As a result, Cypress Point, which admits women but does not have a black among its 250 members, decided last week it will no longer be one of the sites of the A.T.& T. Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, an event it has been a host to for more than 40 years. The tournament, scheduled to begin Jan.

How much does it cost to be a member at Cypress Point?

That's an itch that's challenging to scratch. Membership carries a reported $250,000 initiation fee, and that's not the biggest barrier to entry. You don't ask to join. You have to be invited, and it's less about your purse-strings than your pedigree.

Why is Cypress Point so exclusive?

On average, 30 golfers play Cypress Point on a given day, easily making it one of the most exclusive courses in the world. Its members come from the highest echelons of corporate and political arenas, along with a celebrity or two like Clint Eastwood and Bob Hope.