Would you join a golf club that banned someone from joining based on race or religion ?
Would you play a golf course that banned someone from joining based on race or religion?
Would the government stand by and allow any golf club to ban someone based on race or religion? You can guarantee they would not!
The Prime minister, leaders of opposition, every major media out let would be up in arms, these clubs and member would be outed as racists and publicly crucified!
So why do we stand back and accept discrimination of women at certain golf clubs?
Women make up 52% of the population in the UK and still face exclusion from certain golf clubs based purely on their gender.
In 2013 is this really socially acceptable? In fact is it morally acceptable?
Imagine the scene at the R&A if you will:
Reporter “can I speak to the secretary please”
Secretary “this is the secretary of the R&A, how can I help”
Reporter “Apparently (insert name of club here) has banned a black Muslim guy from joining based on his race & religion, are you still to prepared to let them host the Open?”
Secretary “ Oh heavens, we will withdraw the Open from them immediately, the R&A can not be seen to support racism or sectarianism in any way or form, its 2013 for heavens sake, not the dark ages!”
Reporter “While I have you sir what’s the R&A’s stance on sexism and men only clubs?…. Hello??……Hello???
Sounds ludicrous doesn’t it ? Yet its happing as you read this.
This year the Open Championship is being held at Muirfield, a men only membership club.
In Scotland we have a government that has been extremely proactive in supporting golf.
In 2011 the Scottish Government introduced an investment of £2 million to Clubgolf over 4 years.
Club golf was set up in 2003 as part of the legacy of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Its aim was to provide every child in Scotland the opportunity to experience golf, encouraging them to become part of the game and developing their potential as they progress. Included in this was a commitment to increase the participation of young girls in golf, to find out more you can visit Clubgolf on www.clubgolfscotland.com
When Barclays withdrew their sponsorship of the Scottish Open the Scottish Government & First Minister Alex Salmond were instrumental in finding a new sponsor in order for the event to continue.
I know Alex Salmond, I have played golf with Alex Salmond, he is very genuine in his love of golf, even though he is a complete bandit on the golf course.
Alex in his role as Scotlands First Minister has announced he will not be attending the Open Championship this year because it is being held at a men only golf club, Alex has long criticised men only clubs so this should not be a surprise, but it is.
Putting party politics to one side this is a brave decision by Scotland’s First Minister, Muirfield is seen as 1 of the finest courses in Scotland an we are have a huge tourism push on golf in Scotland and in particular East Lothian as Scotland’s golf coast, this is public condemnation by him to both Muirfield and the R&A, but the thing is he is 100% correct.
Behind closed doors there are already muttering’s about this being a political stunt to gain the female vote in the forth coming Independence vote, I don’t believe it is.
As I said this is not something Mr Salmond has not spoken out against before.
I for one welcome his stance and I hope every other political leader in Scotland and the UK join him in his stance.
I think the R&A is a sexist organisation that supports sexism in golf, if it was not sexist it would have made a stance by now but it continually ignores it and sweeps it under the carpet, ok they probably have a women to sweep it under the carpet for them!
The Ricoh Women’s British Open is being held at the home of golf this year, would this not be the perfect time for the R&A to announce that in the future no men only clubs would be allowed to host the Open Championship ??
In the meantime I will write my letter to Santa, put my teeth under the pillow for the tooth fairy, go swimming with Nessie and keep collecting pixie dust, all are more realistic that the R&A fighting sexism in golf.
Would you play a golf course that banned someone from joining based on race or religion?
Would the government stand by and allow any golf club to ban someone based on race or religion? You can guarantee they would not!
The Prime minister, leaders of opposition, every major media out let would be up in arms, these clubs and member would be outed as racists and publicly crucified!
So why do we stand back and accept discrimination of women at certain golf clubs?
Women make up 52% of the population in the UK and still face exclusion from certain golf clubs based purely on their gender.
In 2013 is this really socially acceptable? In fact is it morally acceptable?
Imagine the scene at the R&A if you will:
Reporter “can I speak to the secretary please”
Secretary “this is the secretary of the R&A, how can I help”
Reporter “Apparently (insert name of club here) has banned a black Muslim guy from joining based on his race & religion, are you still to prepared to let them host the Open?”
Secretary “ Oh heavens, we will withdraw the Open from them immediately, the R&A can not be seen to support racism or sectarianism in any way or form, its 2013 for heavens sake, not the dark ages!”
Reporter “While I have you sir what’s the R&A’s stance on sexism and men only clubs?…. Hello??……Hello???
Sounds ludicrous doesn’t it ? Yet its happing as you read this.
This year the Open Championship is being held at Muirfield, a men only membership club.
In Scotland we have a government that has been extremely proactive in supporting golf.
In 2011 the Scottish Government introduced an investment of £2 million to Clubgolf over 4 years.
Club golf was set up in 2003 as part of the legacy of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Its aim was to provide every child in Scotland the opportunity to experience golf, encouraging them to become part of the game and developing their potential as they progress. Included in this was a commitment to increase the participation of young girls in golf, to find out more you can visit Clubgolf on www.clubgolfscotland.com
When Barclays withdrew their sponsorship of the Scottish Open the Scottish Government & First Minister Alex Salmond were instrumental in finding a new sponsor in order for the event to continue.
I know Alex Salmond, I have played golf with Alex Salmond, he is very genuine in his love of golf, even though he is a complete bandit on the golf course.
Alex in his role as Scotlands First Minister has announced he will not be attending the Open Championship this year because it is being held at a men only golf club, Alex has long criticised men only clubs so this should not be a surprise, but it is.
Putting party politics to one side this is a brave decision by Scotland’s First Minister, Muirfield is seen as 1 of the finest courses in Scotland an we are have a huge tourism push on golf in Scotland and in particular East Lothian as Scotland’s golf coast, this is public condemnation by him to both Muirfield and the R&A, but the thing is he is 100% correct.
Behind closed doors there are already muttering’s about this being a political stunt to gain the female vote in the forth coming Independence vote, I don’t believe it is.
As I said this is not something Mr Salmond has not spoken out against before.
I for one welcome his stance and I hope every other political leader in Scotland and the UK join him in his stance.
I think the R&A is a sexist organisation that supports sexism in golf, if it was not sexist it would have made a stance by now but it continually ignores it and sweeps it under the carpet, ok they probably have a women to sweep it under the carpet for them!
The Ricoh Women’s British Open is being held at the home of golf this year, would this not be the perfect time for the R&A to announce that in the future no men only clubs would be allowed to host the Open Championship ??
In the meantime I will write my letter to Santa, put my teeth under the pillow for the tooth fairy, go swimming with Nessie and keep collecting pixie dust, all are more realistic that the R&A fighting sexism in golf.
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