Quayle Cancels Round at All-White Golf Club

Vice President Dan Quayle canceled a second round of golf today at the all-white Cypress Point golf club, saying he didn’t know the club had been the object of criticism when he played there Thursday.

Quayle’s participation in the round on Thursday at the course, which has been barred from a national tournament because of its exclusive membership policy, was criticized by local officials.

“I have a great concern about the vice president of the United States playing at Cypress Point and not being aware of the sensitivity of the issue that revolves around it,” Monterey County Supervisor Sam Karas said.

“I find it interesting that this Administration is so careful not to violate any of the policies of Saudi Arabia regarding the American flag and religion, and yet seems to ignore a local significant issue,” Karas said.

Cypress Point Club became embroiled in controversy in September, when the Professional Golfers Assn. ruled it out of the 1991 AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am because of its all-white membership.

Quayle shot a 78 on the par-72 course Thursday. Secret Service guards kept reporters seeking to question Quayle off the private grounds.

Two Cypress Point Club members who are prominent officials in the Bush Administration--Secretary of the Air Force Donald B. Rice and Ebersole Gaines, U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas--were golfing with Quayle, who had planned to play there two days. The fourth member of the group was Phil Edlund of Paradise Valley, Ariz.