R&A hopes members vote to let ladies in

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews believes it has “strong support” for a vote in September to finally admit women members, 260 years after it was founded.

But R&A chief executive Peter Dawson insists the move is not intended to place pressure on male-only clubs which are currently on the rota of British Open Championship venues.

“As long as clubs are behaving legally and are the best courses for the Open Championship then we have to put the needs of the Open Championship high up our list of priorities,” Dawson said. “To lose a number of key venues would not seem to be doing that to me.”