Should Muirfield host the Open?

Shocked yes and no I don't agree with its policy on female members in this modern age. Watch it? Of course I will wouldn't miss it for the world :) I love the Open and don't wish to stop it or boycott the event. I wouldn't join Muirfield (unlikely to be offered anyhow) nor do I support their policies. I am asking the question whether other people agree it should be played there and if is it sending out the right message or whether other more modern up to date locations should be selected?

So you would prefer to blackmail Muirfield members into adopting something they don't want?
 
I hate to pee on your bonfire but ladies are allowed in the clubhouse too :rofl:

That's great! :) Then if they can play and use the facilities and do all the other things men do as we have determined, then why cant they be members? It only makes the whole pointless policy even worse! Actually if I was a woman... why would I want to join this merry bunch of pompous twits anyway?! :rolleyes:
 
Doesn't bother me at all. At the end of the day Muirfield are entitled to do what they want its their club, and I'm sure they wont bend just cos some people don't like it.

No one ever complains about all female places, even in things out of golf. Like car insurance, there was women only insurance companies.
 
The Open is The Major all the professionals want to win. It has history and tradition and as the oldest Major, it has respect from golfers the world over. The R&A (the Championship Committee not the golf club of the same name) have done wonders in growing this as a 'world event' over the past twenty years. Entries come from all over the globe, qualifying takes place in strategically chosen venues around the world to make it such a success.

The funding the R&A puts into golf is key in getting people playing this game we all love. The high profile of an event such as this is key to getting people playing this game ( myself included after Trevino beta Jacklin in '72). As long as the venue is a top links course and can provide the infrastructure necessary to host the event, then there is no problem. Golf clubs have changed, some more quickly than others. I'll stick my neck out and say that in 25 years time, there will be no need for a topic such as this to be discussed. It will be a thing of the past.
 
Excuse me?? Has it?? I look forward to reading your next uplifting thread then a topic new to all. Slow play again perhaps? :rolleyes:

I'm not suggesting anything of the sort. I am in fact only asking the question and peoples opinion whether it should be or not? I dont agree with the male only members in clubs but this is Muirfield and one of the finest of its kind etc etc....Is St Andrews a male only members club nowadays then? If it is... then perhaps the same question should be applied? Home of golf and all that?? I know women can play at Muirfield but they cant become a member.... that's the fact therefore we discuss the argument and debate whether it should be the case.

I'm pretty sure it has!

I don't think you are particularly well informed on the setup of St Andrews and that colours your 'argument' for me.
I agree that concentrating the old fuddy-duddies is no bad thing. There are a few objectionable stereotypical attitudes by some Ladies in 'normal' clubs too.

I don't have a problem with a group of like-minded folk (Male or Female) forming a club around a common pastime. And if their like-mindedness happens to also include being of the same sex, then that's fine by me too. There are plenty of mixed clubs about if that's the environment you seek.

If you look at most members club, I'm almost certain that from a golfin point of view (Husband & Wife groups notwithstanding) there is much more segregation (or at least separation) than mixing in any case.

And on a topical note, I don't believe Wimbledon (or other Grand Slam) Ladies winner should receive the same prize money as the Men's winner. Equal pay for equal work imo!
 
It is not a male only event. The top five finishers from the previous 4 Womens' Majors are allowed to enter at the qualifying stage.


Well if that is the case then I strongly disagree with the content of this thread because men can't enter the Ladies open!

So who is being sexist now? Not the R&A!
 
Yes, this has been done to death and, IMO, it's a hugely complicated issue. When I try to explain my perspective on it I don't tend to get much support from the (largely male) forum.

Firstly re Muirfield, I played it earlier in the year on a forum meet. I was made very welcome by everyone there - both to play the course and for lunch in the clubhouse afterwards. Some members of staff even went out of their way to chat to me and see how I'd got on and enjoyed the day. I found them nothing but friendly and welcoming.

However, and while it doesn't exactly keep me awake at night, I do agree that it sends out the wrong signal about golf to the broader population. Yes, single gender clubs exist and while pretty sad I think it fair that they have the right to do so. Personally however, I wouldn't take the Open to these clubs if it were my choice but I'm not about to boycott it.

I hate the argument about "ladies only clubs". Would ladies only golf clubs exist if the male clubs back in the day had been welcoming to us? I don't know but I doubt it.

Don't get me started on ladies only gyms because then you'll all fall out with me. It's not for me but I fully understand why some women can't handle mixed-sex gyms. Not a valid comparison at all in relation to golf clubs!

Thats ridiculous. Just because men only clubs came first is beside the point.
 
Actually if I was a woman... why would I want to join this merry bunch of pompous twits anyway?! :rolleyes:

Thinking about this, given the opportunity (and the necessary finances) I would join. It's an amazing course and if they were letting me in I'd hope it represented a positive change in attitude rather than tokenism. Plus I like playing golf with guys... although hopefully they'd let in more than just me and Condy.
 
Is it? Do you think women could just rock up a club in 1910 and join?

No because it was mens only. Still doesnt affect the argument. Just because mens only was first doesnt clear any blame off ladies only clubs. Its either wrong by both or not wrong at all.

The "well they started it attitude" is a joke tbh.
 
Don't get me started on ladies only gyms because then you'll all fall out with me. It's not for me but I fully understand why some women can't handle mixed-sex gyms. Not a valid comparison at all in relation to golf clubs!

Why can you handle woman not wanting to train in a gym with men, but not men wanting to join a golf club without woman?

Equality has to be a two way street

For the record I am more than happy to golf and train in mixed environments.
 
I'm pretty sure it has!

I don't think you are particularly well informed on the setup of St Andrews and that colours your 'argument' for me.
I agree that concentrating the old fuddy-duddies is no bad thing. There are a few objectionable stereotypical attitudes by some Ladies in 'normal' clubs too.

I don't have a problem with a group of like-minded folk (Male or Female) forming a club around a common pastime. And if their like-mindedness happens to also include being of the same sex, then that's fine by me too. There are plenty of mixed clubs about if that's the environment you seek.

If you look at most members club, I'm almost certain that from a golfin point of view (Husband & Wife groups notwithstanding) there is much more segregation (or at least separation) than mixing in any case.

And on a topical note, I don't believe Wimbledon (or other Grand Slam) Ladies winner should receive the same prize money as the Men's winner. Equal pay for equal work imo!

Good points raised here and we have the same issue at my place :) The numbers are in the mens favour so they take the lead on many an issue and rightly so as its a majority. Your right I'm not overly well informed over St Andrews membership criteria but I wasn't discussing those guys I was discussing Muirfield and its policy of not allowing female membership and the impact/impression this might give to others especially in the worlds spotlight of hosting The Open. If St Andrews has the same approach then perhaps that's an additional area of concern. And christ what a concern it would be! :confused:

People have mentioned that this is old news and theres lots of women only men only clubs....

Firstly it might be old news but its topical enough to be quoted about in this months GM by the Editor and also based on the current bad PR the European tour is getting recently is this not something that should be looked at and discussed? Politically correct and all that it may well be yes and I understand many of the arguments here. Most are very valid and have good argument but when you have the world looking at you and your sport from the home of the game etc you have to get it right. I love the Open and the game but Muirfield, knowingly hosting the biggest Major in the world which is worth millions to them but has some old out of date male only members policy, is some what deluded and rather narrow minded imo. Why open yourself up for more pointless scrutiny? Their next AGM ... "should we allow ladies to join or loose the Open in a few years time???" Maybe then a decent course might get a chance!! :o Sorry ....
 
Thinking about this, given the opportunity (and the necessary finances) I would join. It's an amazing course and if they were letting me in I'd hope it represented a positive change in attitude rather than tokenism. Plus I like playing golf with guys... although hopefully they'd let in more than just me and Condy.

Good for you! :thup:
 
Does anyone have a directline to the man who's giving out these invites that are being turned down? I've got the four days booked off!!!!! :D
 
Is it? Do you think women could just rock up a club in 1910 and join?

I agree, they couldn't but neither could a male with lower social status. Back in those days it was about status & wealth not just gender. There were a lot of golf clubs formed back then because people weren't allowed to join the more elite clubs and I should imagine female only clubs were amongst them.

I dare say there are some clubs I couldn't join now because of my perceived social status and wealth but then I wouldn't want to join those clubs anyway. Snobbery doesn't get frowned upon in the same way as sexism though.

I still think private clubs should be allowed to admit who they like. I personally wouldn't want to be a member of a club that banned women from joining but that is my choice as much as it is theirs to pick the membership
 
I see that I cant play Muirfield as a visitor if I'm 15 years old

I also see that I cant play Muirfield as a visitor because my h/cap is 24

Seems that 22 year old 15 h/cap women get all the breaks !! :D
 
Are all the members likely to be pompous twits?
Probably not (quite) all, but my experience of such clubs is that a seriously high percentage are!

@FD Lunch in the Clubhouse? There was a time when Ladies weren't allowed in there, so I guess there have been changes to the Changing Room environment - it was certainly an open changing area when I was last there last (quite a while ago) and Anne got rather used to encountering barely clothed 'gentlemen'(I'm pretty sure that's what her words were). If so, that's an excellent step forward from when Faldo (admirably) refused to go into the Clubhouse after he'd won The Open because his wife wasn't allowed in.
 
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