Politicians take swing at men only clubs ahead of Open

LONDON: Politicians and golfers of both sexes took a swing at the sport’s governing body on Monday for holding Britain’s top tournament at a club that allows only men to be members, saying it was time for a change.

The R&A is responsible for running the Open Championship which will be held from Thursday at the ancient Muirfield course near Edinburgh in Scotland, one of three exclusively male clubs to host the event alongside Royal St George’s and Royal Troon.

Culture Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Maria Miller said it sent out the wrong message to hold the Open at a club that did not allow women members. She urged clubs to lift all bans as the number of women golfers declines.

“Sports governing bodies should be doing all they can to promote equality and address the sexism that still exists in some quarters, not turning a blind eye to it,” Miller said in statement after turning down an invitation to the event.

Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond have also rejected invitations to the 142nd Open, the only Major to be played at a single-sex club. The three other Majors are played in the United States.

Salmond, a keen golfer, said it was “indefensible” in the “21st century not to have a golf club that’s open to all”.

The protests follow a decision by the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia to end a men-only policy before the US Masters in April with former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore, the philanthropist, among its first female members.

Some of Britain’s best-known women golfers have spoken out recently against Muirfield, with Vivien Saunders, Catriona Matthew and Laura Davies saying they did not feel comfortable that such a major sporting event went to a single-sex club.

Britain’s Times newspaper joined the debate on Monday, with an editorial saying the sport of golf still had a problem with gender and it was time The R&A took “some moral leadership”. — Reuters