Pressure grows on Muirfield golf club bosses to admit women members

The Muirfield Golf Club is facing growing pressure to reverse its decision to reject women members after Labour MSP Iain Gray lodged a motion at Holyrood calling for an end to the “outdated” rule.

The golf club, which is in East Lothian MSP Mr Gray's constituency, was removed from the Open Championship rota after it voted yesterday not to admit women golfers as members, a decision that has led to Muirfield being barred from hosting the Open Championship.

Gray’s motion notes that to "reflect modern society" clubs "need to be open to both male and female golfers".

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He said: “Muirfield Golf Club's decision to reject female membership was wrong and outdated. It should be reversed as soon as possible.

"We live in the 21st century, where men and women should be treated equally - whether that's in the workplace, in the community or on the golf course. A decision like this has no place in Scotland in 2016.”

A proposal to admit women as members was rejected despite 64 per cent of members backing a change. The proposed shake-up of membership rules failed to reach the required two-thirds majority needed to scrap the restriction.