As the men who played at Muirfield last weekend came over so coy whenever anyone asked them about the host club's misogynist membership policies, it is rather refreshing to find a top golfer who is a little more forthcoming on the matter.

But then, Karrie Webb has good grounds to feel indignant that a bunch of dinosaurs who spend their days grazing in an East Lothian hayfield should still exert such an influence on golf. Which of them, after all, has ever had an extended stay at the top of the world rankings, amassed seven Major championship titles and become the youngest player inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame?

Webb is not one of life's natural cage-rattlers. In fact, she has been criticised more often for her downbeat manner than a tendency to shout from the rooftops. But when asked about her view of The Open Championship being held at Muirfield, she was never going to sit on any fence.

"I don't have a problem with a private club choosing who they allow to be members," she said. "The problem I have is when a private club like that decides to host a very public event.

"If you are going to hold a public event, take money from the public and from public companies, it is pretty hard to say that only a certain kind of person is allowed to be a member here. I would have no problem with Muirfield saying 'we are a great links course and a private men's club', and just never holding The Open Championship there.

"When you look at the list of champions that Muirfield has produced then it's obviously a great course. It is hard for the R&A to consider not going there. But maybe Muirfield should look at its policies if they want to be part of a publicly-staged global event."

The irony of all this is that Webb will spend a good part of this week in another bastion of gender discrimination as she takes her place in the locker room of the R&A's iconic clubhouse in St Andrews, where the Rolex Women's British Open is to be played.

As they did in 2007, when the event was last played there, the R&A will allow women to use their facilities for the duration of the competition. It is staggering that throwing open their doors should still be a matter of any note, but at least there are some signs that the St Andrews lot, in stark contrast to the mastodons of Muirfield, might be vaguely aware that we are now in the 21st century.

There is, though, one powerful link to a previous era, as the biggest question in St Andrews this week is whether Inbee Park, the 24-year-old Korean world No 1, can complete the set of four Majors in a single calendar year. The only other player in history to do that was Bobby Jones, whose legendary 1930 Grand Slam included victory in the Amateur Championship – which then had Major status – on the Old Course.

Webb accepts that most of the gallery will be willing Park on, but she has no qualms about bringing the fairytale to a premature end. "Put it this way," she said wryly. "I wouldn't be upset if I was the one holding the trophy at the end."

Yet having once been the dominant figure in the sport, Webb can appreciate Park's talent more than almost anyone else.

"I don't know if she has a heartbeat," said the 38-year-old Australian. "She shakes off a bad shot better than anyone I've ever seen. She could snap-hook one out of bounds off the tee and then just rip one down the middle. To judge by her expression or demeanour, it just doesn't affect her at all.

"But I wouldn't say she was intimidating. She is a very quiet, very nice girl. There are certain players I have played against whose manner on the golf course is quite intimidating and intense, but Inbee just goes about her business and does her job. And the mark she puts up at the end of the day is usually better than anyone else."

However, Webb, who is warming up for St Andrews at the ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters this weekend, is surprised that Park has returned to Korea to prepare for her trip to Fife. "It's strange that she has gone back there," she said. "She's going to be run ragged with all the attention she gets in Korea."

Webb spread her accumulation of seven Major titles over the years from 1999 to 2006. Yet during the drought since she has still achieved 11 top-10 finishes, and her form this year, in which she has won twice already, suggests she still has the ability to collect one of the sport's most cherished prizes.

Webb knows her competitive days are numbered. Like Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa before her, she appreciates that there will come a time when the practice and travel will no longer be a price she wants to pay and she will follow them out of the game.

But not just yet. There is still a mountain to climb. Rio 2016, when golf returns to the Olympics, is firmly in her sights.

"That's what has kept me playing," she said. "Annika retired because she knew she didn't want to work as hard as we do any more. I'll probably get to that point as well, but the goal of representing my country in the Olympics is one that really excites me."

o Karrie Webb uses the Bridgestone Golf Tour B330-RX ball that can be fitted among others at www.bridgestonegolf.com