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.”

Ahead of last year’s British Open at Muirfield, Dawson said it would take a “hard push” for the R&A to change its policy of staging the event at male-only clubs, despite “political posturing” and attacks by pressure groups. Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond was among the political figures who boycotted Muirfield, describing the club’s membership policy as “indefensible in the 21st century”.

Speaking at St Andrews yesterday, Dawson said: “We very much hope once the vote is taken we will be welcoming women to the club. It’s something that has been expected; I’m not going to say overdue, but I’m sure I’ll be asked that question.

“Early indications from the members are very positive indeed. We obviously wouldn’t be entering this if we didn’t feel there was strong member support for this and I hope that turns out to be the case.

Asked if the vote should be interpreted as heralding the British Open no longer being staged at male-only courses, Dawson added: “No, I don’t think it should. It may, but I am not here to say it will. We are not intending to place other golf clubs under any particular pressure by doing this.”