Feminist takes on 'sexist' Open

The issue will not go away because the next two Opens after Muirfield will also be at clubs operating a men-only membership policy.

Next year it will be at Royal St George's in Kent (where a sign existed for many years expressly banning "dogs and women"), while Royal Troon near Ayr hosts the following Open.

Significantly, 2003 is when Prince Andrew will become captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) at St Andrews. The club not only promotes The Open but acts as golf 's governing body and rulemaker with jurisdiction around the globe apart from the United States and Mexico.

The R&A has been exclusively male since it was founded in 1754. Effectively, its policy means that while Prince Andrew can be a member, his mother, the Queen, cannot.

Peter Dawson, secretary of the R&A, said: "The club's view is that there is room in golf for all kinds of clubs. Where clubs have a mixed membership then equal rights should apply. But we do believe in rights of assembly and feel there's a place for all-male clubs and allwomen clubs.

"I honestly don't think social engineering is part of our role."

He may have to think again if Burk is successful in lobbying highprofile sponsors such as Coca-Cola, IBM and Citigroup.

They pour millions of dollars into the Masters in the same way companies including Mastercard, Nikon and Hewlett-Packard provide lucrative backing for The Open.

In a letter to Hootie Johnson, chairman of Augusta National, Burk wrote: "We know that Augusta National and the sponsors of the Masters do not want to be viewed as entities that tolerate discrimination-against any group, including women."

She later explained: "I find it interesting to think that if the club barred blacks, whether any sponsor would come near it in this day and age. Why should it be different for barring half the population?

"I will tell you this, I expect a serious response".

The response from Johnson was defiant. He said: "Our membership alone decides our membership, not any outside group with its own agenda. The message delivered to us was clearly coercive. We will not be bullied, threatened or intimidated. We do not intend to become a trophy in their display cabinet."

The secretary at Muirfield, Group Captain John Prideaux, was less strident in his reply to calls for female membership, but the message was just as emphatic.

"We resist change here," he admitted. "Call us fuddy-duddies if you will, but it is a lovely place to come and meet like- minded individuals."

Yesterday, sports minister Richard Caborn stepped into the row. He said: "It is not just about Muirfield. It is about actually trying to get governing bodies now to look at what we want to do in the 21st century, and that is to bring as many participants into sport.

"In terms of golf I think that it would be good for governing bodies to reflect and see that they are doing everything they can to make sure that we can have the widest participation in sport." Dawson said: "If I was the Minister of Sport I would have thought the way to handle any issues regarding the Open Championship was to speak to us.

"In what other country would the Sports Minister choose to have a little knock at a sport during its biggest week?

"I've not met Mr Caborn. He came to the Open last year and was entertained by the Royal and Ancient, but he has not been in contact regarding any matter concerning the game of golf."

While there are no women members at Augusta National, women are permitted to play what is regarded to be one of the world's finest golf courses. It is the same at Muirfield, host to 14 Open Championships which golf great Jack Nicklaus described as "my favourite course".

Yet policy changes are already taking place in America, even if not specifically in Augusta. The United States Golf Association and the Professional Golf Association of America, organisers of two majors, the US Open and the US PGA Championship, will no longer promote in association with clubs which discriminate over sex or colour.

On this side of the Atlantic, attitudes remain entrenched and organisations representing women golfers are not ready to beat the same drum as Burk even though 30 per cent of all members in British golf clubs are female.

A spokesman for the Ladies' Golf Union said: "Organisers look at courses rather than clubs when considering suitability for events. They would therefore have no problem going to somewhere like Muirfield."

A spokesman for the Ladies European Tour (LET) said they would not promote a tournament at a club that actively discriminated against women while LET professionals were on the premises.

But he pointed out that last year, during a tournament at Royal Porthcawl where there is a menonly bar in the clubhouse, that room was used as the lounge for the women competitors. "The club treated the players like royalty," he said. In fact, a more pertinent problem confronting golf is elitism rather than sexism. Back at Muirfield, which has no junior section and where the privileges of the members are notoriously protected, the welcome can be as biting as the wind whipping in from the sea whatever the sex of the visitor.

A famous stories about the place concerns an unannounced visit in 1991 by the late Payne Stewart, one of America's star players who had just won the US Open.

Despite his fame, popularity and status within the game, Stewart was told his request for a tee-off time could not be accommodated.

Disappointed, he moved on to the neighbouring course at Gullane where, from the seventh tee, he had a perfect view of the Muirfield links. There was not a soul on it.