New face but same issues at Augusta
Augusta National revealed its new chairman this week – but anyone expecting a radical change in policy looks certain to be disappointed.
The club, which stages the US Masters every April, has repeatedly resisted demands for female members under the chairmanship of Hootie Johnson, who steps down on May 21.
And incoming chairman Billy Payne offered little prospect of a rethink in the foreseeable future during a media teleconference.
“Membership matters are decided by club members and we have no timetable to discuss that issue,” Payne said.
The build-up to the 2003 Masters was overshadowed by a row between Johnson and Martha Burk, the head of the National Council for Women’s Organisations.
Asked whether he would welcome a telephone call on the subject from Burk, Payne replied: “I’m very aware of her position and I don’t see at this time that any other dialogue would be meaningful and helpful.”
While that news came as no surprise, of more interest was Payne’s position on the possibility of a tournament ball being introduced for the year’s first major.
The Royal and Ancient Club (R&A) and United States Golf Association (USGA), the game’s governing bodies, have recently received sample balls they requested from manufacturers.
These are designed to travel between 15 and 25 yards less than those currently being used in an attempt to prevent courses, such as Augusta, having to be continually lengthened.
“I’m very encouraged that there’s an ongoing dialogue among the governing bodies to look at limitation on advances in both the equipment and the ball technology,” Payne added.
“And I remain very hopeful and encouraged that while a difficult issue, some equitable resolution will be made, which will have the effect of slowing down the distances or the gains and distances as we have observed over the last several years.
“So many of our great golf courses are at risk of becoming obsolete. And while we would hope that resolution would come as quickly as possible through that normal process of the governing bodies, we would not take that [tournament ball] option off the table in the context of what lengths to which we would go to protect our own course in the future.”
At last month’s Open Championship press conference, R&A chief executive Peter Dawson admitted progress had been made.
“The top manufacturers are submitting balls for testing and I’m very pleased that we seem to be getting somewhere,” said Dawson.
“The next step is to test the balls; that is the scientific side then we have to look at the philosophical side.
“This is about the technology and the ability to do it – whether we should do it is a different question.”
The lengthening of the curse ahead of this year’s Masters – won by Phil Mickelson – caused considerable debate and controversy, and further major alterations look unlikely.
Payne added: “I think we have it just about right now. We remain hopeful that some limitations will be placed on equipment that will diminish the gains in distance.”
However, limited changes will be made for the 2007 Masters, with the tees on the 11th and 15th holes lengthened by five to seven yards.
The fairway on the par-four 11th will be widened around the 280-yard mark to help medium-length hitters while grass under the newly-planted trees to the right of that hole will be replaced by pine straw.
