A national public opinion survey commissioned by Augusta National Golf Club shows strong support for the club to maintain its all-male status.
The poll was conducted by WomanTrend, a Washington-based research firm that specializes in issues of interest to American women, and released Wednesday. The 48-question survey of 800 adults nationwide was done Oct. 30-Nov. 4 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.
Augusta National, home of the Masters Tournament, has been under scrutiny since the summer, when the National Council of Women's Organizations requested that the club consider adding a woman to its membership rolls.
The poll shows 62 percent of respondents support the club's decision to keep its membership policy as it is. A total of 72 percent say Augusta National was correct to not give in to Martha Burk, chairwoman of the women's group, and should change its policies on its own.
"We have received an outpouring of letters, e-mails and phone calls encouraging us to stand up for our traditions," Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson said in a prepared statement. "It is enormously gratifying to see that a majority of Americans feel as we do."
With less than five months before the 2003 Masters, Augusta National has taken the initiative to get its side out to the public. Johnson made his first public comments on the matter earlier this week, saying a female member would not be in place by next spring and that the private club had no timetable for admitting a woman.
"These are extraordinarily high numbers, especially when you consider how aggressive the campaign against the club has been," said Kellyanne Conway, president of WomanTrend. "What's also striking is how few women support Ms. Burk's demands."
Burk said Wednesday that the results were "meaningless" and dismissed the survey as a push poll.
"It's ridiculous to say that on its face that 70 percent of American women support sex discrimination," Burk said.
Conway, who helped conduct the survey, disagreed with Burk's claim that the survey was a push poll.
"There is a big difference between push polling and a public opinion survey," she said. "This poll invited dissension. You're getting the whole survey. We're letting it all hang out."
Other findings of the survey:
Workplace and career issues are the most important issues facing women today, with 30 percent of respondents choosing that over health issues, family, discrimination and personal issues.
Only 30 percent of those surveyed had even heard that Burk had challenged Augusta National's membership.
More than 60 percent agreed that if Burk wanted to make some progress on behalf of women, she would have focused her time and resources on something else.
Seventy-four percent agreed that Augusta National, just like other single-gender organizations, has the right to have members of one gender only.
A total of 68 percent agreed with the statement that "Martha Burk is spending way too much time on this issue, especially given the other issues of importance to women that should be addressed."
At a news conference in Washington to announce the findings of the poll, two Augusta women attended and said their businesses could be hurt by the campaign to get a female member admitted to Augusta National.
Vera Stewart, owner of Very Vera Catering, and Elaine Clark-Smith, a hospitality consultant, said the Masters is good for local business.
"I just felt compelled to speak out as a female business owner that I disagree that this action is supportive of women," said Stewart, who employs about 200 temporary workers during Masters Week. "I'm not about to let something like this threaten my company without taking a stand."
Burk would not agree to meet with the local businesswomen, Stewart said.
"I appreciate the dilemma those women are in," Burk said. "Their blame is misguided. Martha Burk does not have the power to change Augusta's policies."
Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or jboyette@augustachronicle.com.
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2004
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2003
• Burk leads small rally amid crowd of protests
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2002
• Times to publish revised versions previously rejected columns
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• Associated Press poll finds even split on Augusta National policy
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• View the survey
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