Scotland may have voted no to independence yesterday but one Scottish vote was carried with an overwhelming majority in favour of opening up one of the last bastions of male exclusivity in sport to women members.
The Royal & Ancient Golf Club is the effective governing body for world golf and is based at St Andrews. It has 2,400 members in Scotland and around the world and from today women will have the right to be among them.
The change was carried by a majority of 85% among the 75% of members who took part by postal ballot. It will be put into practice with immediate effect. A number of applicant women golfers will now be fast tracked for membership, by passing what would otherwise be a very lengthy waiting list.
Positive
“This is an important and positive day in the history of the R&A Golf Club,” said chief executive Peter Dawson speaking to the BBC.
“The R&A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I am confident that the club will continue to do so in future with the support of all its members, both women and men.”
Women have been allowed to play the world famous links course at St Andrews but up until last night were not allowed into the clubhouse and had no representation on the sports governing body throughout most of the world. Stacy Lewis (pictured above) won the Ricoh British Women’s Open at the course earlier this year but could not until now have been included as a member.
World number one golfer Rory McIlroy pitched in his support saying “It is a pity some golf clubs have been quite slow on the uptake. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman, black or white, everyone should have equal opportunities to do anything you want, whether to join a golf club, or get a job.”
Portmarnock
Augusta, home of the US Masters only allowed its first women members in 2012 and too many golf clubs, including our own Portmarnock club here in Dublin retain membership policies that are discriminatory but not (yet) illegal because of rules surrounding private clubs.
Women’s sport remains behind regular society in terms of equal opportunity but it is changing fast. The days, which still exist in several high profile examples, where governing bodies are made up exclusively of men, and where women, while tolerated as players are done so with muttering welcome rather than real regard, are surely numbered.
Society insists on this progress and commercial partnerships will be the power that gives rise to forced change where it is needed.
