SGU chief executive Grey defended over joining male-only club

HAMISH Grey, the chief executive of the Scottish Golf Union, has been defended by his chairman over a sexism row in the middle of a bid to push through an amalgamation with the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association.

Suggestions that Grey's decision to accept an invitation to join the men-only Royal Burgess Golfing Society at Barnton was set to stir up a backlash from ladies' association members have also been dismissed by the chairman of the SLGA, though one county captain did admit it was "extremely bad timing".

Grey, administrator for the group seeking backing from the country's 580 golf clubs to create a unified body to run the amateur game in Scotland, has been criticised for taking up membership of the historic club on the outskirts of Edinburgh, where the New Zealander lives.

He has been branded as a "hypocrite" and also described as "politically naive", but Douglas Connon, the SGU's chairman, last night jumped to Grey's defence. "I do not see that Hamish Grey's membership of a single-sex club has any bearing on his position as chief executive of the SGU," said Connon. "The Equality Act allows for men and women to be members of single-sex clubs."

His SLGA counterpart, Shona Malcolm, refuted claims that "a few ladies' association members" wanted Grey to be sacked over the furore and is confident the matter will have no impact on the proposed amalgamation, which will be put to a vote by both the SLGA and SGU on consecutive days towards the end of next month.

"I've not heard a single word about that (the claims] at all," said Malcolm. "As far as I am concerned it is freedom of choice and there's a place for single-sex clubs. Indeed, single-gender clubs are not a big deal for the SLGA. I know that Hamish is also a member at Royal Dornoch, which is a mixed club.

"We need to rise above this nonsense and do what is best for the whole of Scottish golf. The ladies are giving up a lot in the proposal - they are losing a degree of their voice - but all the feedback we've had from the ladies' side about the amalgamation is very positive.

"There will need to be tweaks, but let's get on and make it happen. Let's get it moving forward."

Mary Richardson, captain of Midlothian County Ladies' Golf Association, added: "The timing of this is both unfortunate and extremely bad, but I don't see it having any effect on how people will vote on the proposed amalgamation.

"I think there are concerns from both parties about the details and processes but, personally, I have less problems with men-only clubs than mixed clubs where the rights are not equal."

Grey was unavailable for comment yesterday, but, in a statement, the SGU said: "The Scottish Golf Union is fully committed to amalgamation with the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, with the goal of a single governing body for golf in Scotland, which will be inclusive of all clubs.

"The boards of the SGU and SLGA have received strong support for the amalgamation proposal from both male-only and female-only clubs, who continue to play a significant role in the development of golf in Scotland."