Golf-No Masters talks in short term over women - Payne

LOS ANGELES, May 8 (Reuters) Incoming Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne has ruled out the short-term possibility of women becoming members of the exclusive club that runs the US Masters.

''As we have said many times in the past, all membership matters will be decided by the members of this club,'' Payne told a teleconference yesterday.

''We have no specific timetable to address that issue.'' Augusta National, a men-only club that runs the first of the year's four major championships, has controversially resisted demands for female members under the current chairmanship of Hootie Johnson.

The build-up to the 2003 Masters was overshadowed by a heated confrontation between Johnson and Martha Burk, then head of the National Council for Women's Organisations.

Before the start of that year's tournament, a defiant Johnson said his death would not change the club's all-male membership policy while Burk led a protest outside Augusta National during the third round.

Asked whether he would welcome a telephone call on the subject from Burk, Payne replied: ''I think I'm very much aware of her position on all issues as they relate to Augusta National, and I don't really see at this time that any dialogue would be meaningful or helpful.'' Payne, who will take over as chairman from Johnson on May 21, also said further lengthening of the par-72 Augusta National layout was unlikely.

DISTANCE GAINS ''I think we have it just about right now,'' the 58-year-old Georgia native added. ''We remain hopeful that some limitations will be placed on equipment that will diminish the gains in distance.

''I think we've got the golf course pretty much like we like it right now.'' Augusta National, controversially extended by 285 yards for the 2002 U.S. Masters, was stretched to 7,445 yards for this year's tournament, making it the second longest in major championship history.

Payne said limited changes would be made for the 2007 Masters, with the tee boxes on the 11th and 15th holes lengthened by five to seven yards.

''The length of the tees on our other par-fours and fives averages about 20 yards,'' he added. ''On those two holes, it's only about 13 yards and this will provide us with more flexibility if the holes are playing into a substantial headwind or if the fairway conditions are soft.

In the other changes for next year, the fairway on the par-four 11th will be widened at the 280-yard mark to help medium-length hitters while grass under the newly-planted trees flanking the right of that hole will be replaced by pine straw.

Payne has adopted Johnson's stance over the possibility of a tournament ball being introduced for the Masters if the game's governing bodies did not act quickly enough to limit distance gains achieved through modern technology.

''So many of our great golf courses are at risk of becoming obsolete,'' he said. ''We would not take that option off the table in the context of what lengths to which we would go to protect our own course in the future.'' Reuters PDS VP018