(These are Mark's views, not WAMU's views, AU's views, or any other U's views)
Apart from the sport itself, what do the custodians of the Augusta National Golf Club, home to the magnificent season curtain-raiser event The U.S. Masters, have in common withTiger Woods ?
Listening to club Chairman Billy Payne this week, you'd assume not much. With some scathing criticism of golf's erstwhile prodigal son-turned-promoter-of-moral-turpitude, Mr. Payne laid plain Augusta's disdain for Tiger's tasteless behavior.
"He forgot that with fame and fortune come responsibility not invisibility." "Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children. Is there a way forward? I hope yes."
I would ask Mr. Payne the same question - is there a way forward? It took the closeted chums of Augusta until 1990 to admit their first African American member. The fabled Mexican golferLee Trevino famously used to change his shoes out of the trunk of his car rather than use their racially intimidating club house. And despite Mr. Payne's protestations on behalf of Tiger's wife and all the other women he used or abused, they still do not have one single woman member at Augusta National.
No glass houses at Augusta, you understand. Splendid azaleas, magnolias and dogwoods to be sure. But when it comes to women, the moral high ground is as elusive as those birdie chances on the undulating greens. Trying to convince Mr Payne and his tribe of that hypocrisy is another matter.
Apart from the sport itself, what do the custodians of the Augusta National Golf Club, home to the magnificent season curtain-raiser event The U.S. Masters, have in common with
Listening to club Chairman Billy Payne this week, you'd assume not much. With some scathing criticism of golf's erstwhile prodigal son-turned-promoter-of-moral-turpitude, Mr. Payne laid plain Augusta's disdain for Tiger's tasteless behavior.
"He forgot that with fame and fortune come responsibility not invisibility." "Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children. Is there a way forward? I hope yes."
I would ask Mr. Payne the same question - is there a way forward? It took the closeted chums of Augusta until 1990 to admit their first African American member. The fabled Mexican golfer
No glass houses at Augusta, you understand. Splendid azaleas, magnolias and dogwoods to be sure. But when it comes to women, the moral high ground is as elusive as those birdie chances on the undulating greens. Trying to convince Mr Payne and his tribe of that hypocrisy is another matter.
