"Payne used the bully pulpit of the chairman's press conference to lecture Tiger Woods about doing the right thing. It would be good for the club, and the game, if he would follow his own advice."

Alan Shipnuck says Augusta National's stance on Woman-American members has an impact on their ability to govern the game, noting they are essentially one of the governing bodies.

Years ago Hootie floated the idea of a throttled back "Masters ball," a way to rein in distance gains since the USGA and the R&A seem incapable of doing the job. Such an experiment could be unilaterally instituted by the Masters and have a massive impact on the sport as well as the multi-billion dollar equipment industry. Given the many ways Augusta National members are shaping golf, at the professional and grassroots level, shouldn't women have a voice, too? This can only happen if they are invited into the club.

The Pond Scrum is back and those subversives Elling and Huggan tackled the topic. Elling first:

Fact is, nobody knows what's happening at Augusta or who gets green-lighted for a green jacket. Last year, I saw former NFL receiver Lynn Swann in a green jacket. He'd recently joined the club.

Huggan: Just as it hangs over the Open Championship like a bad smell, the gender issue is one that will forever haunt the green jackets and the Masters until an emerald twinset is seen strolling the storied grounds. Indeed, just as it is by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in my part of the world, golf is diminished by the blatant and unashamed misogyny of Augusta National. No rational argument can possibly support a state of affairs that automatically eliminates half the world's population because they don't have penises.

Masters Chairman Billy Payne speaks to the media at 9:30 11 a.m. ET. The over/under on the first gender/membership question is 2.5. Oh yes, there are half questions as much as there are half points in football.