Teed Off in Flap Over Sorenstam

Re “The Doors to Women’s Locker Rooms Slam Shut on Sportswriters,” Commentary, May 19: It is true that women can seclude themselves from men, and it seems more and more that men can no longer seclude themselves from women -- and exclude them from clubs, organizations, gyms, the locker room, etc. But it is not true that Annika Sorenstam earned her start in the Colonial. Babe Zaharias and Suzy Whaley earned their respective starts by qualifying. I respect them, and their achievement. Sorenstam is nothing more than another intrusion.

John Broecker

Rancho Santa Margarita

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If Sorenstam plays in a men’s golf tournament, it logically follows that men should be allowed to play in LPGA events. Perhaps the fellows near the bottom of the money-winning list would do better financially by playing in the LPGA.

Or if equality is truly what’s at stake, isn’t the LPGA contrary to that philosophy? There should be one Pro Golfers Assn., open to men and women. May the best person win.

Perhaps all sports, including the Olympics, should no longer be segregated by sex. Then equality will have triumphed.

Ray Uhler

Tustin

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Billie Jean King admitted that she felt invisible as a rising young player at the Los Angeles Tennis Club (“New Era, Same Old Fight for Female Athletes,” Commentary, May 18). A good deal lower on that sport’s food chain were the ball boys who worked the Pacific Southwest Tournament that used to take place there. (If memory serves, there were no ball girls.) I worked in this capacity for a couple of summers. Most players ignored us, but some behaved atrociously. Highly ranked Clark Graebner routinely screamed at us ball boys, some as young as 12, with an intensity that John McEnroe would have envied.

One day on Court 2, the match couldn’t start because one of the players was late. Her opponent -- Billie Jean King -- tossed me a racket and we rallied for five minutes. In my brief tennis career, I had no greater thrill.

King may not have felt at home at the Los Angeles Tennis Club, but she certainly made me feel at home that day.

Tony Peyser

Studio City