The 260-year-old Royal & Ancient Golf Club may be about to lift its ban on women members.
The R&A has written to its 2,500-strong male membership urging that women be allowed to join them.
A ballot over the issue will be held in September, The Guardian reports.
Wilson Sibbett, the chairman of the R&A’s general committee, states in the letter to existing members: "Now is the time to ask members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club to welcome female members into the club."
In a separate statement, an R&A spokesman said: "The club’s committees are strongly in favour of the rule change and are asking members to support it."
Nineteen months ago the Augusta National in the United States allowed women to join its membership.
The pressure is now on other championship-hosting clubs like Muirfield, Troon and Royal St George’s to end their discrimination on the grounds of sex.
