Augusta talks about being talked about

Indeed, there are those who believe the indignant tone taken by Johnson represents the kind of resistance to societal change that has been typical of the South down through the years, especially in regard to racial integration.

Local residents counter that things do eventually change - but the key is knowing how to go about it.

The wrong way, they feel, is clamoring by outsiders. The idea of a private club being told what it should do by "Yankees" rankles. It makes locals want to dig in their heels in support of one of their own.

"We're not going to march [in support of female membership]," says Mrs. Fogleman with a chuckle. "That's not the way to get things done in the South."

In some cases, though, boycotts have forced the South to change - most recently the flag protests that lead to Confederate symbols being removed from some state insignia.

Changes have already taken place at Augusta National as a result of the NCWO's campaign: The 2003 Masters will be televised commercial-free so that corporations won't be subject to pressure from groups that want them to stop their sponsorship of the tournament.

Critics aren't letting up, though. The NCWO promises to picket the Masters next year if women members haven't been admitted.

Protesters acknowledge that Augusta National, as a private club, has the right to admit whomever it wants. But hosting the Masters - which is televised around the world - puts it in a different class, they say: The host club's lack of women members sends the wrong message about professional sports and American society.

But in Augusta, there are those who wish the whole issue would just go away. They're likely to agree with the former DAR regent, who says, "Something like this to-do we have right now, we would prefer it would not be here."

Many area residents are weary of hearing the same arguments over and over, on both sides of the controversy: Is it only right for women to have equal opportunity to belong to such a prestigious club, or is this campaign just political correctness run amok? Once formed, local opinions haven't changed.

But even though folks here politely disagree with one another about the politics of gender, few are willing to turn their back on the club.

Working a shift for a friend at Blast to the Past, a toy store on the town's main thoroughfare, Theresa Hall proudly wears a tourist version of the green Masters jacket.

The former executive secretary once had the opportunity to play at Augusta as the guest of a member. She was pleased to be asked, she says. "Who would pass that up? It was a thrill."

In fact, Augusta National treats women golfers better than many men-only clubs, several of which won't even let women out of their cars when they drop off their husbands.

Whether that makes up for not admitting women members is still being discussed in some circles. Townsfolk wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see the golf club admit female members - but no one's guessing at a timetable.

"Hootie's already said he'll consider admitting women," says one local shopper exiting Dillard's department store. "But they'll do it on their own sweet time."

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