R&A say ‘yes’ to women members

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Scotland may have returned a ‘No’ vote in the referendum but the Royal and Ancient GC voted an emphatic ‘Yes’ yesterday to allow women members for the first time in its 260-year history.

The St Andrews, Fife-based club – the Home of Golf – voted by a simple majority in favour of allowing women members with the ballot resulting in a decisive 85 per cent in favour with more than three quarters of the club’s 2,500 global membership taking part.

R&A secretary Peter Dawson (pictured) said: “I am very pleased indeed to announce that the membership of the R&A of St Andrews has voted overwhelmingly in favour of welcoming women members.

“This vote has immediate effect and I can confirm that the R&A of St Andrews is now a mixed membership club.”

He added that there could now be certain women ‘fast-tracked’ into membership revealing: “The membership has also acted to fast-track a significant initial number of women to become members in the coming months.This is a very important and positive day in the history of the R&A.

“The R&A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I am confident that the club will continue to do so in future with the support of all its members, both women and men.”

Among the first female members could be Professor Louise Richardson, the first woman principal of St Andrews University, and the now-retired Annika Sorenstam who won ten majors during a glittering playing career. Until now Professor Richardson had been denied honorary membership of the club, an honour given to her predecessors in the post.

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