Nineteenth Hole Threatened
- posted by Jim Leitzel @ 4:02 PM

A leading golf course in Ireland, Dublin's Portmarnock Golf Club, has a policy of not admitting women as members. (It has an exception for women who happen to be the President of Ireland.) But Ireland's Equal Status Act of 2000 might make such a membership policy illegal -- at least that is the view of the District Court judge who ruled against Portmarnock in March. Today, the same judge imposed the punishment: Portmarnock must forego its liquor license for one week, so the serving of alcohol to members will have to cease during that time. The decision awaits appeal. As the thought of the tedium of golfing on a cold, windy course without the use of alcohol is horrifying, Vice Squad expects that Portmarnock will quickly see the wisdom of a non-discriminatory membership policy. [Wouldn't the golf be tedious in any case? -Ed.]

Labels: alcohol, Europe