All-Male R&A Makes Seve Ballesteros Honorary Member

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 11, 2009 11:16 AM EST Comment 7 comments

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrew's (aka The R&A) has made Seve Ballesteros an honorary member. Seve, still battling cancer, has said that he hopes to play in the 2010 Open Championship at St. Andrew's that will mark the 150th anniversary of the first playing of the championship.

"I am greatly honoured to accept Honorary Membership of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews," Seve said. "I have had, perhaps, the outstanding moment of my career at St Andrews and the town will always retain a very special place close to my heart. I sincerely hope that I will be able to come back next year and be part of the 150th Anniversary of The Open Championship."

Seve joins this list of guys who have become honorary members of the club:

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT.
His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG, KCVO, ADC.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent KG, GCMG, GCVO.
The Hon. George Herbert Walker Bush GCB.
Peter Alliss
Tony Jacklin CBE.
John Jacobs OBE.
Kel Nagle
Jack Nicklaus
Arnold Palmer
Gary Player
Peter Thomson CBE, AO.
Lee Trevino
Roberto De Vicenzo
Tom Watson

Note that the R&A doesn't allow women to join its club.

But Peter Dawson thinks that's ok because St. Andrew's is a public course, so women can play the course. They just can't be in the club. So, congrats to Seve on a well-deserved distinction. Still, for those of you who complain about Augusta National's membership policies, the R&A's is worse.

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I didn't know Martha Burk had a cousin in Maryland

oh geez – engaged and already giving up the pants in the family.

don’t demean Seve’s honor with this stuff

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 11, 2009 11:20 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ryan,

The course IS a public course, run by the "St Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organisation, established in 1974 by an Act of Parliament and entrusted with the operation and maintenance of the golf courses and facilities. […]

The Links Management Committee is responsible to the Trustees for the operation of the golf facilities. Both bodies are comprised of volunteers nominated by Fife Council and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club."

The Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrew does not own any of the St Andrews courses, despite the common misconception, and must share the tee times with members of other local clubs, residents and visitors. As a private club, it has the right to choose to exclude membership as it sees fit.

That said, I don’t really see a problem with an all-mens or an all-women’s club if that’s how people choose to associate.

by Old Man Par on Nov 11, 2009 1:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I know that the course is public. I’m not disputing that. But, there is a serious discrepancy in having a private, all-male club based around a public monument to the game that is accessible to all – even those that don’t play.

A private club with a private course can do whatever they feel like. ANGC can pick and choose its membership and it’s not really my business (though since they choose to present a public, global tournament that could be heavily debated).

But, the R&A isn’t in ANGC’s position.

Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 11, 2009 1:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“ANGC can pick and choose its membership and it’s not really my business (though since they choose to present a public, global tournament that could be heavily debated).”

True, it could, but there’s a world of difference between ANGC and your local semi-private operated by a public company. We may not like it, but their real discriminating factor there is money, then gender. If you have a lot of it and you meet whatever criteria Captains of Industry use to choose their friends, maybe you get an invite. If you don’t you don’t.

We like to think in this country that we have a right to join whatever club we might like to be a member of, but it doesn’t work that way and never has. Women are not allowed to join the Freemasons, for example. Men aren’t welcome in the DAR, nor are women who have no genealogical line to the American Revolution. That’s just how they roll.

by Old Man Par on Nov 11, 2009 1:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I fully respect ANGC’s right to have a private club with whatever membership that they choose. My quasi-problem lies in the fact that they’re trying to also promote the game of golf with the Masters, the First Tee alliance, the Asian Am, and such, but all of those groups really are not welcome into the club. They’re just welcome to participate in their activities – at their discretion.

Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 11, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And NONE of this has to do with Seve Ballesteros – taking this honor in this direction is completely disrespectful to the man.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 11, 2009 3:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree with Court...

…that it was gratuitous to link a post about the R & A policies on women to Seve Ballesteros… but I understand that’s the way things are done these days.

If the policies are perceived to be wrong by enough of the population they will be eliminated.

by golfgirl on Nov 12, 2009 1:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

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