Muirfield vote to continue bar on women could cost economy millions

As the historic golf club faced a barrage of criticism, governing body The R&A immediately confirmed that The Open will not be held at a venue which prohibits female members.

Read more: Muirfield banned from hosting The Open after voting against women members

Prime Minister David Cameron branded Muirfield's ruling “outdated”, particularly for a club “hosting important championships” while Nicola Sturgeon called for the “indefensible” decision to be overturned.

“The R&A has already said it won’t take The Open back to Muirfield while this policy remains in place,” she said. “That is a damaging decision for the club, which has been such a fantastic venue for one of golf’s major tournaments.”

Marketing body VisitScotland said the 2015 Open at St Andrews had brought a £140m windfall and that despite Muirfield’s “disappointing” decision they would work to ensure the competition continues to be staged in Scotland.

Suggesting the vote had cost the Scottish economy £100m, Dr Lesley Sawers, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “We believe that in the 21st century the outdated wishes of the few really shouldn’t be allowed to dictate the country’s economic interests,”

Sports marketing expert Nigel Currie, who has worked with the Football League, Uefa and the Rugby Football League, said Muirfield had taken a large step towards killing off its pedigree, reputation and branding around the world.

Read more: ‘Muirfield’s decision is not a great result for modern day’

A whole generation “may never hear of its name”, he said.

“Commercially this is a disaster for Muirfield because the brand is strong and people recognise it as one of the great venues,” he said.

“But this has lost them the Open and they will drift out of the golfing names that are recognised pretty quickly.

“It is a short-sighted decision to be taking in 2016 when women’s sport has boomed and almost everywhere else has changed their rules. If the club had any plans to develop its name and its brand then they have gone a long way to killing that off.”

He added: “To the world at large they look backward and stupid.”

Mr Currie said the ground lost to rival golf clubs may never be retrieved.

“The competition to stage major sporting events is just getting stronger and stronger,” he said.

“It is immense in America and the Middle East is now looking for major events. It is a bad time to be taking a decision like this.

“Even if Muirfield reverses this decision at some stage, who knows how long it could be before the club hosts another Open.

“It would be a short-sighted sponsor that wanted to have much association with the fact that half of the population are excluded.”

Read more: MPs urge Muirfield to reconsider decision to ban women

Muirfield has staged the Open Championship 16 times in its 272-year history, most recently in 2013.

But after failing to tear up the rulebook omitting female members, Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said it would never again be considered as a host venue for the Open.

“If the policy at the club should change, we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue in future,” he said.

Both the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and Royal St George’s in Kent have admitted women members within the past two years.

Royal Troon, where The Open is being staged this year, is currently undergoing a similar membership review to the one carried out at Muirfield.

It is estimated that the Open is worth £40m to the East Lothian economy. The county’s chief executive Angela Leitch said the authority was “extremely disappointed” by the outcome of the vote on whether to accept female members.

“While the majority of members have voted in favour of a more inclusive approach, a minority have prevented a change which would have benefitted not only the club but the economy of East Lothian,” she said.

“As Scotland’s Golf Coast, East Lothian has a fantastic range of courses that suit all levels and budgets and we would encourage the membership of Muirfield to re-consider their position.”

Read more: Muirfield In Pictures - The golf club that does not allow women members

The men of Muirfield Golf Club have been consulting on the contentious issue for two years. They faced ridicule this week after a leaked letter from members opposing change warned that introducing woman would slow down play or change the lunch arrangements.

Under a headline entitled “the risks”, the letter said: “We are not an ordinary club.

“Our special nature - ‘a gentleman’s club where golf is played’ - is quite unique with its fraternity built inter alia on foursomes play with a round taking only the same time as lunch and leaving enough time for a further round after lunch (even in mid winter).

“This is one of the miracles in modern day play and is much admired. Our foursomes and speedy play would be endangered.”

The letter, circulated around a group of 33 club members, also claimed that any woman member at Muirfield was “bound to feel uncomfortable”.

“The introduction of lady members is bound to create difficulties,” it said.

“Regardless of the conventions when they first join they are likely over time to question our foursomes play, our match system, the uncompromising challenge our fine links present, our lunch arrangements.

“It will take a very special lady golfer to be able to do all the things that are expected of them in the template which is suggested and the ladies’ membership as a whole may not meet this standard.”

The letter added: “We are criticised by some for being ‘elitist’, but if we are that is entirely due to a membership selection process which emphasises an overriding requirement that prospective members appreciate and accept our traditions.”

As a “compromise” the letter suggested the creation of a “lady-friendly” second course and clubhouse at the venue.

The result of the postal ballot of the exclusive club’s members saw 397 vote in favour of allowing women to join to 219, meaning club captain Henry Fairweather failed to achieve the two-thirds majority required to change the club’s rule.

Announcing the result from the clubhouse steps, Mr Fairweather said: ‘Our club committee recommended that members should vote for the admission of women as members.

“A majority voted for women as members but the two-thirds majority that we require for a change in the rules was not met. The club, therefore, will retain its men-only membership policy.

“The Honorary Club is a members' club and the members decide the rules of the club, including its membership policy.

“Women will continue to be welcome on the course and in the clubhouse as guests and visitors, as they have been for many years.”