
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 3, 1990                   TAG: 9007030142
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GOLF SPORTS EDITORS PROTEST PGA CLUB'S MEMBERSHIP POLICIES

The Associated Press Sports Editors called on major golf organizations to examine the membership policies of country clubs before awarding championship events.

The action followed statements by Hall Thompson, founder of the Shoal Creek Golf Club near Birmingham, Ala., that the club "would not be pressured" into accepting blacks. Shoal Creek is the site of the PGA Championship, which will be played Aug. 9-12.

"The country club is our home and we pick and choose who we want," Thompson said, adding that blacks were not admitted to the club because "that's not done in Birmingham." He later apologized to "those that took offense at those comments."

The APSE sent a letter protesting Thompson's remarks to Patrick J. Reilly, president of the PGA; Deane Beman, commissioner of the PGA Tour; Grant Spaeth, president of the United States Golf Association, and William Blue, commissioner of the LPGA.

by CNB