Thursday’s other big vote is key to golf’s future

A yes vote will open the doors of the R&As Big Room to women members for the first time in history. Picture: AP

Does that mean no-one really cares whether centuries of tradition could be swept away or does the R&A want to see its vote played out quietly in the background as the nation’s focus is fixed on something far more significant?

While tempted to say otherwise, given that so little has actually been said on the matter since it was announced back in March that a vote would be taking place to determine whether or not to end 260 years of men-only rule at the R&A, we have to care about the announcement that will be made in St Andrews around 6pm on Thursday.

Compared to the referendum, it matters little to Scotland as a nation. For golf, however, it is important for its future. And, for the R&A, it will determine its credibility as the game’s governing body. Put simply, this vote has to be “yes”. If it is anything else, it will be the biggest own goal in sporting history.

This isn’t a proposal that was plucked out of thin air and thrust hastily on to the agenda. It’s taken more than a decade of chiselling away to get it to the ballot box and those in the know clearly feel confident that the time is right.

“This recommendation is being put to the members by all the committees of the R&A and we’re very much hoping it will be passed,” said Peter Dawson, the organisation’s chief executive, earlier this year.

“I’m not going to say this is overdue, but it is something that perhaps has been expected, and we’ve had some very positive indications from the members so far. We wouldn’t be entering this if we didn’t feel there was strong member support for it.”

Initially, only the members going to be present at Thursday’s Business Meeting were to be the ones with history in their hands, meaning an estimated 350 people from a total 2,500 worldwide membership making the decision. With the majority of them likely to be the hard core, so to speak, was that risky? Perhaps so, and fair play to Dawson or whoever for pushing through the change that has allowed postal voting.

It means the likes of Billy Payne, for instance, can play his part in the vote and the Augusta National chairman certainly won’t be the only overseas member in this particular “yes” camp, especially after seeing his own club open its doors to a couple of women members – Condoleezza Rice and Martha King – just over two years ago.

It is believed that, in a second part of the R&A proposal, the plan is to fast-track 15 women members, the likelihood being that they’d be non-active players. The likes, for example, of decorated amateurs such as Carol Semple Thompson or Belle Robertson, former USGA president Judy Bell and Lady Angela Bonallack, wife of former R&A secretary Sir Michael Bonallack.

Whether or not that proposal gets the green light seems less certain than the main issue, but let’s take things a step at a time if need be. What matters most on Thursday is the doors of the iconic R&A clubhouse being prised open and women members, the identities of whom can be determined in due course, sitting in the Big Room, the heart of the club, and feeling comfortable there.

It’s no surprise, of course, that some people believe the date was chosen for this vote because it would be a good day to bury bad news. What may have been front-page news –  ie the all-male barriers staying up – certainly won’t be when the country is deciding something of significantly more seismic proportions.

The fact it clashes with the referendum is actually down to the R&A’s constitution stating that this particular Business Meeting should be held on a certain day – the day before the last day of the Autumn Medal week.

At the same time, though, it does make you wonder that, if the format for voting could be changed, then why, just once, could special dispensation not have been made for the referendum to have been the only vote taking place on Thursday, especially given the fact it will have grabbed the attention of some R&A members more than they’d probably imagined it would?

Like the rest of us, they can only play a small part in that particular decision. The other matter, though, is firmly in their hands.