Billy Payne, jabbed, prodded, and poked repeatedly about a topic that never fades, remained steadfast.
At his annual news conference, when queried about the inclusion of women as members at the Augusta National Golf Club, the chairman reiterated variations of the same stance: “That’s our business, not yours.”
This topic resurfaced on Wednesday, just ahead of the year’s first major, particularly as one of the club’s longstanding sponsors, IBM, recently appointed a female CEO, Virginia Rometty. The previous four CEOs of IBM, all male, had been invited for membership.
Payne’s responses, both polite and firm, stood in stark contrast to those of his predecessor, Hootie Johnson. A decade ago, Johnson famously stated that female membership would occur on the club’s timeline and “not at the point of a bayonet.”
“Whenever that question arises, all matters regarding membership have been and continue to be subject to private deliberation among the members,” Payne stated when the expected inquiry was posed for the first time on Wednesday.
“That statement still holds true, and it remains my statement.”
When asked to elaborate on his unwillingness to comment, he provided two reasons: “Firstly, we do not discuss our private deliberations. Secondly, we particularly avoid discussions when a named candidate is involved.”
The issue emerged in 2002 when Martha Burk, then-chair of the National Council of Women’s Organizations, campaigned for Augusta National to end its all-male membership and threatened to boycott companies whose executives were club members.
In response, Johnson severed ties with corporate sponsors, leading the Masters to air without commercials for the subsequent two years. A planned protest before the 2003 Masters ended up being ineffective, and the topic faded away.
Given the high levels of secrecy at Augusta National, it is possible there is already a female member known only to a select few. While members are recognizable during the Masters due to their iconic green jackets, not all members are present this week.
Multiple reporters attempted to gain a clearer insight into the workings within the club by asking the question from various perspectives, yet Payne graciously dismissed each attempt.
Among the more uncomfortable interactions, two reporters joined forces to accuse Payne of conveying mixed messages.
Though Payne spoke of the club’s commitment to growing the game, the potential absence of a female member suggests exclusion of half the population.
“That’s a membership issue I’m not going to… thank you for your,” he stated, as another question emerged along similar lines. Payne then cut off that reporter: “Thank you for your question, sir.”
In a bid to frame the inquiry differently, another reporter referenced interviews conducted with Johnson back in 2003, attempting to present it as a personal query: What would you say to your granddaughters?
“Well, my conversations with my granddaughters are personal,” Payne replied.
Buford Balony says: Why can’t there be a men’s only space nowadays? It’s quite ridiculous. Just the other day, as part of my research, I attempted to enter a women’s only gym, but was barred from so much as approaching the place. Women are often more SEXIST than men.
