Wyman is the former chief executive officer of CBS and was a trustee of the College from 1976-1992. He served as Chair of the Board of Trustees from 1986-1992.
Wyman could not be reached for comment yesterday, but in a interview with the The Times, Wyman said that the position taken by the club's leadership was unacceptable and "pig-headed." Wyman also estimated that as many as 75 of the approximately 300 club members joined him in supporting the admission of women.
"There are obviously some redneck, old-boys types down there, but there are a lot of very thoughtful, rational people in the membership, and they feel as strongly as I do," Wyman told The Times.
Augusta National hosts the Masters Tournament, one of the world's most prestigious and publicized professional golf tournaments. The club attracted national attention last June after Martha Burk, the chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations wrote a letter to the club's chairman, William Johnson. She urged him to admit women to the club, according to The Times.
Burk could not be reached for comment today, but her assistant Rebecca Menso said that Burk had expressed satisfaction with Wyman's move. "We're pleased that he has chosen to do so because it doesn't seem like there are going to be any changes [in the club's policy]," said Menso. "We hope that Wyman can be a model to other members."
Menso said that the Council would continue to stay involved in the issue.
A week ago, Wyman wrote a letter to Johnson encouraging the club to announce that it would admit women in the coming year, according to The Times.
In a response letter obtained by The Times, Johnson wrote that he would not consider changing the policy and said that most of the club's members agreed with his stance.
"While we respect the fact that there are differences of opinion on this issue, we intend to stand firm behind our right to make what are both appropriate and private membership choices," according to a written statement released by Augusta National that was obtained by The Times.
Two members of the club told The Times, on condition of anonymity, that Wyman's move might encourage others to express dissenting opinions. Wyman particularly encouraged Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, both Augusta National members and Masters champions, to join him in supporting the admission of women to the club. "[They] could be very helpful with their voices," said Wyman to The Times.
Wyman, who graduated from the College magna cum laude with a B.A. in English, is currently a visiting scholar at the Harvard Business School and the Sloan School at M.I.T.