GOLF'S governing body is considering merging with the organisation which oversees the ladies' amateur game.
The R&A, which covers the sport in all parts of the world excluding the United States and Mexico, has begun talks with the Ladies Golf Union, which represents women's amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland.
The development follows the announcement earlier this month of the first seven women members invited to join the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
The LGU has a much more limited governance than the R&A but both organisations are based in St Andrews and a statement issued yesterday said there was enough synergy to make looking at a merger worthwhile.
"Exploratory talks are under way between the LGU and the R&A towards establishing a more closely co-ordinated working relationship and the possibility of a merger between the two operations," said the joint statement from the two bodies.
"There is a great deal of synergy between the LGU and the R&A, with both based in St Andrews and responsible for staging major championships, prestigious amateur events and international matches.
"Both organisations are committed to supporting the development of golf and encouraging participation in the sport."
The two governing bodies are amongst the oldest in world sport with the original R&A having been founded on May 14, 1754 and the LGU in 1893.
The R&A are organisers of the Open Championship, while the LGU oversee the Ricoh British Women's Open - both of them golfing majors and among the most prestigious events on the sporting calendar.
Neither body was willing to elaborate on the exploratory talks yesterday, or put a timescale on the merger if it is agreed that it is in both parties' interests.
However, any union would not be a marriage of equals - the R&A's influence and commercial clout, particularly where the Open is concerned, dwarves that of the LGU's.
The R&A became a separate entity from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 2004. That was widely regarded as a manoeuvre to deflect growing criticism about the club refusing to admit women members - an increasingly untenable position given the R&A's role in the administration of the Rules of Golf throughout most of the world.
The club finally bowed to pressure and voted to admit women members last September. More than three-quarters of the 2,400 global members took part in the ballot, with 85 per cent voting in favour of females joining the St Andrews club.
The move was widely welcomed by players. US golfer Michelle Wie said it was a "pretty amazing" day for the game while Ted Bishop, president of the PGA of America, said it meant the "21st century" had arrived in golf.
Earlier this month it announced the first seven female members, including Princess Anne and the renowned former Scottish amateur Belle Robertson, a farmer's daughter from Kintyre who went on to win the Ladies' British Championship.
Dame Laura Davies, who is widely regarded as the UK's finest female golfer and former world No 1 Annika Sorenstam also accepted invitations to become honorary members.
Club captain George Macgregor described it as a "historic" day and the R&A said a number of women have been admitted as "ordinary" members of the club with more to follow soon.
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