Royal & Ancient announces first group of female members

After 260 years, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews can now count 14 women as members of the club.

The club, off which the governing body the R&A was formed in 2002, announced Tuesday seven honorary and seven ordinary — that is, they paid membership fees — female members.

Among the honorary members are Britain’s Princess Anne; golf legends Louise Suggs, Annika Sorenstam, Laura Davies and Renée Powell; as well as European golf standouts Belle Robertson and Lally Segard.

The club also has seven full members, revealed by GeoffShackelford.com:

Angela Bonallack, champion English golfer and wife of 1971 Walker Cup captain Michael Bonallack
Claire Dowling, accomplished golfer and captain of the 2000 GB & I Curtis Cup team
Diane Dunlop-Hébert, the 109th president of Golf Canada
Patsy Hankins, first president of the gender-combined New Zealand Golf and first Women’s Chairman for the International Golf Federation
Martha Lang, accomplished amateur golf, competing in some 60 USGA events, and Women’s Committee chair for the USGA in 2011 and ’12
Carol Semple Thompson, legendary amateur and multi-time Curtis Cup captain
Marion Thannhauser, former president of the European Golf Association

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