Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been invited to join the historically male-only Augusta National Golf Club.

Rice, along with businesswoman Darla Moore, will be the first female members of Augusta, which hosts the Masters Tournament each year, the club announced in a news release on Monday.

"These accomplished women share our passion for the game of golf and both are well known and respected by our membership,” Chairman Billy Payne said in the release. "It will be a proud moment when we present Condoleezza and Darla their Green Jackets when the club opens this fall."

In a statement, Rice said she is delighted and honored to join the club.

"Golf is a wonderful source of enjoyment for me, she said. And I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to grow my love for this great game."

http://ll-media.tmz.com/2012/08/20/0820-condaleeza-rice-1.jpg

Isn't this only for fun :o

A little patronising, makes me think of Bill Bailey's joke of how the Taliban ethos is made up. It was just cobbled together from different beliefs. The anti-intellectualism of the Khmer Rouge, the religious persecution of the Nazis, the enforced beard-wearing from the world of folk music, and the subjugation and humiliation of women from the world of golf.......... ;D

Matt

St Andrews will remain male.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews to feel the heat over no-women membership rules


Quote:

The Royal and Ancient will not be rushed into admitting female members in the wake of Augusta National’s decision to invite two women to join their previously all-male club. A statement from the club — which, in its 258-year history, has acted as the game’s governing body in the majority of the world, as well as overseen the running of the Open — seemed to welcome Augusta’s move but also reiterated its own no-female policy. “We read the announcement from Augusta National with great interest and we congratulate Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore on their membership,” read the statement. “The rules of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews specify a male membership and this policy remains a matter for our members to determine.”  ...

Augusta never had a "males only" rule.  It just didn't have any female members.  Women are permitted to play on both courses.