Without the loss of the Open, would Muirfield have seen sense?

Last Tuesday, the members of Muirfield Golf Club — the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns and runs the course — voted overwhelmingly to allow lady golfers to join the oldest recorded golf club in the world.

There was a 93% turn-out for the ballot, with 80% voting in favour of allowing women to join the club.

Taken on its own, that is a resounding, if belated, endorsement for equality… but there is a longer, more complicated story behind this.