MAINEVILLE — A black golfer at the Kroger Senior Classic, who grew up caddying at Augusta National Golf Club, said women shouldn't be granted club membership to the home of the Masters.

        “They should just back off,” said Jim Dent, in regards to the National Council of Women's Organizations, which is trying to persuade Augusta National to admit women. “Nothing against ladies wanting to become a member, but they always want to do something in the man's world. We can't go play on the ladies tour, can we? They (Augusta National) let blacks in when things got heated years ago, but that's another man, not a woman.”

        Dent, the 1990 Kroger Senior Classic champion, responded to NCWO chairwoman Martha Burk's request for players to take a moral stand in favor of women earlier this week.

        Two other black golfers at the Tournament Players Club at River's Bend disagreed with Dent.

        Walter Morgan and Jim Thorpe said the men's-only golf club in Augusta, Ga., should drop its 69-year ban against female memberships.

        “Why not?” said Morgan. “At least let women join. They let blacks in. Now they should let women in. What's the difference? A minority is a minority.”

        Blacks have played in the Masters since 1975 when Lee Elders broke the color barrier, but they weren't granted membership privileges until 1990.

        Thorpe, the most successful black golfer on the Senior PGA Tour, said the club should listen to Burk.

        “I see no harm in having women as members,” Thorpe said. He declined to comment further about the situation.

        Burk has lobbied since June for Augusta National to allow women membership privileges. On Thursday, she told USA Today that she will begin targeting companies whose CEOs are club members.

        “What are corporate businessmen going to say when they're asked about it?” Morgan said. “They don't want women to buy their products?”

        Senior golfer and CBS golf analyst Gary McCord agreed with Burk that the club is morally wrong in its stance to refuse female memberships.

        “Morally, that's obviously not right to ban women,” he said, “but we're talking about a private club here. They have their own way of doing things, and they're going to do it.”

        McCord was banned from the club in 1994 for off-hand comments he made on air about the greens.

        Current CBS analyst and SPGA golfer Lanny Wadkins, who will work the Masters next April, refused to discuss anything about Augusta National.

        The club grounds aren't male exclusive. Women are allowed to play the course as long as they are with a member.

        “There are plenty of other private clubs in the nation that don't even allow women on the premises,” said 1969 Masters champion George Archer. “I think they're (NCWO) just picking on the Masters because it's the Masters.

        “I don't think there's anything wrong with a men's club. That's the way we do things in America.”

        The controversy hasn't been easy on other former Masters champions. Arnold Palmer and Ben Crenshaw both spoke very little about the situation.

        “I'm sorry it's happening,” Palmer said. “You know what I think of Augusta National. It's wonderful.”

        Burk's pressure has prompted Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson to suspend one-year contracts with three corporate sponsors for the Masters: IBM, Coca-Cola and Citigroup. As a result, the Masters will be the only commercial-free sports telecast.

        That has heightened the tension, McCord said.

        “The powers that be at Augusta National let it get out of hand,” he said. “Come late March, if this is still unsettled, it could get really heated. It will be interesting to see who blinks first.”

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