St. Andrews wakes up to women

St. Andrews, the spiritual home of golf will finally embrace women after the Royal & Ancient Golf Club voted overwhelmingly to invite women to its membership.

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Feature by Anand Datla

 

September 18, 2014: After remaining an isolated, ancient cave for an incredible 260 years, the men at St. Andrews are finally playing like a civilised lot. Yesterday was a watershed moment for the archaic members of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, who voted finally to admit women members into its pristine portals. The R&A is revered across the world as the spiritual home of this soul searching game, so it will always remain an enigma why the men at the chapel took this long to evolve into an equitable species. Just two years ago, Augusta, another of golf’s temples allowed women to turn members. The decision by the R&A yesterday, widely anticipated, finally serves to break any remaining barriers women may face in gaining their rightful place at the high tables that govern the game.

 

Thursday will go down in the history of the great game as the day when an ancient shrine finally embraced progress and equity. It is understood that nearly 85% of the 2400 men voted to allow women to seek membership at the revered club. “More than three quarters of the club’s global membership took part in the ballot, with a decisive 85% voting for women to become members,” said Peter Dawson, secretary and CEO at the club. “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.”

 

“This decision is certainly a step in the right direction and one that better captures the current diversity and inclusiveness of our great game,” said the LPGA in a statement issued to the media immediately after the decision. “Women have played and will continue to play an integral role in the game of golf. In fact, women represent the biggest growth market in the sport, and every step to make golf more inclusive is good for the game. The PGA of America is thrilled that the R&A is welcoming women into its organization, and loudly applauds its decision,” noted the PGA.

 

To be fair, the club had in fact spun off a smaller group called the R & A in 2004 to administer the British Open as well as the rules of the game. Women were part of the group since its inception. The R & A has emerged very quickly as a major power centre in the game. However, membership at the club remained male only amidst a growing chorus of criticism, accentuated even more, since the Augusta National Golf Club chose to include women in 2012. The scrutiny was becoming an unnecessary distraction from the time Condoleeza Rice and Darla Moore turned members at Augusta two years ago.

 

With the decision yesterday, only Muirfield, Royal Troon and Royal St. George’s remain as the only remaining clubs on the rotation roster of The Open Championship, still holding out as male only clubs. But it is certain that they will come under increasing pressure to turn inclusive in the coming weeks. It would be the right thing to do too, for the people of our species have no control over being born boy or girl.

 

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