Male-only clubs will not be 'bullied' into changing their rules by the threat of losing the right to host the Open Championship, according to R&A chief executive Peter Dawson.
Three of the nine courses on the Open Championship rota are male-only, namely this year’s venue Muirfield, Sandwich and Royal Troon, while The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews - technically a separate entity to the R&A, the game’s governing body - does not have women members either.
But while Dawson admits it was a 'very positive' step for Augusta National to stage its first Masters this month since admitting women members, he insists private clubs have the right to exist and that sometimes 'men need to socialise with men.'
No ladies here: St Andrews is one of the most famous courses in the world
'There are no golf courses I know about which are closed to either women or men,' Dawson said.
'Access to these courses exist. Muirfield has hosted the Curtis Cup twice (a contest between the top women amateurs from Britain and Ireland and the United States); women have access as visitors or guests of members.
'There are about 3,000 courses in the UK. One percent have a single-sex membership clause. Of that one percent, slightly more than half are women-only. They don’t want to change.
'There are groups of people who like things the way they are and I don’t see much wrong with that as long as people are not disadvantaged. I don’t think every club has to be the same.
'Under UK legislation there is nothing wrong with single-sex clubs. To think the R&A might say to Muirfield you will not host the Open unless you change is a bullying position we would never take. Who are we to say?
We won't be bullied: Royal St George's and Muirfield are Open courses which do not accept women members
'We borrow Muirfield’s course for two to three weeks every 10 years. It’s not our role to attack clubs that are behaving legally.
'I think it is right that private clubs can determine their own destiny. It’s like freedom of speech. You may not agree with what someone says, but you will defend their right to say it. I feel similarly about private clubs, especially as it’s such a small number.
'I totally believe in equality but I also believe there are times when men need to socialise with men, and women need to socialise with women. I think it reflects the majority opinion.'
Solheim Cup player Melissa Reid, speaking at a media day for the Ricoh Women’s British Open which will be staged on the Old Course at St Andrews this summer, said: 'It would be nice if they did not (take the Open to male-only clubs) because it would back us up a bit, but I don’t think they will because they are such good Open venues. At least we are moving in the right direction.'
No change: The course in Troon could lose its Open Championship status