Royal & Ancient Golf Club members told to open membership to women

Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews looks set to end its men-only status after 260 years.

The clubhouse has written to all of its 2,500 members recommending that they agree to allow women to join.

St Andrews has consistently resisted political and commercial pressure to overhaul the admissions policy at its clubhouse. Now, chairman of the General Committee Wilson Sibbet, has unexpectedly told members in a letter that they should accept the change as ‘inevitable’.