Muirfield Invites Women Members After 2017 Vote
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers has invited 12 women to become members of the club for the first time
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers has invited 12 women to become members of the club for the first time
Muirfield Invites Women Members After 2017 Vote
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (HCEG), which has its home at Muirfield in East Lothian, Scotland, has formally invited women to become members for the first time since voting to change the club’s rules in 2017.
Twelve women, along with three men, have been invited to take up membership from 1st July after taking part in the club’s traditional process, which the club say is the same for all members.
The club voted to allow women members in March 2017 by a majority of 80%, beating the two-thirds it needed which it failed to reach in 2016.
Muirfield was then taken off of the Open rota after the vote in 2016 but was re-instated after the successful vote to allow women members.
The course, which ranks 3rd in our UK and Ireland Top 100, last hosted the Open in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won the Claret Jug for the first time.
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It could host in 2023, as that will likely be the next time Scotland hosts the world's oldest Major.
The HCEG was founded in 1744 and is recognised as the oldest golf club in the world.
Muirfield was built in 1891 and it has since gone on to host 16 Open Championships.
Alistair Campbell, captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, said:
“It is my great pleasure to announce that 12 women have been formally invited to join the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers this month.
"This marks a milestone in the Club’s illustrious history, and we look forward to welcoming all of our new members to share in the great values and traditions of our club.
“We are delighted now to have completed the extensive renovation of the Clubhouse which includes improvements to the whole building for the first time since 1980.
"We now have a Clubhouse that matches our world-class golf course.”
The renovated Muirfield Clubhouse, which was originally built in 1891, also houses an exceptional display of the club’s history and memorabilia.
It includes a showcase of the ’13 Rules of Golf’ - the earliest known written rules of the game which were drafted by the club in March 1744.
Also on display is the Silver Club, the sport’s first trophy, which was presented on March 7th, 1744.
How to become a member at Muirfield:
As is the tradition at HCEG, individuals who are invited to become members of the club must first be proposed and seconded by existing members and five referees.
The club’s membership is then invited to write in support, or otherwise, of those put forward, who are personally known to them or have golfed with them.
This process is the same for men and women.
Twelve women, two of whom are overseas candidates, have now successfully progressed to this final stage of the approval process.
They have now been formally invited to join as members of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
Alistair Campbell added:
“This year marks the 275th anniversary of the club’s first recorded golf competition.
"We are proud of our club’s rich history but equally excited for its future and the part all of our new members will play in the club’s cherished traditions.”
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Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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