Simply James

Augusta National Golf Club is a golf course with an aura like no other. Players say that driving through the gates and down Magnolia Lane is a surreal experience, with the overhanging foliage and flowers beginning to bloom. The clubhouse, the creeks, the course… Everything is done to perfection, with the golfers entering a sacred battlefield. Although it is the youngest major, it’s the only one that is held on the same course every year, which adds to the mystique. Tiger’s comeback for his 15th major in ‘19, Lyle’s triumphant bunker shot from the fairway in ‘88, Seve’s duff into the water while leading in ‘86, it is steeped in dramatic history. Fans, or patrons as they are referred to in Augusta, aren’t permitted to bring their cellphones into the grounds, which adds to the beauty of the event. Yet, there is another side to the history of Augusta National. A part of their history that they have only recently tried to rectify. A history familiar with many of the golf clubs in the southern states of America. 

The club was founded in 1933 by Bobby Jones, a legendary golfer, and Clifford Roberts, a wealthy financier. It hosted its first Masters Tournament the following year, but it wasn’t until 1975 that Lee Elder trailblazed his way to become the first black golfer to compete in the tournament, 40 years after its inception. For context, It wasn’t until the late 1950s and early 1960s that the other major golf tournaments, such as the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and British Open, began to allow black golfers to compete. This was when the sport’s governing body would officially change its bylaws to allow black golfers to participate. 16 years on, Elder’s invite to Augusta finally arrived, and despite death threats, he courageously competed in the tournament. 

Caddies, on the other hand, were a different story. Until the mid 1980’s, Augusta National had a policy of only allowing the golfers to use club caddies for the tournament, all of which were black. The policy was a reflection of the segregationist attitudes that were prevalent in the South at the time. For example, Jack Nicklaus won five of his six green jackets with local caddy Willie Peterson, an African-American caddy that had been working at the course since he was 16. Once the policy had changed, players could now use their regular tour caddies, and the rich history of African-American caddies in Augusta was all but forgotten. With criticism continuing to build about the club’s racism and discrimination throughout the late 1900’s, they permitted their first black member, Ron Townsend, in 1990. In a city where two-thirds of its population is black, there are an estimated nine members of colour currently in Augusta National, out of a total of 300. But it wasn’t just racial prejudice that Augusta National has been criticised for over the years.

The club has also been questioned about its treatment of women. For many years, the club was exclusively male, and it was not until 2012 that it admitted its first female members, including Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore. It wasn’t until 2019 that the club hosted its first female tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA). It has also been criticised for its treatment of female reporters. In 2002, Martha Burk, a women’s rights activist, staged a protest outside the club, calling on the club to admit female members. At the time, the club had a policy of only allowing male reporters into the locker room during the tournament. The protest gained national attention, and the club eventually changed its policy to allow female reporters into the locker room. Now, there are reportedly four female members at Augusta National. 

So, as we gear up for what is set to be another tantalising Masters tournament, the club still has a long way to go in terms of inclusivity. They put on a superb spectacle every year, but the secrecy surrounding the club and its members hides both the beauty and the ugliness of Augusta National. Despite the club ‘trying’ to make some progress in recent years towards becoming more inclusive, the history of racism and misogyny is a dark part of its legacy.