R&A Women Members Might Be Getting Their Own Locker Room Eventually, Probably

Given the R&A’s progressive push under Martin Slumbers, this story from Ewan Murray of The Guardian reveals plans are (finally) in motion to add a women’s locker room to the Royal and Ancient clubhouse are finally in motion.

He provides the backstory, hiccups and an update on the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews’ very slow efforts to add a place for the many new female members to gather, change and…act like members. Not that anything related to the plight of Princess Anne and the other lucky few compares to real world problems, but this is worth noting…

“We are in the early stages of planning upgrades to the clubhouse, including the installation of women’s changing rooms,” a spokesman for the R&A said. “We are consulting with members before we finalise our plans. There is no firm timetable but it will be a phased programme which will take us beyond 2021.”

The number of women among the R&A’s global membership of around 2,000 is unknown. Princess Anne, Laura Davies and Annika Sorenstam were among the first to gain admission. Perhaps it is unfair to castigate the R&A for doing the right thing. The clubhouse, as opened in 1854, will not be a particularly easy building to modify. The enhancements will be costly.

Nonetheless, it is bizarre that having admitted women to such fanfare, the delivering of equal facilities was not an immediate goal.