Muirfield seeks another vote on female members

Muirfield Golf Club is seeking to hold a second vote on allowing women members just six weeks after the membership rejected the proposal, triggering the organizers of the R&A to pull the course from the British Open rota.

In May, the proposal received 64 percent approval, but was short of the two-thirds majority required to change the policy. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (HCEG), which owns and runs the Muirfield club, wants to hold another vote by the end of the year and has called for a special general meeting to seek approval for it.

"A substantial majority of our members voted for change and many have voiced their disappointment with the ballot result and with subsequent events," HCEG captain Henry Fairweather said Monday.

"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."

Muirfield has played host to the British Open 16 times dating back to 1892, with Phil Mickelson winning the most recent one in 2013. The British Open rota includes 10 courses, and Muirfield was pulled from the list in May following the original vote.