William K. Wolfrum - Latest Comments on Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

mary [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

mary [Visitor] — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:55:13 +0000

Martha Burk's actions have been overlooked indeed..

chester [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

chester [Visitor] — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:24:46 +0000

The PGA Tour does not put on the Masters. PGA Tour players are independent contractors and can make a personal decision on whether they would like to play, should they qualify or earn an invitation.

fiver [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

fiver [Visitor] — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:44:00 +0000

Thank you for standing up for the rights of extremely wealthy and powerful women. Their victimization is truly deplorable.

M46 [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

M46 [Visitor] — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:12:12 +0000

If not for Martha Burk's actions, Augusta National would be accepting women today. It was clear at the time thatthe membership was moving that way. Burk wanted to take credit and felt Hootie Johnson's head would look good mounted on her wall. She miscalculated. The acrimony she created has set the calendar back five years and counting. Had she been driven by the cause and not her ego, she'd already have what she ostensibly wants.

K-Lo [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

K-Lo [Visitor] — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:15:02 +0000

Well said Sue. Private clubs may have every right to decide who does and doesn’t get to join, but that doesn’t make it morally right. Like it or not, a lot of business gets done on the golf courses of America, and when a private course like Augusta decides to bar female membership, it is barring women from this aspect of business. It is sexist, and any golf tour, organization or other group that holds events at Augusta is complicit in this sexism. It may not “matter” to some people, but clearly it matters a great deal to Martha Burk and to the handful of protesters who joined her 5 years ago, not to mention to the writer of this piece and many folks actively fighting sexism in all of its aspects.

Sue [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

Sue [Visitor] — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:20:10 +0000

Yep, Augusta's a private club. But, that doesn't mean Ms. Burk cannot protest its policies. And, it doesn't make her a nut-job any more than it made African Americans who insisted on being served at privately-owned lunch counters nut jobs.

Jennifer [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

Jennifer [Visitor] — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:07:27 +0000

It's terrible that Ms. Burk received death threats. There's no excuse for that. But I think her "crusade" was misguided. As a woman and a professional golf fan, I think a private club has the right to determine who its members are. The fact that Augusta National does not have women members does not lessen my enjoyment of the Masters, nor do I feel that if the club were to admit a female member that gender discrimination in the public sector would suddenly cease to exist. Geez! Work on something that matters, Martha.

Also, one thing that especially bothered me about this commentary: The PGA Tour does not put on the Masters. PGA Tour players are independent contractors and can make a personal decision on whether they would like to play, should they qualify or earn an invitation. The PGA Tour organization may choose or not to be supportive of Augusta's policies but the Tour itself does not host the tournament, promote the tournament or have any say in how the tournament is run. So I don't understand why Ms. Burk would say the Tour is breaking its bylaws. That's not true.

Cheek [Visitor] in response to: Martha Burk and the Masters: Five years later, the sexism is more obvious than ever

Cheek [Visitor] — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:42:49 +0000

This is completely moronic. Augusta National is a private club and can run itself however it wishes. I too am in an exclusive club and nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is EVER going to change that. We invite who we want, when we want. Period.

Ms. Burke will go down in history, if she isn't ultimately forgotten, as nut-job.