Seconds out

Hootie v BurkApril 11th, 2002: A column, written by sports journalist Christine Brennan, appeared in USA Today pointing out that Augusta National Golf Club, host of the Masters championship, does not invite women to join.

June 12th, 2002: Inspired by Brennan's column, Martha Burk, chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organisations, writes to Augusta National Golf Club asking that women be allowed to join.

July 9th, 2002: Club chairman William "Hootie" Johnson responds to the letter, stating the club "is a distinctly private club" and that he finds the letter's "references to discrimination, allusions to the sponsors and your settings of deadlines to be both offensive and coercive".

July 9th, 2002: Johnson issues a press release maintaining the club's right to privacy and acknowledging the NCWO's good social work for women.

He also makes clear, "our membership alone decides our membership - not any outside group . . . " And makes the now famous statement: "There may well come a day when women will be invited to join our membership, but that timetable will be ours and not at the point of a bayonet."

August 30th, 2002: Augusta Nartional releases sponsors from the 2003 Masters, stating it was "unfair to put them in the position of having to deal with this pressure" from the NCWO, who had started to write letters to sponsors asking them to suspend sponsorship because it "legitimises discrimination engaged in by Augusta National."

September 18th, 2002: NCWO sends letter to television network CBS - who have exclsuive rights to the Masters - requesting that it does not boradcast the championship. CBS declines the request, saying that not to broadcast "would be a disservice to fans of this major championship."

November 15th, 2002: The Rev Jesse Jackson calls the all-male membership "gender apartheid" and announces plans to protest at the Masters.

March 6th, 2003: Martha Burk files a protest application with the local sheriff's department. She plans to carry out her protest next Saturday, the third round of the Masters.