The Loop

Player takes another exclusionary club to task

June 27, 2009

Gary Player was among the first to speak out against Augusta National's membership policy that excludes women, so it should have come as no surprise to the hierarchy at Muirfield that he disagrees with the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers' similar men-only policy.

Yet it apparently caught club secretary Alastair Brown off guard when Player spoke out against Muirfield's policy, according to this report in the Scotsman.

"One thing travel has taught me is to have respect for other people's point of view but I have to tell you, I do not agree with (the policy)," he told the Scotsman.

"Golf would not be the game it is without women. Winston Churchill said that change is the price of survival. I agree with that. I just don't see the point of excluding any member of society."

The story, written by Tom English and Marc Horne, says that Brown "was taken aback by Player's comments. He said: 'We are a private members' club and we conduct our own affairs. We don't have lady members, but ladies play here every day as guests.'"

Fifty years ago, Player won the British Open at Muirfield.

-- John Strege