After 260 Years, Royal & Ancient Golf Club Votes to admit Female Members

It seems as if Scotland will be making history again, and this time not for reasons of their independence.  In the midst of deciding whether or not to split from the United Kingdom, members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews have decided to finally allow women to become members.  “I can confirm that The Royal & Ancient Golf of St. Andrews is now a mixed membership club,” R&A secretary Peter Dawson said in a statement.  This comes two years after Augusta National, home of the Masters, became the first course to change its policy to allow female members. More than three quarters of the club’s membership took part in the ballot, with 85% voting in favor of women becoming members; a result announced outside its famous clubhouse on Thursday evening.  “This is a very important and positive day in the history of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club,” said Dawson. “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 future with the support of all its members, both women and men.”  The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) also put out a statement after the announcement by the Royal & Ancient, “The LPGA is happy to hear that the members of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews have voted to include female members. This decision is certainly a step in the right direction and one that better captures the current diversity and inclusiveness of our great game.”