PGA Picket Threatened if Black Can’t Join Club

An angry Birmingham, Ala., community leader, upset by what he considers discriminatory practices by Shoal Creek Golf Club, site of the PGA Championship in August, has threatened an organized protest of the tournament if a black isn’t invited to join the private facility.

The Rev. Abraham Woods, a respected and vocal civil rights leader in the Birmingham area, said Thursday that he will lead a picket march of the event Aug. 9-12 unless the Shoal Creek membership actively recruits a black.

The warning was issued despite a public apology made Wednesday evening by Hall W. Thompson, founder of Shoal Creek, for his remarks last week on the club’s membership policies.

Thompson was quoted as saying that blacks aren’t allowed as members at Shoal Creek because “That’s just not done in Birmingham.” He also was quoted as saying that the issue of exclusion would polarize the community, “but it can’t pressure us. The country club is our home, and we pick and choose who we want.”

The comments sparked a civic debate, the likes of which have Birmingham talk show switchboards constantly glowing. None too pleased with the controversy was the PGA of America, which isn’t accustomed to such notoriety. It immediately began to distance itself from the remarks and helped pressure Thompson into making the public apology.

On Wednesday, Thompson issued a statement, saying his previous comments were taken out of context.

“Regardless, those comments have now become the catalyst for continuing debate and condemnation of our community and its leaders,” he said. “I truly and deeply regret that. I hereby apologize to those who took offense to those comments.”

Several days earlier, Shoal Creek’s board of governors issued a statement clarifying “certain misconceptions” relating to the club’s membership and guest policies. According to that statement, there is no written policy prohibiting membership based on sex, race or religion. The same holds true, it said, for guest privileges.

Woods, however, wasn’t completely mollified by Thompson’s apology or by Shoal Creek’s explanation of policy. At a Thursday meeting at Birmingham’s City Hall, Woods surprised representatives of the city council, as well as Thompson, by threatening the club and tournament with a picket line.

“I’m pleased with the apology that has come from Mr. Hall Thompson,” Woods told reporters. “Indeed, it is a step in the right direction. However, that is not a total solution to the problem. That is moving toward the solution. The total solution would be blacks holding memberships at Shoal Creek.

“We certainly do not relish demonstrations, protests and picketing,” he said. “But when things cannot be settled in the suites, they have to be settled in the streets.”

Caught in the middle of the controversy is the PGA of America, which continues to wince as the Shoal Creek membership situation remains an issue.

“The timing couldn’t be any worse for the PGA Championship,” said Pat Rielly, president of the PGA of America, the organization of club professionals. The PGA of America is separate from the PGA Tour, the organization of touring pros. Players from both groups play in the PGA Championship.

Rielly said Thompson’s apology “was something we hoped would happen. But the bottom line is that this is not a PGA Championship issue. Basically, this is a one-man issue.”

As for the threat of protesters, Rielly said he remains optimistic that the issue will be resolved before the tournament begins.

“I look for it to be the most successful tournament we’ve ever had,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen as far as (picketers are concerned). I hope that this thing has been put to rest. It’s a Hall Thompson issue. Hall Thompson made the comment. He’s apologized for it.”