Did court upholding Ireland's Portmarnock's men-only golf club status mean bad day for women?

The Dublin Supreme Court recently sided with the gentlemen who want to bar women from becoming full time members of their prestigious Portmarnock Golf Club.

“It sends out a message that discrimination continues and this judgment upholds inequality for women,” said Joanna McMinn, of the Equality and Rights Alliance.

What’s the big deal?

It is a private club after all and sure, it’s a good old boys club just like Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia and The Connecticut Golf Course in Easton, Ct. But even these clubs do allow women to play certain hours if they pay the green fees.

But why should we bother? There are many other great courses where the welcome mat is out to both sexes.

Of course Dublin’s Irish lassies could open their own Golf Club for women but if they did, I can’t see men clamoring to get in as members. Please.

I’m all for equality, but do we really want men crashing our “Ladies Nights Out” parties or the Girls’ Getaway Month currently being promoted on Oregon’s coast (fun@thepeoplescoast.com) What can of worms would we be opening if men were invited to be members of the women’s-only gyms around the country?

Let’s imagine men, whatever their reasons, decide to petition to play in their club’s Ladies Member Guest. If they win that right, who are they going to play with?

Any takers? Probably not. Do we really think men can’t wait to eat cucumber sandwiches and tee off from the reds? Anyone remember when Billy Jean King beat Bobby Riggs (1973) in three straight sets? Great theater. Fun stuff. But that’s all it was.

In 2002 at the British Open in Muirfield, another “gentlemen’s” club, Jesper Parnevik’s wife Mia said, “To say to people, ‘No women and dogs allowed’ is ridiculous in the 21st century.”

Well said. But these misguided men are bound to catch up when the circumstances require it. Like money and demand. As Winston Churchill said, “Change is the price of survival.”

In the meantime, there are other battles to fight much more important than if we get to vote at a handful of golf clubs to decide what kind of soup to serve.

The problem is, sometimes we fight stupid battles because we just want to be right.

In the meantime, it’s a fight without a winner.