Why Should A Golf Club Be Barred From Hosting The British Open, Just Because It Doesn't Allow Female Membership?

[anotheoldgit]

http://nypost.com/2016/05/19/world-famous-golf-club-cant-host-tourney-until-it-lets-in-women/

[DTCwordfan]

In Scotland there are more private all-female clubs than all-male ones - just - however, many play public courses, such as the ones at St Andrews. That in itself is interesting as a stat as far more men play golf than women - despite equality and all the rest, the highest percentage of any country is only 35% women..... Muirfield and Troon have every right to be male only and both do permit women to pla

[DTCwordfan]

to play, though I am not sure if Muirfield still practices different handicaps to play, 24 for men, 12 for women, partly to avoid that trait mentioned about a female tendency to dawdle on the course.

[naomi24]

I can’t see the problem with ‘all men’ clubs or ‘all women’ clubs. However, if those clubs don’t meet the criteria required in other areas, then they don’t meet the criteria and they must accept that. That’s all there is to it.

[dannyk13]

DTC
///Muirfield and Troon have every right to be male only///
As has the Royal and Ancient to decide which courses to select for its competitions.

[DTCwordfan]

I am not questioning the right of the R&A to allocate, Danny, though it's a bit of a cheek on their part, it being ever so recent (last year) that they took aboard a female member, 'the pot calling a kettle black' and all that.....

first female members included Princess Royal and Laura Davies among first women honorary members, as well as Annika Sorenstam, Renee Powell, Belle Robertson, Lally Segard and Louis Suggs.

[Togo]

I think there may be a bit of line smudging being used by the R&A anyway. It is widely accepted amongst the Open officionados that Muirfield is a woeful venue anyway. They may have seized on this as a good enough reason to drop the course from the roster.

[anotheoldgit]

AH

/// a woman waiting for a man is far less important than a man waiting for a woman - for heaven's sake, don't you know how valulable a man's time is compared to a woman's? ///

It is not very often a woman has to wait for a man, how many times have you have been forced to wait for the 'latest Mrs Hughes' while she is getting ready for you to take her out for dinner?

But then are you one, who dares not to complain?

[THECORBYLOON]

DTC, the R & A is separate from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club

[Islay]

My husband is always keeping me waiting, whereas I am early for appoinments (I hate being late).

[Gromit]

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.

Why is that people/organisations that self proclaim themsrlves 'Honourable', are so often not?

[pixie374]

That isn't right, aog. Men faff a lot more, in my experience.

[DTCwordfan]

same site, same club, split in two as to running regulations outside the USGA domain and the actual club, yes.

[DTCwordfan]

History, Gromit, History, something that at times you can be rather Henry Fordish, I suspect.

For the record, 'On March 7th 1744 the Edinburgh Town Council presented a silver club for annual competition by 'The Gentleman Golfers', In doing so they required that 'proper regulations' governing conditions of play, be written and the thirteen Rules of Play were duly produced. Thus was the Company of Edinburgh Golfers created and recorded in the first minutes of the Club which also state that surgeon John Rattray won the Club's first competition

In 1795 the Club applied to the Lord Provost, the Magistrates and Council of the City of Edinburgh for a Charter. This was granted on March 26th 1800 together with a Seal of Clause under the new title of 'The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers'.

Clearer now - over two hundred years of history here, why change it???!

[THECORBYLOON]

DTC the point you were making is that the R & A is calling the kettle black but as they have no control over what the Royal and Ancient Golf Club does with regard to who can become a member so your argument holds no water.

[DTCwordfan]

however, being in the building and all Royal & Ancient members, they were condoning the situation.

[Togo]

There is of course (no pun intended) another consideration. You will need to bear with me here, I am just flying a kite. What if the governing body of the Open have become a little concerned with the political machinations in Scotland and are a little queasy about the recent rise in nationalism there. Perhaps there is a consensus that it may be fortuitous to pull out of some of the Scottish venues and say, move some of the tournaments south to the superb links courses of Cornwall or Devon, or to Sussex or Kent. There are obvious financial reasons and the infrastructure, including international airports, would be much more convenient for the players and media bods who love their lives of luxury.

[saintpeter48]

Why are there no women playing in the four major golf tournaments, or are there?

[anneasquith]

" I am flying a kite " yes you are :)

[dannyk13]

They have their own major tournaments.

[DTCwordfan]

because they are not good enough and none have ever qualified. The US tour has tried inviting women pros on but no real joy there - part of the reason is the course length and how far the women can tonk it, the longest women pros at around 275 yards...the men 50 yards plus in front - and that can mean the difference of hitting a 5 iron versus a pitching wedge - and hence the control over the club.