The honourable company of Edinburgh golfers.
That’s what the people who run Muirfield golf club in Scotland like to call themselves.
Lots of people online are finding new names for them after they Thursday voted against allowing women join their club.
The Royal and Ancient have since confirmed that Muirfield will be removed from the British Open roster until such time as it admits female members.
The club has hosted 16 Opens since 1892 (most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson was the winner), will be taken off the roster by the Royal and Ancient.
Royal Troon is another Open venue facing a choice between all-male membership and hosting the Open.
The boys’ club have been discussing letting smelly girls into their den for THREE years, but the requisite two-thirds majority was not reached.
That failure must at least partly be put down to a letter sent to all voters by 30 influential members vehemently opposed to letting the fairer sex play on their course.
“It is recognised that it is a very sensitive matter and the club is in a difficult position, but associations like ours with a very long and venerable history have strengths which are derived from that history,” said the letter seen by the Scotsman newspaper.
“Change must come slowly and for choice should be evolutionary. A traditional resistance to change is one of the foundations of our unique position in golf and our reputation.
“It is accepted that we may have to change, but we should not do so now on the basis suggested. We have had a lengthy process, but it is felt that there is time to pause and consider further options to develop the club and it is hoped retain the Open.
“It is recommended that members vote against the resolution to change our rules to include the admission of lady members.”
Change may come slowly, but abuse will come quickly when you vote against progress, women’s rights, fairness and the general ethos of most of the modern world.
Journalists were quick to voice their disdain at the decision
Nice golf course, Muirfield, but a club house full of tossers. Can't say I'll miss going there https://t.co/7QiqeWRPZ1
— Matt Dickinson (@DickinsonTimes) May 19, 2016
Breaking; Muirfield votes against Lady membership. Get out and back to the kitchens with you, by Jove. Splendid. pic.twitter.com/gzFWfSOcjG
— TweeterAlliss (Parody) (by Jove) (@TweeterAlliss) May 19, 2016
Muirfield Golf Club fails to reach two-thirds majority in vote needed to admit women as members. pic.twitter.com/bzgghTyylp
— ByTheMinute Golf (@ByTheMinGolf) May 19, 2016
Fans were even quicker
Muirfield is ostensibly a snooty lunch and drinking club which, unfortunately, happens to have a wonderful links golf course attached.
— Golf Refugees (@golfrefugees) May 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/SGMacca/status/733243729650278400
muirfield golf club hang your heads in shame its 2016 FFS. #dinosaurs
— 🇮🇪Paul🍻🇵🇸 (@snidey_bhoy) May 19, 2016
2 years worth of meetings and debates. Muirfield members voting against female members. It's 2016
— Stuart Milne (@StuartMilneGolf) May 19, 2016
"HEADLINES"
Unionist members of Muirfield Golf club fail to reach agreement on women members pic.twitter.com/XwxpHdAR6P— Pat McAleenan (@bigpatmcaleenan) May 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/salty_adam/status/733240895458410496
It would make you wonder why any woman would want to join this bunch, but before we get too far up on our high horse here in Ireland, Portmarnock Golf Club is currently in the midst of a wide-ranging consultation process as they consider their own male-only membership policy.
Still 2016.
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