Muirfield invite women to join for first ever time

Female members have been formally invited to join the world’s oldest golf club at Muirfield for the first time.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, who are based at the East Lothian Links, voted to change their controversial membership policy barring women two years ago.

After receiving applications and assessing them through their traditional lengthy procedure, the club have now invited 12 women to take up membership of the 275-year-old organisation from July 1st.

Alistair Campbell, captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, said: “This marks a milestone in the club’s illustrious history, and we look forward to welcoming all of our new members to share in the great values and traditions of our club.”

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The men-only policy at Muirfield attracted considerable negative publicity the last time the course hosted the Open Championship in 2013.

Calls for change, however, were initially rejected by the club after a vote in 2016 and, consequently, Muirfield was suspended from the Open rota by the R&A.

It was reinstated after another vote was taken in 2017 when 80.2 per cent of members backed a change in policy.

In Ireland, Portmarnock Golf Club still retains a men-only policy but recently the club has begun lobbying members with the view to allowing women to join at some stage in the future. After hosting the Amateur Championship last week the Dublin club won’t be selected for another R&A event until its policy changes, likewise with regards hosting the Irish Open.