Women at Augusta National 'Long Overdue,' Says Inver Wood GM

"No Girls Allowed!"

For decades that was the official policy of membership at Augusta National Golf Club—the course that has hosted the Masters Tournament since its inception in 1934. 

But that all changed with Monday's announcement that the course—who only allowed its first African-American member in 1990—invited former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina business mogul Darla Moore to become members.

The move set a precedent, according to pro Leon Otness.

"I'm not an expert on Augusta's policies and procedures but traditionally it's been kind of a good ol' boys club for many years and now they're moving forward," Otness told Patch. "You knew it was going to happen eventually. (Augusta) has broken down some of its barriers in terms of ethnicity and again by allowing women members ... those are good things from my perspective." 

Augusta National and Masters Tournament chairman Billy Payne called the development a "joyous occassion" in a prepared statement Monday and said it represented a "significant and positive time" for the history of the golf club. 

"I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome (Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore) and all of our new members into the Augusta National family," Payne concluded. 

But not everyone was willing to pat Augusta National on the proverbial back.

In full support of Monday's announcement, Inver Wood general manager Al McMurchie called the decision "long overdue." 

"It's a positive milepost. Women have been an integral part of the golf industry since it started," McMurchie told Patch. "I have no idea why it was an issue for that tiny little rarified part of the golf world for so long."  

Well-known KFAN radio personality Dan Barreiro criticized the media hype during his Monday afternoon broadcast, making the point that, for decades, women have been allowed to be members of private golf clubs across the country.

"This is not a Rosa Parks moment," Barreiro said during the show. 

Rosa Parks has been considered the "First Lady of civil rights" since her 1955 display of civil disobedience in which she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a Caucasian passenger, in spite of the bus driver's orders.

Barreiro's point seemed to be that Augusta is being showered with praise for, essentially, catching up to the rest of the golf world.