriately in prohibiting her from entering.
A policy barring women from the locker room is actually illegal according to previous court cases. If a locker room is open, it must be open to all reporters. Female reporters must have the ability to do their jobs, just like their male counterparts.
As its officials said, Augusta obviously does not have a policy banning women from the locker room. But the fact that the security guard thought that the golf club had such a policy speaks volumes about the treatment of women at the club.
Because of the inferior status women have at Augusta, the security guard mistakenly barred Sullivan from doing her job and again drew attention to the treatment of women at the golf club.
Augusta should take the incident as a sign to change its ways and finally admit a female member.
The club must devote as much attention to women’s rights as it does to its pristine greens.
But for now, ironically and unfortunately, the most beautiful golf course in the country employs the ugliest policies.
