IT APPEARS more women than had been thought are involved in the running of golf clubs in Northern Ireland.
Women from several clubs got in contact with The Irish News following an article last week about Belvoir Park.
When Belvoir welcomed Pauline Bailie and Maureen Donaldson to their club council it described it as an "historic stride forward for equality in golf".
However, it has since emerged that Bangor, Cushendall and Ardglass golf clubs have also all had - or currently have - women officers.
Monica Morgan, one of two female trustees at Cushendall and a prominent campaigner for equal treatment for women in golf clubs, said it has had "women on the council regularly" since they were allowed to join as full members in 2000. "I very much welcome the movements that have happened since 2000, but it is right to say that it is a rarity."
The situation in North Antrim is replicated in North Down, where Sheila McCourt, lady captain of Bangor Golf Club between 2013-14, said her role had permitted herself and her predecessors to participate in council meetings.
Ms McCourt said: "I attended monthly officers' meetings as well as the monthly council meetings. This has been the situation in Bangor for at least the last six years".
Ardglass Golf Club can perhaps boast of the longest tradition of women officers, with a book to mark the club's centenary stating that there were female officers on its council "prior to 1947".
Club manager Cormac Callahane, said that there were "currently four women who attend council meetings", with women having occupied the positions of honorary secretary and club president in recent years.
Over a decade ago, Ardglass took the unusual step of having a formal gender-neutral policy when referring to members by removing the title "lady members".