Charles River Country Club In Newton Locker Room: Snafu Or Sexism?

NEWTON, MA — The Charles River Country Club in Newton is coming under fire today after a Globe Columnist said she got word the club might be facing an official complaint for remodeling the men's locker room and adding amenities there, but not doing the same for the women's side of things.

But the club's spokesperson told Patch the renovation process was years long and there were a number of meetings open to all members about renovations with both the men's and the women's locker rooms and then a vote by top-paying members.

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As for accusations of sexism?

"There is no gender-bias in membership - and more women are encouraged to become full members. That is why the club has created so many opportunities to foster a love of golf among the next generation especially women," said Dot Joyce, spokesperson for the club in an email to Patch.

The Attorney General's office spokeswoman confirmed to Patch it received a complaint and the Civil Rights Division is reviewing it as they do all complaints that come through the office. (It is important to note that reviewing does not necessarily mean there is an active investigation). Representatives from the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, which the Globe column specifically mentioned as the spot where someone was planning on filing a complaint, did not return request for comment to the Patch.

What's going on here?

For the past several years, the elite Newton club has been working on renovating the locker rooms. Before it underwent renovation, it invited members - all members, according to them - to town hall meetings and solicited feedback for the project. It left mock ups of the renovation up around the club for months and then, took feedback from club members and went to a vote.

When someone signs up to become a member of the club they have a choice, sign up as an individual top tier "A" member, which is pricey but has access to an any time to tee off, and the rest of the club amenities, or a "B" member, which is significantly reduced in price and comes with restrictions on the times you can tee off in an effort to keep the golf course free of backups at the holes. Families often sign up together and the family members have to choose who will be an "A" and who will be the "B" on the plan. Very often the man will take on the "A" membership, according to a representative from the club.

Who makes the decision about who gets to be the top tier member in the family?

"I can with certainty say there are far more men full members than women and the holder of the membership is decided by the family not the club," said Joyce who pointed out that the club has special recruiting and mentoring programs to get young girls interested in golf.

"The club will continue to want to be a progressive environment where all of their members feel welcome. They're always incorporating new programs and incentives for not just female players but also their youngest players," she told Patch.

The club has at least two women in leadership roles at the Charles River Country Club.

Several women have been appointed to numerous committees at the club over the years including the Long Term Capital Planning, USGA Amateur, WEGA - Women’s Eastern Golf Association, Clubhouse Renovation Phase I and II, Golf Pro Search Committee, Social/Entertainment and many more having to do with the daily activities and long term goals of the club, according to a statement put out by the club's women golf association president and first woman to sit on the nominating committee for the board of governors. Multi-tournament winner Pam Kuong is the first woman to sit on the Nominating Committee for the Board of Governors and was elected this year.

The Globe columnist argues that's not good enough, though adds most women who attend the club who she spoke with are happy with the way things are at the club. Patch couldn't immediately independently confirm the feelings of club goers.

Inequalities in Golf?

There are currently more than 120 private golf clubs across the state. Nantucket has two clubs, one only for men and one only for women, according to the MGA.

And, there are plenty of reports of sexism in the sport of golf. The 1977 Women's British Open Champion and founder of both the Women's Professional Golf Association and the European Women's Tour Vivien Saunders wrote recently that Golf's biggest problem was sexism in an oped in Newsweek.

Anya Alvarez, a former professional on the LPGA has been a vocal critic of pay gaps for professional women in golf.

This comes as the Ladies Pro Gulf Association is coming under heavy criticism for its latest dress code for women golfers, forbidding them from wearing plunging necklines or revealing skirts or leggings on the course.

The president of the Charles River Country Club's women's association did not immediately return a request for comment. Nor did multiple members.

Read the full Globe Column here: Sexist grill still par for the course at Charles River Country Club

Image via screen shot of the club's website.