WASHINGTON - Some people are criticizing President Obama for running what they call a "White House boys club." Monday, the president's aides are pointing to a Sunday golf outing that was clearly co-ed.

President Obama has golfed a lot as president, but it wasn't until his 24th trip to the links Sunday that a woman, Domestic Policy Advisor Melody Barnes, joined him on the green.

The sudden interest in a co-ed group coincided with a front page New York Times story and some cable chatter about whether his White House is too much of a "boys club."

The issue was raised earlier this month when the president hosted a congressional basketball game with 11 congressmen and four cabinet secretaries, who were all male. Some people complained it was a social opportunity denied to an entire gender.

The night before, Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius did a little trash talking on Jay Leno's show.

Leno said to Sebelius, "I know you were quite a good college basketball player. Who would win at a game of horse: you or President Obama?"

Sebelius replied, "You know, I actually made my college basketball team."

While President Obama has appointed more women to cabinet or cabinet level positions in his first term than any previous president, his inner circle is widely considered to be three men, sometimes called "the boys."

Some feminist groups say that type of fraternity feeling leaves women on the sidelines.

"Relationships get built in those more informal settings..We need to see the White House leading the way," said one feminist.

White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs says the point about a lack of female invitees is well taken, but President Obama said the issue is "bunk."

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