In the struggle for equality in women's golf in this country, it was to be hoped we had moved beyond the dark days of the infamous Section 9 of the GUI constitution. But it seems the ILGU are determined this should not be so.

And just as things were in the 1980s, when the "Women in Golf" (WIG) pressure group sought its removal, the purpose of Section 9 has been mischievously misrepresented. At the time, the leaders of WIG blamed it for all their ills, despite repeated assurances to the contrary, in the columns of this newspaper.

If Section 9 were depriving women of equality in golf, it followed that its removal would have resolved the issue. But as the events of the last 14 years since its removal would indicate, it did nothing of the sort. It was a welcome gesture by the GUI, nothing more.

Equality in golf clubs was and, pending legislation, remains a matter for the owners of those facilities. In most cases that happens to be the male members, who can make decisions on how they wish to share their course and clubhouse, without any reference to the GUI.

For the benefit of women who would like to believe that the GUI actively supported discrimination, it may be appropriate to note the union's constitution of 1946. Rule 5 stated: "Any Irish golf club, having a constitution approved by the union, recognising the Rules of Golf authorised by the Royal and Ancient Club of St Andrews, having full control of the election of the handicapping of its members and undertaking in writing to conform to the Rules, Regulations and By-laws of the union, shall be eligible for membership." Not a mention of women.

That came after the celebrated problems at Malahide GC. In 1947, the club was disaffiliated by the GUI because they permitted women to attend annual and general meetings at which GUI matters were discussed. In a similar, earlier case, the GUI feared that the Curragh GC would nominate a woman as their delegate to the central council.

So it was that in November 1946, the GUI revised their constitution. As part of that revision, Rule XVI (later Section 9) stated: "No Irish golf club, the constitution of which either expressly or by implication confers on women the right to attend or vote at any annual general meeting of such club shall be deemed to have a constitution approved by the union . . ."

As I have acknowledged elsewhere, this was clearly offensive to women. But the thinking behind it was to protect the control of the GUI over golfing matters. It was certainly not aimed as barring women from full membership.

Either way, the structure of Irish golf clubs had been well established prior to this change. Judging by reports, it would appear that the woman golfer settled happily for a subordinate role while, in most cases, her husband was a full member of the club and, as such, a part owner of the facility.

So, women were effectively disenfranchised where the running of club facilities were concerned. Meanwhile, since the owners of the club and the GUI-affiliated members were essentially one and the same, annual general and special general meetings would handle both golfing and club administrative matters.

It was in an effort to address this problem that the so-called three-tier constitution was recommended by the GUI to clubs wishing to offer full membership to women. In his address as president of the GUI for its centenary year in 1991, Des Rea O'Kelly said: "Let us take this opportunity to separate the ownership of the golf club facilities, i.e., clubhouse and course, from the actual playing of the game."

Incidentally, the Malahide problem ended on April 16th, 1948, when the central council of the GUI were informed at their a.g.m. that the club had changed their constitution in compliance with union requirements.