R&A to vote on admitting women as members

[David_Tepper]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-18/st-andrews-to-permit-female-golfers-after-club-votes.html

[Tony_Muldoon]

I still can't quite figure out why anybody who is not a member of the R&A cares about the membership policy.  Strange that, but it seems many people can't help poking their noses...

Ciao  

I'll say it agian.  When the Royal and Ancient and the R&A split the issue was fudged. Same premises, same Chief Executive and many of the members the same. Yet one is the governing body for Women and the other wouldn't have them as members.

Because of the mess they found themselves in they had two choices.  Move the Adminsitration body out of the building, insist it renamed itself and re drew it's constitution so they had no more influence on it, or admitt Women Members. They chose the latter.

I believe it was a matter of public concern.

[Sean_A]

Spangles

Tish tosh.  You are making mountains out of molehills that exist only in theory.  Alas, it matter not.  You will carry with your day with no changes and so will I.

Ciao

[Ulrich Mayring]

Look what the German press ran today:

http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/bild-992485-752161.html

I'll translate the by-line for you: "18th hole of the club in St Andrews: soon women will be putting here as well."

So this is not a molehill! ;-)

Ulrich

[Gib_Papazian]

Now that Dawson has pledged to fast-track a fire hose of estrogen into the R&A, I made an appointment with the local butcher and expect to be a post-op tranny by Christmas. Do you think Huntley will sponsor me?

What a strange country Scotland, the same day you vote to remain tied to a socialistic mess, the most cherished golfing society on the planet  unties itself from tradition and turns its f*cking grill room into a sewing circle.

   

[David_Tepper]

"What a strange country Scotland, the same day you vote to remain tied to a socialistic mess"

Gib -

You must not have gotten the memo. The "Yes" voters wanted to leave the UK because it was not socialistic enough.

DT

[Wayne_Kozun]

I wonder if Dawson has called Condi Rice yet?

[Wayne_Kozun]

"What a strange country Scotland, the same day you vote to remain tied to a socialistic mess"

Gib -

You must not have gotten the memo. The "Yes" voters wanted to leave the UK because it was not socialistic enough.

DT

And in many ways the UK is less socialist than the US, at least since Maggie Thatcher's days when she privatized many assets.  Airports, passenger rail lines, the lottery, etc. are all privately owned, unlike in the US.

[Mark Pearce]

"What a strange country Scotland, the same day you vote to remain tied to a socialistic mess"

Gib -

You must not have gotten the memo. The "Yes" voters wanted to leave the UK because it was not socialistic enough.

DT

Absolutely spot on.  The vast majority of Yes voters I heard interviewed had in common that they didn't want to be governed by the Tories.

[john_stiles]

Well now.

Move the heat-lamps on to Troon, Muirfield, and RStGeorge

[Adam Lawrence]

Muirfield has already announced it is starting a consultation exercise among members as to whether it should admit women.

[Bill_McBride]

Look what the German press ran today:

http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/bild-992485-752161.html

I'll translate the by-line for you: "18th hole of the club in St Andrews: soon women will be putting here as well."

So this is not a molehill! ;-)

Ulrich

Women have been playing the Old Course for decades, but not playing (or drinking) gin in the clubhouse!

[Pete Blaisdell]

My God, it's about time. They finally got it right.

There are about 275 Americans that are members of the R & A and a small subsection of this group are charged with making recommendations to the Membership Committee for new American members. I was approached in 2004 by an American member at the US Amateur at Winged Foot and was asked if I was interested and if so he would submit my name. I'm a public course player and I am loyal to my friends. It is customary  and a true courtesy to invite the outgoing USGA president to be a member. Judy Bell was never offered that courtesy and Judy is a long time friend and Hall of Fame administrator and one of the great people in the game. I told the gentleman thank you but I was not interested because Judy was slighted. I still sleep good at night with no regrets during the day.

Also, concerning ANGC granting membership to 2 women a short time ago, they were not the first women to be offered a jacket. A very prominent lady was offered membership back in the 90's and she turned it down. I got this info from 2 members, one of which is now deceased, the other is still active in the game. These two gentlemen were not the type to blow smoke up my ass. Besides, there were rumours of this floating around the inner circles anyway.

[RJ_Daley]

I liked this article and quotes from one who has and is there among the Euro and GB elites:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/golf/29228010

Who are the first candidates for membership status?  I suppose Laura Davis and Catriona Matthew are prime choices.  Are there other likely early picks?  Would it be extended to Euro lady golfers, with the most logical being Anika Sorenstam?  Or, would they go for the puffery of a high profile political-corporate name as did the example of ANGC?  

Interesting thoughts and back story, Pete...

[Dan_Callahan]

If they have any sense, one of the offers goes to Catherine Zeta Jones.

[Mark Chaplin]

I cannot see any professionals being elected. I'd have a pound on Pam Benka for starters. Carol Caldwell is a possibility as is Linda Bayman and the St Andrews University chancellor. Red hot tip Hazel Irvine the BBC commentator.

[Cristian]

If they have any sense, one of the offers goes to Catherine Zeta Jones.

Now we're talking: Who will be the first female member of the R&A?

[RJ_Daley]

Mark, certainly your insight suggests a more keen understanding of the prevailing club member conversations.  But, looking at the public relations event platform upon which the decision has been staged, and given Gib's characterization of a rapid infusion of estrogen being injected into the board room via a fire hose, wouldn't they be wasting the public relations momentum if they didn't include a few of the more popular and internationally known female golfer names either in conjunction with or versus the insider administrator types, who actually may be more suited to assisting in conducting the actual business decisions of the R&A? 

[Gib_Papazian]

Adam,

OMFG, I can hear Paddy Hamner's ghost, clanking his chains clear across the pond. You damned limeys and pipe bowers are supposed be upholding tradition, not surrendering like the French Army to a lesbian with a pea shooter. Pretty soon Muirfield will be serving gin fizzes with an umbrella.

Why don't you Brits just get it the f*ck over with and replace the Union Jack with a pair of lace panties and a pink parasol?

Be warned, the Olympic Club was never the same again after the Men's Grill contracted incurable vaginal fungus. It started with City Attorney Louise Renne (imagine Hillary Clinton in perpetual PMS) trying to ramrod her way into the Bohemian Club - but, finding her broomstick was not sharp enough to penetrate the sphincter of the big boys - decided to embarrass the Olympic Club before and during the 1987 Open.

Never mind that Louise and her husband were members of S.F.G.C. - a club at the time with no blacks, Jews and certainly no Armenians - but (surprise. . . . .), having less than 400 members exempts them from non-discrimination statues. It remains so today.

Convenient timing as she was also running for mayor, dontcha think? Imagine that, a hypocritical attorney misusing a bizarre interpretation of the law for her own gain . . . . . . .  

Sometimes guys want to be with other guys - and not have to watch our manners and language, or observe every single chickenshit nicety because women are born offended. I think the goal of all these insane media liberals is to turn the world into some kind of twisted experiment in androgyny. They already treat little boys in school like defective girls, so I guess this is kind of horseshit is inevitable.  

[Dan_Callahan]

Gib,

That's why you need to beat them at their own game. They are upset that these clubs don't have women members. Ok. Fair enough. Lets admit women members. But let's make sure they're hot. Done. Case closed. Move on. Nothing to see here. Channel your inner Kung Fu, Grasshopper, and use their strength against them. Turn the outrage on its head and blow their minds.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Who are the first candidates for membership status?  I suppose Laura Davis and Catriona Matthew are prime choices.  Are there other likely early picks?  

Wouldn't it be proper form to offer the first membership to ER II?

[Mike Hendren]

My only question is, will the nonagenarians who have lockers in the Big Room be able to dress and undress in front of the new Lady Members?

Bob

Bob, if they're truly Ladies wouldn't they look the other way?

Pardon me but I'm chuckling at the image of you dropping trou in front of the ladies - what we called a "Chinese boxer rebellion" around the old frat house.

Cheers,

Mike

[Paul Gray]

Gib,

You really should spend more time with women that are actually used to not being treated as ornaments. You'd be shocked to discover that here in the 21st century these women are not in the slightest bit offended by the sort of language which would seemingly have your  petticoated princesses passing out aplenty.

[Jud_T]

Paul, 

While I'm with you in spirit, I believe that Gib has his tongue planted firmly in cheek in this instance...

[Bill_McBride]

Paul, 

While I'm with you in spirit, I believe that Gib has his tongue planted firmly in cheek in this instance...

Gib's motto:  never let an opportunity for a good rant get by you!