Scotland’s Muirfield Golf Club Votes To Allow Female Members

The Muirfield Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland has long been criticized for its men-only membership rule, and lost the opportunity to serve as a venue for the British Open golf tournament as a result.

Scotland’s Muirfield Golf Club Votes to Let Women Become Members

On Tuesday, however, the club voted to admit women for the first time in its 273-year history.

Of all the members of the club, which was founded in 1744, 80.2 percent voted in favor (498 votes for and 123 votes against, two-third majority needed to win the vote) of allowing women as members.

A similar vote was held in 2016. At that time, Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the decision to continue to forbid women from being members of the club “simply indefensible.”

Martin Slumbers, chief executive of golf’s governing body R&A, said the club will now be reinstated as an Open venue.

“It is extremely important for us in staging one of the world’s great sporting events that women can become members at all our host clubs,” said Slumbers. “Muirfield is a truly outstanding Open venue and we very much look forward to taking the championship there in future.”

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns and runs Muirfield, had recommended its members update their rules.

Following Tuesday’s vote, Sturgeon tweeted: “Well done, Muirfield — decision to admit women members emphatic and the right one. Look forward to seeing you host the Open again in future.”

The club said it is likely to take at least two years before the first woman joins the club, largely due to the generally long waiting lists for membership.

GULLANE, SCOTLAND – MARCH 14: Henry Fairweather holds a media conference outside Muirfield Golf Club on March 14, 2017 in Gullane, Scotland. Muirfield golf club members have voted to admit women members after the privately owned club voted eighty percent in favour in updating the membership policy. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)