By . Mark Duell and Victoria Allen . PUBLISHED: . 02:54 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:51 EST, 18 July 2013 . Male-only golf clubs are ‘for some people a way of life that they rather like’, the head of the sport’s governing body insisted yesterday. Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, said ahead of today’s 142nd British Open at Muirfield in East Lothian, that it was not sexist to exclude women from clubs. The Open Championship is being held at the famous course in Scotland, where women are banned from being members - causing a controversy threatening to overshadow the competition. 'A way of life': Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, said ahead of today's 142nd British Open at Muirfield in East Lothian, Scotland, that it was not sexist to exclude women from clubs . Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, Culture Secretary Maria Miller and Sport Minister Hugh Robertson have all announced they will boycott this week’s golf for its perceived sexism. But Mr Dawson yesterday defended the course’s ban on women, saying: ‘I really don’t think that a golf club that has a policy of being a place where like-minded men or indeed women go, play golf together and do their thing together, ranks up against some of these other forms of discrimination. ‘For some people, it is a way of life they rather like. I don’t think they are intending to do others down. You can dress it up to be a lot more if you want. No women in sight: England's Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and England's Matthew Fitzpatrick on the 4th during practice day three for the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Club, East Lothian, on Tuesday . ‘But if on a Sunday morning the guy, or . the lady, gets out of the marital bed, if you like, and plays golf with . his chums and comes back in the afternoon - that is not on any kind of . par with racial discrimination or anti-Semitism.’ He added: ‘We do believe that . membership policy is a matter for clubs. And it will take a lot to push . us off that position. We happen to believe that very strongly.’ But Mr Dawson was forced to concede that the issue of single-sex clubs would be re-examined. With the eyes of the world on Scotland, Mr Dawson said it would be a ‘hard push’ to change the Royal and Ancient’s policy but accepted the issue of single-sex clubs had become ‘divisive’. He added: ‘It’s a subject that we’re finding increasingly difficult, to be honest. Single-sex clubs are in a very small minority in the UK. Male-only club: Golf fans make their way across the 18th fairway during practice day four for the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Club in East Lothian . 'Half of them are women-only, half . are men-only. They’re perfectly legal. In our view, they don’t do anyone . any harm and we think the right of freedom of association is . important.’ But he said he understood the view . that three male-only clubs - Muirfield, Royal Troon in Ayrshire and . Royal St George’s in Kent - should not be listed among the nine courses . which host the Open. At Muirfield, women can play only as a . guest of a member or by booking tee-time in advance as a visitor. They . have been banned by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers for 269 . years. Laura Davies, the . most successful British woman player of modern times, said this week it . was time Muirfield caught up with the 21st century. A . Muirfield Club spokesman said: ‘We conform to the Equality Act 2010 and . any change in the membership would be for the members to decide. There . are no plans to change the current membership status.’ Muirfield Golf Club has brought the debate into the public mind as it is hosting the Open this year. The club has a male-only policy . Muirfield is a privately owned course which is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Established in 1744 in Gullane, Scotland, Muirfield has hosted The Open Championship fifteen times, most recently in 2002 when Ernie Els lifted the trophy. Single-sex clubs are not illegal in Britain and exist in the golfing world and other sports and social situations but opponents have accused them of being outdated and out-of-touch. Though women can play the course as guests or visitors they are barred from holding membership of Muirfield. But one source told the Daily telegraph: ‘The notion of women members is talked about openly now, rather than in whispers. It is not a case of if any longer, but when.’ The issue of single sex golf clubs has become huge in the golfing world, but the club maintains that its policy is to ask their members before changing. There are about 3,000 courses in Britain. Around about 1% of them have a single sex membership policy. Of that 1% or so, half of them, slightly more than half, are women-only clubs in BritainHistorically these clubs were first formed, because they couldn't get into the men's clubs at that time . Supporters of single-sex clubs have said that members of these clubs don't want to change. Members of both men’s and women’s clubs are very happy with the policy. In April Peter Dawson said in a statement : ‘Why should perhaps 5,000 members of these various clubs change something that they're very happy with? 'And I don't know who could make that happen, because the feeling is very strong here, that this works, this model here at St Andrews works.’
Peter Dawson insists that it's not sexist to exclude women from clubs .
Open 2013 at Scotland's Muirfield Club where women can't be members .
Alex Salmond, Maria Miller and Hugh Robertson are all boycotting event .
Mr Dawson concedes that issue of single-sex clubs will be re-examined .
But says that the ban should not be compared to racial discrimination .
By . Mark Duell and Victoria Allen . PUBLISHED: . 02:54 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:51 EST, 18 July 2013 . Male-only golf clubs are ‘for some people a way of life that they rather like’, the head of the sport’s governing body insisted yesterday. Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, said ahead of today’s 142nd British Open at Muirfield in East Lothian, that it was not sexist to exclude women from clubs. The Open Championship is being held at the famous course in Scotland, where women are banned from being members - causing a controversy threatening to overshadow the competition. 'A way of life': Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, said ahead of today's 142nd British Open at Muirfield in East Lothian, Scotland, that it was not sexist to exclude women from clubs . Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, Culture Secretary Maria Miller and Sport Minister Hugh Robertson have all announced they will boycott this week’s golf for its perceived sexism. But Mr Dawson yesterday defended the course’s ban on women, saying: ‘I really don’t think that a golf club that has a policy of being a place where like-minded men or indeed women go, play golf together and do their thing together, ranks up against some of these other forms of discrimination. ‘For some people, it is a way of life they rather like. I don’t think they are intending to do others down. You can dress it up to be a lot more if you want. No women in sight: England's Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and England's Matthew Fitzpatrick on the 4th during practice day three for the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Club, East Lothian, on Tuesday . ‘But if on a Sunday morning the guy, or . the lady, gets out of the marital bed, if you like, and plays golf with . his chums and comes back in the afternoon - that is not on any kind of . par with racial discrimination or anti-Semitism.’ He added: ‘We do believe that . membership policy is a matter for clubs. And it will take a lot to push . us off that position. We happen to believe that very strongly.’ But Mr Dawson was forced to concede that the issue of single-sex clubs would be re-examined. With the eyes of the world on Scotland, Mr Dawson said it would be a ‘hard push’ to change the Royal and Ancient’s policy but accepted the issue of single-sex clubs had become ‘divisive’. He added: ‘It’s a subject that we’re finding increasingly difficult, to be honest. Single-sex clubs are in a very small minority in the UK. Male-only club: Golf fans make their way across the 18th fairway during practice day four for the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Club in East Lothian . 'Half of them are women-only, half . are men-only. They’re perfectly legal. In our view, they don’t do anyone . any harm and we think the right of freedom of association is . important.’ But he said he understood the view . that three male-only clubs - Muirfield, Royal Troon in Ayrshire and . Royal St George’s in Kent - should not be listed among the nine courses . which host the Open. At Muirfield, women can play only as a . guest of a member or by booking tee-time in advance as a visitor. They . have been banned by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers for 269 . years. Laura Davies, the . most successful British woman player of modern times, said this week it . was time Muirfield caught up with the 21st century. A . Muirfield Club spokesman said: ‘We conform to the Equality Act 2010 and . any change in the membership would be for the members to decide. There . are no plans to change the current membership status.’ Muirfield Golf Club has brought the debate into the public mind as it is hosting the Open this year. The club has a male-only policy . Muirfield is a privately owned course which is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Established in 1744 in Gullane, Scotland, Muirfield has hosted The Open Championship fifteen times, most recently in 2002 when Ernie Els lifted the trophy. Single-sex clubs are not illegal in Britain and exist in the golfing world and other sports and social situations but opponents have accused them of being outdated and out-of-touch. Though women can play the course as guests or visitors they are barred from holding membership of Muirfield. But one source told the Daily telegraph: ‘The notion of women members is talked about openly now, rather than in whispers. It is not a case of if any longer, but when.’ The issue of single sex golf clubs has become huge in the golfing world, but the club maintains that its policy is to ask their members before changing. There are about 3,000 courses in Britain. Around about 1% of them have a single sex membership policy. Of that 1% or so, half of them, slightly more than half, are women-only clubs in BritainHistorically these clubs were first formed, because they couldn't get into the men's clubs at that time . Supporters of single-sex clubs have said that members of these clubs don't want to change. Members of both men’s and women’s clubs are very happy with the policy. In April Peter Dawson said in a statement : ‘Why should perhaps 5,000 members of these various clubs change something that they're very happy with? 'And I don't know who could make that happen, because the feeling is very strong here, that this works, this model here at St Andrews works.’
British Open at Muirfield in East Lothian, that course in Scotland, where women are banned from was not sexist to exclude women from clubs . Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, Culture Secretary Maria Miller and Sport Minister Hugh Robertson have all announced they will boycott with racial discrimination or anti-Semitism.’ He that very strongly.’ But Mr Dawson was forced to concede that the issue of single-sex clubs would be re-examined. With the eyes of the world on