IT may not be the most important vote taking place on September 18 but the date is a red-letter day for equality in golf. On Thursday, as the nation decides on its future, members of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews will decide whether to welcome women through its doors for the first time in its 260-year history.

The R&A is golf's governing body, in addition to organising the Open Championship each year,

so it seems nothing short of remarkable that, in 2014, a discussion is still taking place as

to whether or not women should

be allowed to become members.

The club has approximately 2400 members around the world and if common sense prevails - as it surely will - the single-sex policy will be

scrapped forever.

The organisation has been under considerable pressure in recent years over its anachronistic and discriminatory policy. Last summer, the Open was held at Muirfield Golf Club, a private members' club which does not allow women to become members.

The battering in the press that the R&A was forced to endure for allowing their flagship event to be held at a club which, it was claimed in some quarters, flagrantly displayed such blatant misogyny, was considerable and sustained.

Now, I am not attacking the right of a private members' club to impose whatever membership criteria they wish. What I do think should be lambasted at every opportunity, though, is the unwillingness of

the R&A to promote equality in every aspect of the sport over which

they preside. By denying women

the right to become members of

the sport's governing body in the 21st century, the image portrayed of the sport is that it is sexist, archaic and discriminatory.

Whether or not this is actually true is almost irrelevant; it is the view held by many observers and, until the men-only policy is jettisoned, this widespread opinion will prevail.

Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the R&A, has been somewhat ambivalent on the issue over the years. Last summer, on the subject of male-only golf clubs, he said: "For some people, it's a way of life that they rather like. It's not on

any kind of par with racial discrimination, antisemitism

or any of these things. It is just what people do."

He also stated that he believes that there are times when "men need to socialise with men and women need to socialise with women".

However, on the subject of the vote next week, Dawson has expressed his acute desire to see women being admitted to the governing body, having said, "society is changing, sport is changing, golf is changing and I think it's appropriate for a governing body to take this step".

Dawson stands down from his position as chief executive of the governing body next summer and he seems keen to leave this legacy.

The R&A does much good work within the game of golf and Dawson has made several modifications which have undoubtedly changed the sport for the better. Yet much of the R&A's good work is overshadowed by its persistence with this outdated, misogynistic stance. The governing body has a duty to look after both the men's and women's side of the game and for it to be an exclusively male membership deliberating over changes to the game is inflicting significant harm to the development of the sport.

However surprising this is, though, the result of next week's vote is not a foregone conclusion. While Dawson himself, as well as any right-minded individual, is actively willing a positive result to the vote and a subsequent rule change, indications are that not everyone is quite so open-minded.

In 2009, the University of St Andrews appointed its first female principal, Professor Louise Richardson. Traditionally, one of the perks of this position is honorary membership of the R&A GC but that all changed when a woman appeared in their midst; she was not offered membership.

Professor Richardson has described incidents of members waving their ties at her "to draw my attention, lest I didn't notice". She added: "They think that's funny." She is allowed into the clubhouse on 'special weekend occasions' but has refused the offer until the men-only rules are rescinded.

It is nothing short of gobsmacking that, in 2014, the governing body of one of the world's biggest sports remains a bastion of male dominance. I would defend the right of private golf clubs to have single-sex membership regulations but, for the organisation which runs the game to have such anachronistic membership rules, is astonishing.

Golf has much to do to improve its image; by and large it is still seen as a sport for middle-aged, middle-class white men. By voting on Thursday to admit women, the image of golf will by no means be transformed, but it is a vital and necessary step towards equality within the sport.