Muirfield golf club

Golf clubs tend to be very male orientated by virtue of the fact that the largest group of members in any club is male. Most clubs have worked hard to even out the inequalities but sadly some don't even realise they are doing it. The club I just left has a Ladies morning, the men take this as their opportunity to get out every piece of grounds equipment they can find and plague the women all round the course (members at this club do some of the ground work). The club I have moved to does not have a Ladies morning or an anyone else morning - anyone can play at any time and there is no separate Ladies committee just one committee with equal representation. The Golfing powers that be like the EGU are working hard to attract more women into the sport and Muirfield is regarded as an old dinosaur that will have to change its ways eventually. Until then its an embarrassement.

I thought that Muirfield had already knuckled under to this in order to be allowed to host the Open Championship? I have obviously got that wrong. I have no patience with these sorts of institutions. As Teetime says - dinosaurs.

I try not to react like outraged of england because my two sons in law both play golf. I love them but I loathe the outdated, male dominated feel of the clubs. I think you're right Greyduster and Muirfield changed its position in order to be allowed to host the Open Championship. What ever is the matter with these people?

Aren't there other golf clubs nearby? Can't the old boys have one place that is lady free? Eventually they'll die out and the rules will change.

My husband plays golf and hates the old buffoons who want to cling to the past and not allow women into their precious old boys' club. He is of the opinion that they tarnish the image of all golf clubs, I know where he plays isn't anything like that, very much a club for men and women and juniors, although he does admit that some clubs can be "blokey enclaves" but of course that could be applied to other sports as well. Golf to me has always had a bit of an image problem, I blame the image of some of the more cliched golf attire but perhaps I'm being unkind. My husband plays on average 2 to 3 tims a week and over the years I have to conceed that I can see has the positve effects, walking and fresh are undoubtedly good for the health.

Although I have to say Iam64, your comment "I hate the outdated male dominated feel of clubs" that resonated with me. My late father in law and his golfing pals were exactly like that. Women were treated as if they were some strange unfathomable species. They had hideous annual "ladies' night" events which I was dragged to once or twice where my father in law would arrange a table for the family and we'd have to listen to nauseating speeches from his fellow members who would utter crap like "we'd like to thank the ladies for letting us out" like they were dogs . However, these functions gradually died out, through lack of support from "the ladies" I gather . My poor late mother in law, truly was a golfing widow the old man wouldn't go anywhere with her, she holidayed with her friends and he went away on golf jaunts When he retired he played golf all the time and then came home and talked about golf, he thought these once a year "ladies nights" somehow mitigated the fact that he never did anything with my poor ex mother in law.

Rant over, happy to say that my husband does not play golf to the exclusion everything else.

As A female i dont see the problem in male only clubs, flip the coin the other way, if a female group was told it had to allow men to join there would be outrage and indignation.

I agree with grannypiper. Why can't they have men only clubs if that's what they want? Not far from where I live is women only gym. What's the difference?

I don't play golf, or live in Scotland, but I have a burning desire now to go and play a few rounds of golf at Muirfield, dressed in tartan pantaloons and a big tweed hat.

I suppose that clubs like Muirfield are in the happy position of having people falling over themselves to get in, and can therefore pick and choose their membership. Many golf clubs up and down the country are struggling to attract new members, male or female, and especially juniors, as their revenues are falling. I think Muirfield have woken up and smelled the coffee because they could see the chance of hosting the major tournaments - and the attendant monetary benefits that brings - slipping away from them. I don't suppose there will be mass resignation of memberships because of it, but I fancy they won't be letting us ladies in in hoards either!

the prestige of holding the Open was what swayed the vote in my opinion,I'm froma family of golfers for almost a century as far as I know my dad and uncles and my grandfather played golf.its NOT an exclusive thing in this part of the world there are people from all walks of life who love the game .I'm with others who say if they want to keep the club male only there shouldn't be an outcry,sometimes its good to get away from the other sex ...and that goes for women getting space to themselves too.My husband is in the Rotary Club and his area ( not him) are trying hard to keep male only ..a lot of the members are well into their 80's and are happy with the status quo.My husband argues that they could swell the numbers considerably with women ,but the old boys think their wives are better occupied bu Inner Wheel ,the ladies "equivalent".Things will no doubt change when the old brigade die .

Wait a minute - if any club had a "no blacks, no Irish, no Dogs, no Women" sign, would that encourage those of you who say it does no harm to re-think your views? Jewish friends couldn't join their local golf club until changes in discrimination laws made it possible.
I don't believe it's ok to ask us all to hang on, the old guard will eventually die. It's more about helping them move into the 21st century, where they live.

I don't think that's the same as the old boys wanting a bit of male only time.

What harm does it do? In the seventies I used to play snooker which meant going into the male bastion of the games room at the WMC. Ladies usually stayed in the lounge or the concert room which were far more comfortable. This during the Seventies when men didn't swear in front of women. I found that although they accepted me in the room it affected how they behaved and to some extent spoiled their evening because they couldn't totally relax.

They could have a "gentlemen's day" once a week for the poor beleaguered souls, their turn to be a marginalised minority that needs a ghetto day.

Elegran