R and A says Open will not be staged at Muirfield until women members are admitted

MUIRFIELD MEMBERS VOTE TO REMAIN  A MEN-ONLY CLUB NEWS RELEASE Members of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers  (HCEG), the world’s oldest golf club, at Gullane, East Lothian  have voted to remain a men-only club. A two thirds majority of those who voted was required to change the club’s membership policy  to admit women as members. In an open letter the Club Committee had recommended that the  membership vote in favour of a resolution to admit women as members. In the end a postal ballot  of members, scrutinised by Electoral Reform Services, did not reach the required threshold in favour   of change. Voting was divided 64% in favour of the resolution and 36% against. HCEG Captain, Henry Fairweather said: “The Honourable Company is a members' club, and, as such, the members decide the Rules  of the Club, including its membership policy. Women will continue to be welcome at Muirfield   on the course and in the clubhouse as guests and visitors, as they have been for many years.” The records of the Club reveal that women have played golf at Muirfield since 1904. Women’s and  men’s single-sex golf clubs, although reducing in number, have been a feature of golf provision in  Great Britain and Ireland and comply fully with equality legislation. Founded in 1744, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is the world’s oldest recorded  golf club. In that year the club organised the first tournament open to all golfers and set down  the original playing rules of the sport. With The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews  and Prestwick Golf Club, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers played a leading  role in the formation and development of The Open. SCROLL DOWN PAST THE PICTURE TO GET THE R AND A RESPONSE WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR MUIRFIELD BEING REMOVED FROM OPEN ROTA                           The 18th green and clubhouse at Muirfield in the East Lothian village of Gullane. STATEMENT FROM THE R and A ON TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT AT MUIRFIELD Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R and A: “We have consistently said that it is a matter for the  Honourable Company to conduct a review of its membership  policy and that we would await their decision. “The R and A has considered today’s decision with respect  to The Open Championship. The Open is one of the world’s  great sporting events and going forward we will  not stage the Championship at a venue that does not  admit women as members. “Given the schedule for staging The Open, it would be  some years before Muirfield would have been considered  to host the Championship again. If the policy at the club should  change we would reconsider  Muirfield as a venue for The Open  in future.”