The Disgrace of Augusta

I quite like golf on the television, but I never watch the Masters at Augusta.

Like many people, I can remember when blacks could only be caddies or waiters. In fact the founder of the tournament insisted that in his lifetime, it was only contested by white players with black caddies.

At least now President Obama has weighed into the row about women being allowed to watch. But then he knows that with the issues of birth control and abortion likely to figure in the next election, it will help him get re-elected.

The Masters also have an interesting problem this year, in that one of their major sponsors, IBM, has a female Chief Executive. Will they go for money or ditch an outdated principle?

In The Times today, Matthew Syed, one of their most-respected sports writers, calls Augusta a laughing stock.

The Times also indicates that some Scottish golf clubs have a similar attitude to women and St. Andrews has a particular problem, in that the Principal of the University is female.

I also remember a friend, who couldn’t use a corporate membership at a golf club in the south of England. But being the man he was, he talked them round.

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