I wrote in a blog post the other day that golf is a “gentleman’s game.” My reference was rather tongue-in-cheek, but for some courses this is a literal truth. One would think men-only golf courses are in contradiction to what the USGA wants the game to become, yet it’s hard to squash the constitutional rights of a privatized club. I’m clearly not the first to discuss this topic (most prominent in recent memory being the continuing controversy between Hootie and Martha), but I thought I’d give the fire a stoking.
“We aren’t closed-door, wives and girlfriends can come out and have lunch. Really, the only thing they [women] can’t do is play the golf course.” – PGA professional Scott Walter (Bear Creek Golf Club, Denver Colorado).
Funny, I thought it used to be the only thing women couldn’t do in the United States was vote, and we amended the Constitution to change that about 90 years ago.
Bear Creek is one of about a dozen clubs in the U.S. that don’t allow women to play golf there. Others, such as Augusta National, don’t allow women members, while many more make it hard or undesirable for women to join (should note that while there are no women members at Augusta, a woman may be “invited” to play the course – especially a woman of notoriety, such as an LPGA player).
A course that is off-limits to women (both as members and players) is Southern Dunes in Phoenix, which has been the subject of a couple articles – one from travelgolf.com contributor Chris Baldwin. A few years ago, Mr. Baldwin had the opportunity to play Southern Dunes and subsequently penned the article “Defending the Undefendable: Men-Only Golf Clubs.” In the assessment of his experience there, Mr. Baldwin relegated the membership to “a bunch of golf nerds, through and through.”
Wrote Mr. Baldwin: “Let them be nerds! Women have their gyms where no men are allowed in to gawk at them in their stretch Spandex. They have Oprah. And any single or stay-at-home dad can tell you how open those playground clubs really are. Why can’t a bunch of golf nerds have their own club?” I find it amusing that just because these guys are a bunch of nerds, we should overlook the fact that women can’t play their course. And what nerds are members there? Here’s a few: Former NFL defensive tackle Dan Saleaumua, former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer and former Mets catcher Todd Hundley. Yep, those guys epitomize the word “nerd” in my book!
Mr. Baldwin suggests that while clearly a stereotype, women may actually induce a slower pace-of-play on the course. Too funny. He should read this related post at Real Women Golf. (I should note that Mr. Baldwin ultimately said he would never join a men-only club, claiming the guys there seem to take their golf game too seriously for his liking).
But here’s the thing; Imagine you were on a quest to play Golf Digest’s Top 100 courses (which has been accomplished multiple times by various men). If you are a woman, you can’t do it. Is that fair? Up until the 1990’s, if you were an African American man you couldn’t play the top 100 either (and you may still be discouraged at some clubs today). That’s just sad. Meanwhile, the USGA is concerned the sport is not attracting enough minorities and women. Hello?
To play devil’s advocate for a second, this is a free country and private clubs should be able to exclude whoever they want, right? That got me wondering if there were any women-only golf clubs out there. Turns out there is one in North America…but it’s not in the United States. In Canada, there’s The Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto – and it’s nearly 10-years older than Augusta National! But even these ladies have softened a bit, as they now allow a limited number of men to become “guest card holders.”
As a public golf course connoisseur, it’s hard for me to imagine excluding anyone from playing on any course – if you know the etiquette of the game, I say tee-off. But I also understand the appeal of private memberships – I mean, your dues are paying for some type of exclusivity, right? But does that really have to exclude a gender? If you want male camaraderie, why can’t your foursome be men-only? Or does it really kill the afternoon to see a group of women playing a few fairways over?
Women should be able to have a club, for whatever activity, completely separate for only members of the female sex.
An African-American should be able to restrict his club, restaurant or whatever, to members of his race.
Hispanics should be able to restrict certain people from entering their restaurants.
There is a very good chance Arnold Palmer might not be able to play all 100 top courses in America. It is a NOT an inalienable right to play them. It is a privilege granted by the members of the individual clubs that comprise that group of 100. Their initiation fees, monthly dues and other assessments and fees PAY for the course to be in such great condition.
Also, the U.S.G.A. has never proffered any statements or positions on such policies.
The overwhelming majority of private clubs require a prospective new member be sponsored (or introduced) by a current member. People should just go out and find a current member, apply for membership, write the $15k – $100k initiation fee check, pay the $1000 per month dues, spend $200 – $500 per month in mandatory restaurant and dining fees and enjoy yourself.
The government restricted voting rights for women. The government restricted equal rights for blacks and other minorities. People have freedom of speech from the government, NOT in private life. The government CANNOT tell me what to say, they should not be able to tell me who I want to spend time with.
It’s a tough question, that’s for sure.
I have a simple view. I think it’s a constitutional right for people to decide who they play with. Private clubs have the right to decide who they will or will not allow to play there.
And I have the right not to play a course that won’t let me play with the people I want to play with.
It’s ironic that this is basically a moral and ethical issue, yet so many of the people who are arguing about it can’t even agree on what those ethics and morals are based on… beyond “it’s my right to do whatever I want!”
In any case, you can’t legislate morality because it’s too hard to strike a balance between group and personal rights that everybody agrees with. You just have to make laws that inconvenience the fewest number of people.
I can only afford to play public courses, so the issue doesn’t come up for me.
One of the facts in your article is incorrect. Women are in fact allowed to play at Augusta National, and play hundreds of rounds per year there. The restriction there is not on access to the course, but membership in the club. That’s an important distinction, and you ought to correct your post to reflect it.
Private golf clubs can dictate their own rules… By their very nature private clubs can determine if and how many men can play on their private golf course.
I think the men should stop complaining. After all, there are plenty of public courses for the men. Let them play there and leave us women and our private clubs off their radar.
Men are just too fussy about their game. They slow the game down!
Anonymous, thanks for the observation about Augusta – I have clarified that in the post.
I totally agree that if it’s a private club, receiving no tax payer money or subsidies, it should be able to select its membership in any way it wants to.
There are some men and some women who prefer to engage in certain activities in a sex-segregated environment, they should be able to do do that if they’re the ones paying for it. The same goes for clubs that only allow a particular ethnicity or education level or occupation. As long as those who are excluded don’t in anyway have to pay for the clubs they should be allowed to exist. What’s more controversial is the situation that exists in certain clubs where women are paying members but are barred for a restaurant or lounge within that club. So in essence, it could be argued, they’re paying for something they’re not being allowed to use. I don’t think that kind of exclusion would ever be allowed to exist based on ethnic background.
Can you imagine “African-American people can join our club but they can’t enter the Oak Room Grill” or “Jewish people can join our club but they’re not allowed in the Tartan Lounge”? Of course not. That would NEVER be accepted or allowed or even suggested. But yet there are numerous clubs where exactly that applies to women. They’re allowed to join the club but certain areas are restricted to them. Even if they are paying members of the club. And for some reason this isn’t looked on as being equally preposterous and unacceptable? To me that situation is one that is highly questionable.
These are not institutions open to the public. It’s kind of like expecting to check anything you want out at the Papal Library. Good luck. One question for you women out there that have a problem with these all male golf clubs: What about “Shapes”? You know the women only fitness club chain. Hmm?
So restricting women from becoming members at Augusta National is OK then? Oh yes, let’s make that distinction. Ridiculous. And to be quite honest Augusta’s history with its caddies is not anything to be proud of either. If a woman can afford it, she should be allowed to join. Period. Michigan dealt with the private club issue years ago. No state liquor licenses to clubs that discriminate. That straightened things out pretty well. This is the 21st century. Learn tolerance, guys. Until the PGA says no to clubs that discriminate, private club nonsense will continue.
The LPGA,of course, considers every clubs stance before agreeing to play at a course.
I agree that a private club can choose membership as the owners/investors wish.
However, there are plenty of clubs where women are only allowed to play during certain hours. I can’t even imagine belonging to such a place.
On the “men’s grill” issue. I’m still conflicted. I really don’t want to be around a bunch of stinky, cigar-smokin’, drunken guys. HOWEVER, I know at my course the comparable “Ladies Card Room” is FAR from comparable. I’ve been on a mission to make it a more comfortable and enjoyable place, but so far I have been unsuccessful.
We also have a men’s only golf club in town that is on the top 100 list. Women are sometimes allowed to play, but can not enter the clubhouse.
BTW last week, a golfing gal pal and I played through 3 groups of men. We never had to ask they saw us coming and moved aside.
Let’s be clear. I said I agree that a private club should be able to select their members based on whatever criteria they choose…IF no money taken from any non-member is used to support that club.
There are all sorts of clubs based on professional affiliation, ethnic background, religion and any arbitrary criteria the members may choose. For example, I can’t join the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) because “I can’t prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution” There’s no way I can join. I’m barred from becoming a member. Is that fair? I think it is. They’re a private club and that’s one of their criteria and I’m not obliged to pay anything to support their organization. They put on events and do fund raisers and if I didn’t like their policy… if I felt it was discriminating against me… I would boycott those events and ignore those fund raisers. And boycott those organization who sponsored them.
I believe the same goes for golf and country clubs that have a men-only policy. They should be allowed to exist, but only if they take zero dollars of public money. And people/organizations who don’t agree with their policies shouldn’t support them. (and BTW, I think it would be a wise and admirable gesture if the PGA/USGA would decline to play at such clubs)
Where I have a problem with all this is that I believe many of these clubs are benefiting from government authorized tax exemptions thus we all are effectively subsidizing them and some of us are prevented from using them. This to me is unacceptable. However what would need to be changed, would be the tax law and I feel strongly that we who object to what’s happening in this regard should push for the establishment (and enforcment) of statutes disallowing tax benefits to private clubs that discriminate on the basis of certain protected classifications.
As far as the holding back of tee times and the segregated lounges/grills, women can and should refuse to pay to be members of such clubs if they have issues with these policies. At this point if women did that I do believe the clubs would change their policies pretty quickly.
Hey Greg – great post! I’m all in favor of defending the rights of private clubs (w/o any govt funding or support) to do what is legal, even if I find it archaic and just plain silly.
I think clubs like Augusta are living in the dark ages. Rememder, in 2004, USA Today obtained a copy of the membership at Augusta, where the average age was 72? 72???? Hmmm…maybe this is just an age thing. Their membership seem to be living in the past when gender and race discrimination was considered acceptable (and even lawful).
I don’t understand the “women-only” club either. I would not want to play there if my golfguy couldn’t belong. Maybe those women are just reacting to the men-only clubs. But to me, it’s just silly.
Thankfully there are many many great clubs out there that open their doors to all races and genders and ages. Those are the courses I choose to play.
Golfgal
Patricia Hannigan said…
Let’s be clear. I said I agree that a private club should be able to select their members based on whatever criteria they choose…IF no money taken from any non-member is used to support that club.
Patricia, my club, and probably yours, has outside affairs (weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) that are paid by non-members. A member must recommend the group/person, but the money is not from the member. Even the IRS is 100% okay with clubs keeping there ‘private’ status in this situation up to a certain percentage of income derived. But, if we tried to open our club to the public a few days a week for rounds of golf, burgers or brews, we would have a serious problem.
Heather, our mens’ card room is large and just off the tap room. It is frequently used in the evenings for small parties or overflow dining. Virtually, every woman in the club has used it at one time or another. Whereas, if I make any indication I may wish to stick my head inside the Ladies card room to see how it is furnished, sewing needles come out of nowhere. In fact, I do not know for sure we really have a ladies cardroom.
Susan: Since you mentioned it:
“…Learn tolerance, guys. Until the PGA says no to clubs that discriminate, private club nonsense will continue.
The LPGA,of course, considers every clubs stance before agreeing to play at a course.”
Here’s a question. What’s the difference between’s the LPGA’s policy that only WOMEN can play on the tour, and Augusta’s policy to allow only men as members? The PGA Tour allows women to play (see Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie). This is a 2-way street. If you want to complain because a private organization will only allow men to join, then you also need to complain when a private organization will only allow women to join.
I honor and respect single gender spaces, I think they are important. However, because institutionally so much business and politics are conducted on golf courses I think making them “male only” adds to institutional oppression of women known as the glass ceiling.
I love male-only golf courses. Adversity challenges people and helps us improve; sinecures make us complacent. Let the old boys keep their golf clubs, and women will get to keep their indignation and fire. We’ll get the better end of the bargain.
I’m very familiar with Bear Creek Golf Club in Colorado. My significant other has been a member there for the past 25 years. The stories…I’ve been told….by him and trust me ..he’s been caught in the act..is nothing but a private club for men to escape from their wives and families. They are a well to do group of men, that believe they have the right to do whatever they please. Many of them have gone in together abd puchased and leased condo’s so that they can set up time to use these prperties for their girl friends and prostitutes. Mush less expensive than hotel rooms and much more convenient than hotels with set check in times. I never thought in a million years my husband was cabable of such activities!! Ladies if your husband or significant other is a member at Bear Creek, the privte men’s club in Denver,,,,hire yourself a private detetive!! Many members like to sneak up to Evergreen and Kittrige…there’s a coulple nice steak houses and a few hotels the men and their girls favor. TRUST ME!!! And some of those cute little waitresses and cart girls do a hell of a lot more than serve lunch and cocktails!!!
So??? Why you complain?
The Masters is an invitational and governed by their members, not the PGA. The PGA has no control over any courses other than TPC courses.I’ll never become a member in Augusta and I’m a guy and don’t bitch about it.
What I find offensive is the fact that men pay that much money to isolate themselves from women. It supports a misogynistic (hatred of women)attitude that should not be a value or moral of any person in modern society. So, the arguments that frame the issue as anything other then that are misleading. True, in this capitalistic society you can pay for anything you want; but that argument is a red herring. The real issue is these types of clubs allow men to continue to pursue and practice archaic attitudes and behaviors that only support and encourage negative perceptions of women. Such perceptions can form the basis for all sorts hateful acts and actions. Discrimination of any kind should be discouraged. BTW, membership in the LPGA is not discriminatory as men have several other options & those options are TONS more rewarding then the LPGA. I don’t think the #1 player in the LPGA makes as much a year in winnings as the #100 player (who??) on the PGA. Note the impacts of discrimination here.
There are other, less tangible downsides to a men’s only course as well, which is hardly analogous to a “Shapes” women’s only fitness place in some strip mall.
The Bear Creek course is bounded by some neighborhoods of lovely homes which I, as a female physician, could comfortably afford. I don’t golf, as I prefer to hike and ski on weekends in Colorado, but I think the homes abutting the courses are pretty and would encourage my kids if they want to take up golf. After learning about the Bear Creek club’s men-only restriction, I’ve crossed that potential real estate off my list and will be discussing my distaste for living adajecent to this club with my friends, who high-income professionals also, for years to come. Why in God’s name would I want to eat breakfast with my sons in a million-dollar home overlooking a golf course which would discriminate against me if I wanted to join because I am a woman? A men’s only golf club is a bad neighbor!