Augusta National Invites Two Women: So?

The huddled masses of wealth and power that are the membership of Augusta National have decided to invite two women into their ranks. The first is an obvious choice, legendary golfer and all around politico, Condeleeza Rice.

Condi Rice: Augusta's Newest Big Hitter
(Mark Ralston - AFP/Getty Images)

I can just imagine Billy Payne saying, "Man, can that little lady ever bomb it! We gotta get her and I mean get her now!"

The second is Darla Moore and I don't even know or care to know who she is...

Augusta is the kind of organization with no interest in doing the right thing, unless the right thing fits with their agenda. If they had what it took to stand up and tell the world they are an exclusively male club, irrespective of the fact that the profits of publicly traded corporations pay the lion's share of the dues, I could respect them. If they showed evidence of a growing sensitivity to the kind of club they aspired to be, I could respect them.

But, the fact is they did it to buoy their public image and I can't respect that at all.

They could have invited native Georgian and one of the founders of the LPGA tour, Louise Suggs. Or, they could have invited Hall of Fame member Judy Rankin. They could have invited a woman golfer in the same way they invited male golfers back when a win at The Masters also meant a membership to the club.

Instead, Augusta served its own interests and no one else's.