Royal Troon golf club, host of this year’s Open championship, has "voted overwhelmingly to admit female members during a special general meeting," according to Severin Carrell of the London GUARDIAN. The decision "will add further pressure to the men-only club at Muirfield near Edinburgh, which is now the only one of Scotland’s major golfing institutions not to allow women after its members narrowly rejected the move this year." Royal Troon, a course built among the dunes of Ayrshire’s coast and one of the sport’s "most prestigious venues," is to host the 145th Open Championship in two weeks for the ninth time. After the vote, Royal Troon Club Captain Martin Cheyne said, "We have said a number of times recently that it is important for golf clubs to reflect the society in which we exist and the modern world that looks to us. Therefore, I am delighted with the decision taken by members of Royal Troon this evening and look forward to welcoming women to our great club" (GUARDIAN, 7/1). The Scotland DAILY RECORD reported a review of membership policy was announced by Troon in Jan. '15 and "was initially not due to be resolved until later this year." However, the South Ayrshire club "brought forward its vote to before this year's Open, taking place between July 14 and 17" (DAILY RECORD, 7/1). In London, Nicola Harley reported Royal St. George's in Kent "voted last year to admit women members and prior to that The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews also opted to end its 260-year-old male-only membership policy" in Sept. '14. Troon has "previously considered itself a special case as it shares facilities with the Ladies Golf Club, Troon." Muirfield, meanwhile, "plans to hold another vote on female membership just weeks after members rejected the proposal" (TELEGRAPH, 7/1).
