Green jacket Mafia


I found out last week that the Columbus State men's golf team would get to play Augusta National Golf Club as a special guest of James Blanchard, the retired chairman of the board for Synovus who happens to be a member.

Getting to play the most storied and beautiful 18-hole course in the country (we're excluding Pebble Beach because of the lack of azaleas) sounds like a pretty cool experience, right? The sort of thing a lot of weekend golfers would enjoy reading about, right?

Sorry, folks.

Augusta National members are more secretive than the scientists at Area 51 (assuming Area 51 really exists).

I expressed an interest in interviewing CSU golf coach Mark Immelman and his players about their trip, but they declined.

A member of the traveling party told me they sought Mr. Blanchard's OK to consent to the interview and that he told them Augusta National ''doesn't want any publicity'' on the subject.

I've met Mr. Blanchard before and he's a very nice fellow. In fact, he can often be found in the press room during the Masters. And he did a very nice thing by affording the CSU golfers an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.

It's a shame we can't discuss that kindness in more detail.