Members of Muirfield Golf Club who are seemingly keen on remaining in the 19th century have voted against allowing women members into the club, with it now failing the criteria to play host to the Open Championship.
The Scottish golf club decided today that they would refrain from permitting female members to join the club, with it failing to receive the two-thirds of the votes it needed to make the change to its archaic rules. However, governing body the R&A have now stated that as a result of this vote, Muirfield Golf Club will no longer be able to host Open Championships. The vote comes after some members of the club began a “no” campaign encouraging others to vote against permitting women into the club, with a letter published by this group citing “slow-play” and women being “uncomfortable” as reasons behind their decision.
The letter reads (via The Scotsman): “The introduction of lady members is bound to create difficulties. Regardless of the conventions when they first join they are likely over time to question our foursomes play, our match system, the uncompromising challenge our fine links present, our lunch arrangements. It will take a very special lady golfer to be able to do all the things that are expected of them in the template which is suggested and the ladies’ membership as a whole may not meet this standard.”
Now the R&A governing body has ruled that released a statement regarding the club no longer being able to stage the Open Championship, saying: “The R&A has considered today’s decision with respect to the Open Championship. The Open is one of the world’s great sporting events and going forward we will not stage the Championship at a venue that does not admit women as members.
“Given the schedule for staging the Open, it would be some years before Muirfield would have been considered to host the Championship again. If the policy at the club should change we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue in future.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admonished the Muirfield’s decision, tweeting: “Scotland has women leaders in every walk of life. It is 2016. This is simply indefensible.”
