Muirfield welcomes the ladies at the East Lothian club

Muirfield has told women interested in joining its ranks to “go for it” but be prepared for a wait after the course reversed a men-only membership policy and was restored as an Open venue.

Members at the East Lothian club decided by a ratio of four to one to admit women 10 months after a first vote failed to achieve the two-thirds majority required, a decision which saw it struck off the list of Open venues.

The R&A responded almost immediately to the second vote, but change to the make-up of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers will not happen as quickly.