The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews votes in favour of welcoming women members

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has voted overwhelmingly in favour of welcoming women members.

The historic development ends 260 years of male-only membership at one of the oldest clubs in the world, paving the way for women to play a role in the sport's governance.

The R&A's 2,400 worldwide members voted in person and via proxy and postal votes, with 85 percent in favour of allowing female members.

More than three quarters of the club’s global membership took part in the ballot, with a decisive 85 per cent voting for women to become members.

Peter Dawson, R&A chief executive, had previously called for a mixed membership and welcomed the result of the ballot by saying: "We have voted overwhelmingly in favour of welcoming women members.

"More than three quarters of the club’s global membership took part in the ballot, with a decisive 85 per cent voting for women to become members. This vote has immediate effect and I can confirm that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is now a mixed membership club.

"The membership also acted to fast-track a significant initial number of women to become members in the coming months. This is a very important and positive day in the history of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

"The R&A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I’m confident that the club will continue to do so in the future, with the support of all of its members, both women and men."    

Further change

Minister for Sport Helen Grant hopes the R&A's new stance will signal further change at the three remaining male-only clubs on The Open roster - Royal St George's, Royal Troon and Muirfield.

She said: "I am pleased that the members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews have voted in favour of admitting women members.

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"This is positive news for the sport and I hope we will now see other golf clubs that still have outdated same sex policies follow suit. With golf in the next Olympics there is a huge opportunity for the sport to grow and this sends out the right inclusive message that golf is for everyone."

Ken Schofield, former executive director of the European Tour, suggested the issue had cast a ‘cloud’ over previous Open tournaments.

"Well clearly it’s very, very important," said the R&A member after casting his vote.

"A tremendous return and as you would have heard from Peter, a landslide in favour of admitting the ladies and a similar landslide to involve the fast-tracking of up to 15 of them, which I think will be welcome worldwide.

"I think there is a time for everything. Certainly at Muirfield last year, in the build-up to actually getting the first tee operational on Thursday, we played under the cloud of politicians both at Edinburgh and London actually refusing to attend The Open Championship on this issue.

"That is not conducive to having the type of week that we should have."