Another Scottish Vote: Golf Club to Accept Women Members

While the world waits for the results of Scotland’s independence referendum, the results of another vote are in.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews decided Thursday to admit women as members. Though they have been welcome to play on the course, up until now only men were allowed in the clubhouse.

A ballot went out to the club’s 2,500 members all over the world and roughly three quarters of them weighed in. The vast majority of those who participated voted to lift the men-only policy, with 85%—clear above the two-thirds majority needed—in favor of allowing members of the fairer sex to join.

"This is a very important and positive day in the history of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club,"said R&A secretary Peter Dawson in a statement. "The R&A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I am confident that the club will continue to do so in the future with the support of all its members, both women and men."

The decision, he said, would be effective immediately, and the club will work quickly to have a "significant initial number of women" join the ranks within a few months.

Wow. Royal and Ancient golf club flings itself into early/ mid 20th century http://t.co/kkA5nTSv7h

— Jolyon Attwooll (@jolyontheroad) September 18, 2014

"I think it’s fantastic," said Charley Hull, a young golfer from England. "Golf needs to get a bit more modern and we can’t be doing with single sex golf clubs in this day and age, especially not ones where Majors are held."

The change has been in the works for months, and the leadership encouraged members to vote in favor of a mixed membership club. At the time, Dawson called a decision to let women in "expected" rather than "overdue."

"Society is changing, sport is changing, golf is changing,"Dawson told The Guardian. "I think it's appropriate for a governing body to take this step."

Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) was pleased, it wrote in a short statement released shortly after the R&A's announcment:

"This decision is certainly a step in the right direction, and one that better captures the current diversity and inclusiveness of our great game."