First Minister for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has called on Royal Troon Golf Club to admit women members before it stages the Open Championship in July.

“There should be nowhere in Scotland off limits to women and I hope Royal Troon reflects that”. The Royal and Ancient admitted its first women members in 2014, and Royal Troon is still consulting on the issue, but it looks unlikely that a decision will be taken before the end of the year. If that is the case Mrs Sturgeon may choose to follow the lead of her predecessor Alex Salmond who refused to attend the Open at Muirfield in 2013 because of its single sex policy.

A spokesman for Royal Troon Golf Club explained that the Troon Ladies Golf Club also play on the links and there is a joint Championship Committee looking after the arrangements for this year’s Open, one venue with shared facilities.

Nice try, but it is the club itself who are hosting the Championship. Their consultation process has been dragging on for far too long. A decision should be made now.