Ladies first as rule change looms at the home of golf

IT IS one of the most historic private clubs in golf and boasts 12 Open Champions - including Old Tom Morris and son, Tom Morris Jn - amongst its illustrious list of former members.

But the all-male St Andrews Golf Club - just a wedge shot away from the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient - is set to break with more than 150 years of tradition and admit women into the club as a result of Britain's new equality laws.

The St Andrews Golf Club has been a men-only golfing society since the club was formed in 1843 as the "St Andrews Mechanics' Golf Club" by a group of eleven golfers, mainly tradesmen, from the home of golf. The founding members included George Morris, the brother of Old Tom who won golf's oldest and most revered major a total of four times.

And the list of current honorary members includes Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear and winner of 18 majors and Paul Lawrie, the last Scot to win the Open.

Next month the members of the club will gather for a special meting to discuss moves to change the club's 168-year-old constitution and allow females to join the club. And club officials have issued a warning that an outright ban could be a "retrograde step" for the historic club.

The meeting has been called to decide on the club's response to the provisions of the Equality Act which received Royal Assent last year. The Act forbids private clubs from discriminating against members on the basis of sex, but does not outlaw single-sex clubs.

The club's committee of management is urging members against imposing a ban on women at the club. The club's current rules refer to "gentlemen" applying for full membership, youths applying for junior membership and boys applying for juvenile membership.

In the letter to members, the committee officials state: "It may be that the club rules would need to be made clearer and more robust."

They are recommending an option which would involve changing the clubhouse operation to allow access to all public areas - irrespective of their gender, which they hope will preserve the atmosphere of the famous building

The letter states: "After much consideration and discussion, as well as a meeting with the past captains and trustees of the club to make them aware of the position, the committee of management is recommending that option be adopted as the best way, in their opinion, of safeguarding the long-term wellbeing of St Andrews Golf Club."

The special meeting is being held at the club's premises, 26 May.