WEDNESDAY VOTE WILL DECIDE IF EGU AND EWGA MERGE
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH GOLF WEBSITE
By OLIVER BROWN
In a critical moment for the future of English amateur golf, members of the country’s male and female associations will vote on Wednesday on whether to merge into a single governing body, in the hope that the move can reverse a decline in club memberships and redress a perception that the sport is outdated.
The male-run English Golf Union and the English Women’s Golf Association have voiced concerns that the segregation of men and women is “increasingly out of step with people’s expectations”.
Golf has come under intense pressure to modernise this year, having faced the controversy of the Open being held at Royal St George’s, a men-only members’ club. The calls for change are also hastened by the sport’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics, where competition categories – in cycling in particular – have been changed on gender equality grounds.
The English (men's) Golf Union and the English Women's Golf Associatiom argue that “the negative perception of golf being a divided game and not welcoming to all will be reinforced” should members vote against the merger.
“The sport will be perceived as being out of touch with today’s generation and not being reflective of the wishes of men and women playing sport in England. Failure to merge could also have a severe impact on future Government funding,” the joint document says.
A precedent has been set by the Marylebone Cricket Club (London), which voted in 1998 to admit female members out of the same fear of losing essential cash. John Petrie, chief executive of the EGU, described tomorrow’s decision as “vital for the future of golf”.
He explained: “If we wish to progress, we must represent both the men and women who play the game at amateur level. Golf clubs want to attract men and women, boys and girls. They are effectively merged, and having separate national bodies does not represent the face of the vast majority of our clubs.”
While golf ranks second only to football in terms of club membership, encompassing about 650,000 men and 120,000 women across England, it continues to fight allegations of sexism. St Andrews recommended a change to its male-only policy earlier this year to comply with the 2010 Equality Act. The Act does not explicitly ban single-sex clubs, but prohibits private clubs from discriminating on the basis of gender.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE EDITOR
+The Welsh men and women's amateur golf associations merged two or three years ago but earlier this year the Scottish (men's) Golf Union voted against a merger with the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association whose members had voted in favour. The Irish (men's) Golf Union and the Irish Ladies Golf Union are still separate bodies.
By OLIVER BROWN
In a critical moment for the future of English amateur golf, members of the country’s male and female associations will vote on Wednesday on whether to merge into a single governing body, in the hope that the move can reverse a decline in club memberships and redress a perception that the sport is outdated.
The male-run English Golf Union and the English Women’s Golf Association have voiced concerns that the segregation of men and women is “increasingly out of step with people’s expectations”.
Golf has come under intense pressure to modernise this year, having faced the controversy of the Open being held at Royal St George’s, a men-only members’ club. The calls for change are also hastened by the sport’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics, where competition categories – in cycling in particular – have been changed on gender equality grounds.
The English (men's) Golf Union and the English Women's Golf Associatiom argue that “the negative perception of golf being a divided game and not welcoming to all will be reinforced” should members vote against the merger.
“The sport will be perceived as being out of touch with today’s generation and not being reflective of the wishes of men and women playing sport in England. Failure to merge could also have a severe impact on future Government funding,” the joint document says.
A precedent has been set by the Marylebone Cricket Club (London), which voted in 1998 to admit female members out of the same fear of losing essential cash. John Petrie, chief executive of the EGU, described tomorrow’s decision as “vital for the future of golf”.
He explained: “If we wish to progress, we must represent both the men and women who play the game at amateur level. Golf clubs want to attract men and women, boys and girls. They are effectively merged, and having separate national bodies does not represent the face of the vast majority of our clubs.”
While golf ranks second only to football in terms of club membership, encompassing about 650,000 men and 120,000 women across England, it continues to fight allegations of sexism. St Andrews recommended a change to its male-only policy earlier this year to comply with the 2010 Equality Act. The Act does not explicitly ban single-sex clubs, but prohibits private clubs from discriminating on the basis of gender.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE EDITOR
+The Welsh men and women's amateur golf associations merged two or three years ago but earlier this year the Scottish (men's) Golf Union voted against a merger with the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association whose members had voted in favour. The Irish (men's) Golf Union and the Irish Ladies Golf Union are still separate bodies.
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