One of the most historic private clubs in golf was moving toward breaking almost 170 years of tradition Thursday and finally opening its doors to female players.
The St. Andrews Golf Club, one of a handful of all-male courses in the eastern Scottish town known as "the home of golf," was set to meet next month after asking its members, who include 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus, whether they would like to grant women equal status.
The move was endorsed by the club's officials, who are mindful that the club's long-standing rules border on being illegal under new British equality laws. Not only would excluding women be a "retrograde step," a letter to members said, but the club would also lose a substantial amount of money.
Although women have been allowed to play golf in St. Andrews for a century, since St. Andrews Golf Club's formation in 1843, they have been refused the membership rights that bring open admission to the clubhouse. Currently, even the male guests of members are allowed in the members’ lounge, but women are not.
The anticipated change to the club's constitution could have ramifications for the more famous Royal & Ancient Golf Club (R&A) nearby, which has not had a female member since it was established in 1754.
But despite the potential for change, the situation at the club remained unclear. "The R&A does not discuss membership matters publicly, but we are fully aware of the [change in law] and will act according to that," a spokesman said.
