R&A votes to accept women members

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club has voted in favour of allowing women members for the first time in its 260-year history.

The St Andrews-based club has 2,400 global members who were entitled to vote and more than three-quarters took part in the ballot.

Of those that voted, 85% were in favour of change.

"This is an important and positive day in the history of the R&A Golf Club," said chief executive Peter Dawson.

"The R&A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I am confident that the club will continue to do so in future with the support of all its members, both women and men."

Dawson added that the vote would take immediate effect and a "significant" initial number of women would be fast-tracked to membership in the coming months to avoid the long waiting list.

Founded in 1754, the Royal and Ancient's members play on the St Andrews links course regarded as the "home of golf".

Before Thursday's vote, women could play on the course, on Scotland's east coast, but they were not allowed in the clubhouse and had no significant part in the sport's rulemaking arm, the R&A.

That body, separated from the club 10 years ago, controls golf around the world apart from in the United States and Mexico.