Muirfield hopeful of second vote on female members as golf club seeks to repair reputation

Muirfield looks likely to hold a second ballot on whether or not to admit women as members. The private East Lothian links golf course was subject to severe criticism in May, and was subsequently banned by the R&A from staging The Open Championship after an initial postal vote to alter its archaic male-only membership policy failed to generate the two-thirds majority required, despite backing from the club committee.

That 64% majority was met with widespread shock and derision, with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon describing the decision as outdated, indefensible and wrong.

David Cameron also stressed the need for sports clubs to be open to both sexes, while a chorus of golfers past and present including the likes of Gary Player, Rory McIlroy, Sir Nick Faldo, Paul Lawrie, Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter were also quick to back the decision to remove Muirfield from the 10-course British Open rota.

Six weeks later such a failure is still causing much consternation and Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers captain Henry Fairweather has now stressed the need for a new, comprehensive vote in favour of change.

"A substantial majority of our members voted for change, and many have voiced their disappointment with the ballot result and with subsequent events," he said in a statement.

"The club committee believes that a clear and decisive vote in favor of admitting women as members is required to enable us to begin the task of restoring the reputation of the club that has been damaged by the earlier ballot outcome."

The Open was last held at Muirfield in 2013, when America's Phil Mickelson collected his fifth major title by carding a brilliant final-round 66 to win by three shots over Henrik Stenson in Gullane. McIlroy triumphed at Hoylake in 2014 and last year Zach Johnson added to his 2007 Masters victory by outlasting Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a three-man play-off at St Andrews. The latest edition is scheduled to take place at Royal Troon in South Ayrshire on 14-17 July 2016.