In all honesty, I really didn’t know about the Masters, until this week but after only one article that was shown to me in my sports journalism class, the raging feminist inside me is furious.
The feature story was brutally honest in the ways they described the minorities of women and black golf players because of the ways that the Augusta Nationals are run. Some words that stood out were: polarizing, iron-clad grip, no public face, secluded and all white. All describing the discrimination against women and the black golf community.
The Masters has improved in terms of the black community. In 1997, Tiger Woods competed in the tournament and came out on top as he won his first green jacket in only his first year as a professional golfer. Since then, he has become one of the best professional golfers in the African American community.
However, they have a long way to go in terms of breaking the glass ceiling. With only two women allowed to play on the course and none allowed to compete for their jacket, the Augusta National has a long way to go in order to create a gender-equal community.
The Masters is considered to be the most pristine golf competition of its time and hosts golfers from around the world in its competition where they compete for what can be considered the largest title of their competing class. The top golfers of the world travel from their respective countries to the Augusta National located in Augusta, Georgia. All competing for the crowned jewel of the golf career and the winner of the Masters will take home a grand total of $1,440,000.
In all, the idea of top-ranked golfers coming to a U.S. golf course to compete sounds like an amazing event, especially for the amount of tourism and friendly competition involved. But this competition is far from friendly considering the faces of the golfers. There is now a hold against women competing in the competition. In fact, women competing on this course in Augusta, GA is completely against course policies.
Years ago, Martha Burk wanted to protest this injustice and she was let down by fellow protesters. They failed to show up that day and counter-protesters protested her shouts. In the article it describes her defeat as, “a woman died that day in the mud, surrounded by honking applause.”
This year, unsurprisingly, another white male took the win. Danny Willet won the 80th annual Masters. He was adorned with his first green jacket and took home the prize. This tradition has been held since 1949. The jacket is awarded to each champion and is returned to the clubhouse after one year and will be kept in the designated cloakroom. Another year passed with not a single female having the opportunity to compete in the Masters. I understand that this tournament has been for men for 80 years but the fact that they are not even allowed to play within the club is absolutely ridiculous.
They are making strides though in who is allowed to be playing in Augusta, Condeleeza Rice and Darla Moore were invited as members. "This is a joyous occasion as we enthusiastically welcome Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore as members of Augusta National Golf Club," Billy Payne, the club's chairman, said in a statement to Reuters. They are slowly making their way into letting professional women golfers play on their course.
The tournament has a long way to go in order to create a competition for equal genders. In years to come, I hope they take a put in the right direction and let the women play.
