May 19--We all applauded when Augusta National opened Magnolia Lane to women.
And now we're all jeering the decision of the (less than) Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield to retain its all-male policy. The decision prompted the R to remove the spectacular Muirfield from the British Open rotation.
"golf nil, neanderthals one," is how esteemed Scottish golf writer John Huggan put it on Twitter.
Don't confuse this for an anti-political-correctness rant, but I'm here to tell you that men's clubs are not a bad thing. At least in some cases.
You may not know this, but the Chicago area is home to about a quarter of all the men's clubs in the nation. We're what West Virginia is to couch-burning.
There's Butler National in west suburban Oak Brook, Black Sheep in far west Sugar Grove and two in Highland Park: Bob O'Link and Old Elm. Each has a completely different vibe and reason for existence.
Butler National was built to host top-notch tournaments and provide an entertainment vehicle for its flush-with-dough members.
Black Sheep is a links-style gem with members that value (male) camaraderie and minimalism. They don't want to spend a dime on a swimming pool or fine china but get giddy over a bunker renovation project.
Bob O'Link is the manliest of them all, a club of serious drinking and relaxed rules. Members probably no longer eat steak sandwiches while wearing a towel, but if five of them want to take five golf carts and play fast, they probably can.
Old Elm is gorgeous, better than half the courses on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Courses. But the older, low-key membership values its privacy.
Of the four, I believe only Butler National is foolish to say no to the fairer sex. Its all-male policy cost it the Western Open (and future BMW Championship) starting in 1991, and it's why USGA officials, seeking a U.S. Open venue in the Midwest, were so quick to embrace Wisconsin's Erin Hills.
Medinah and Olympia Fields can make a case, but Butler National is the only perfect U.S. Open venue in the state, thanks to its demonic layout, perfect conditioning, central location and lack of affiliation with the PGA of America (PGA Championship, Ryder Cup).
It could secure its financial future by adding a handful of female members, freeing the publicity-concerned corporate community to book lucrative Monday outings.
Instead its stubbornness deprives all of us golf fans, just as Muirfield's decision precludes it from hosting a British Open.
But not forever. Muirfield already permits women to visit the course and enter the clubhouse, as Augusta National did before welcoming in Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore. And the vote of 64-36 percent narrowly failed to achieve the two-thirds needed to change the club's policy. Here's guessing it will tilt soon.
Chicago-area women, meanwhile, still can choose from dozens of terrific clubs that would welcome their presence and initiation fee.
But until Butler National flips, we'll all miss out on witnessing the crowning of our national champion -- -- and the economic benefit that comes with it.
tgreenstein@tribpub.com
