Golf's oldest all male bastion finally crumbles after 260 years

Women members would be allowed in The Royal and Ancient Golf Club for the first time in its 260-year history after the club voted in favour of the same.

The St Andrews-based club has 2,400 global members who were entitled to vote and more than three-quarters took part in the ballot, out of which 85 percent were in favour of the change.

Chief Executive of the club Peter Dawson said that this is an important and positive day in the history of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, adding that the club has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and he is confident that it will continue to do so in future with the support of all its members, both women and men, The BBC reported.

Dawson added that the vote would take immediate effect and a significant initial number of women would be fast-tracked to membership in the coming months to avoid the long waiting list.

Founded in 1754, the Royal and Ancient's members play on the St Andrews links course regarded as the home of golf.

Before Thursday's vote, women could play on the course, on Scotland's east coast, but they were not allowed in the clubhouse and had no significant part in the sport's rulemaking arm, the R andA.

A statement from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) backed the results of the ballot. It stated that the LPGA is happy to hear that the members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews have voted to include female members.

The statement also said that this decision is certainly a step in the right direction and one that better captures the current diversity and inclusiveness of their great game.

Sports Minister Helen Grant also supported the move, saying that she is pleased that the members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews have voted in favour of admitting women members.

She said that this is positive news for the sport and she hopes they will now see other golf clubs that still have outdated same sex policies follow suit.