Muirfield poised to axe men-only rule

MUIRFIELD golf club is set to allow women to join for the first time following a second members’ vote in less than a year.

There is strong confidence inside the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers that the twothirds majority needed for this seismic change, which failed by 14 votes last May, will be achieved. Enough of the blazers, including one of Sports

Agenda’s distant relatives, have been persuaded to alter their men-only stance that has seen Muirfield kicked off the Open Championship roster.

But the announcement of the second postal ballot, which is expected imminently, will see Muirfield quickly returning to the list having previously hosted 16 championships — most recently when Phil Mickelson lifted the Claret Jug in 2013.

The main worry of the sexist rump has been that women golfers will slow them down. The members traditionally favour Ryder Cup- style foursomes (alternate shots), with the club’s mantra being ‘two-and-a-half, two-and-a-half, two-and-ahalf’ — the time taken over two rounds of golf at a decent pace and a long lunch in between. And some of the Muirfield diehards don’t care about the Open returning as it interrupts their routine.

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