By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

EDINBURGH, Scotland —After a two year consultation process, over 600 male members of the Muirfield Golf Club in Scotland have failed to reach a two-thirds majority vote which would allow women to join the club.  While women can continue to use the club as guests and visitors, they will not be allowed to join as members.

This decision is a deviation from the recent trend set by other golf clubs in the United Kingdom.  The Royal & Ancient Club of St. Andrew’s and Royal St. George’s have both voted to admit women as members within the last two years.  As a result, Muirfield and the Royal Troon club are the only remaining traditional British Open host venues to maintain a ban against women members.  Royal Troon is currently reviewing their own membership policies to consider allowing women to join as members.

Among the reasons given for voting against women to join the club, dissenters have stated that they believe women would endanger the speedy play of the game, and would “feel uncomfortable” as members.  They also urged that the allowance of women members would go against the very nature of the club – “a gentlemen’s club where golf is played.”

Prominent golfers and various leaders have voiced their disagreement with the vote.  Scotland’s first female Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, called the vote “simply indefensible” and urged the club to revisit the vote in the future.  Rory McElroy, former British Open champion, stated that the vote would damage golfs image.  Lesley Sawers, the Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland commissioner, estimates that the decision will cost the Scottish economy £100m as a result of loss of revenue generated from the Open.

In response to Muirfield’s vote, Royal & Ancient, the organizer of the British Open, has refused to host the British Open at the club for as long as they continue to ban women as members.  Muirfield has hosted 16 British Opens in the past.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Muirfield to lose right to host Open after vote against allowing women members — 19 May 2016

CNN — Muirfield banned from hosting British Open after refusing women members — 19 May 2016

New York Times — Muirfield Golf Club Picks Discrimination Over the British Open — 19 May 2016

The Guardian — Muirfield loses right to hold Open after voting to remain men-only — 19 May 2016