Muirfield Gold Club members branded 'dinosaurs' as they vote against allowing women to join

Muirfield was heavily criticised today after its members voted against allowing women to join the club, a decision which has cost the course its status as an Open Championship venue.

A two-thirds majority was required to change the men-only policy but 36 per cent (219 members) voted against.

Muirfield first hosted the Open in 1892 but the game’s governing body, the R&A, has come under increasing pressure to only pick Open hosts where clubs have female players among its members. As a result it today stripped Muirfield of its hosting rights.

Muirfield as a club had been pushing for the inclusion of women members during the two-year consultation process but a group of 33 members had, however, canvassed sufficiently to halt female members of the club, which was founded in 1744.

In a letter to members, the group had said: “Regardless of conventions when they (women) first join they are likely over time to question our foursomes play, our match system, the uncompromising challenge our fine links present, our lunch arrangements.

“It will take a very special lady golfer to be able to do all the things that are expected of them in the template which is suggested and the ladies’ membership as a whole may not meet this standard.”

The result of today’s vote was widely condemned with the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, leading the criticism. She tweeted: “Scotland has women leaders in every walk of life. It is 2016. This is simply indefensible.”

Other campaigners hit out on Twitter with Penny Collenette writing “12 votes short. Ridiculous dinosaurs”, while Stephen Mulholland posted: “Well played #Muirfield members. Revealed yourselves to be disgusting dinosaurs.”

Samuel Skelding added: “The members at Muirfield are proof that dinosaurs still walk the Earth.”