But that hasn't stopped the two men from starting Internet sites devoted to supporting Augusta National Golf Club in the ongoing controversy over whether or not a woman should be added to the private club's membership roll.

Pontiff's site, golfersforarealcause.org, is raising money for breast cancer research. Manzi's site, ittakesballs.com, was created to shift the debate away from the gender makeup of private clubs.

Both men have targeted Martha Burk, chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations, for leading the fight to have a woman join Augusta National.

Pontiff, a one-time mini tour player from New Bern, N.C., said his Web site developed out of a conversation at his local golf course.

"The issue with Augusta came up," he said. "The more we talked about it, everybody felt Augusta was right and Martha Burk was wrong."

Burk wrote a letter to Augusta National and Masters chairman Hootie Johnson in June about the issue. After Johnson's terse reply, Burk has targeted club members, tournament sponsors and CBS, the network that televises the Masters.

"She's jeopardizing what millions of people would like to do, which is sit around and watch the best tournament in the world," Pontiff said.

Despite the irreverent title of his site, Manzi is serious about the issue. He took a page out of Burk's playbook by sending letters to members of the NCWO. So far he has contacted the American Nurses Association, American Women in Radio & Television, and the YWCA.

"Essentially, I am doing to her what she did to Hootie," Manzi said on his Web site, where he also sells merchandise with his site's slogan. "I am sending letters to her sponsors asking them not to support her anymore."

Pontiff said he has attended on Masters practice round.

REVISED COLUMNS: The New York Times will publish revised versions of two previously rejected sports columns about the Augusta National Golf Club's men-only membership policy.

Executive editor Howell Raines said the paper's editors asked the writers, Dave Anderson and Harvey Araton, to resubmit their work and reassured them their opinions were not at issue, the Times reported Saturday.

The columns are scheduled to run today.

Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or jboyette@augustachronicle.com.

Previous Stories