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The "Home of Golf" is about to find out if its doors are open to women.
On the same day Scotland votes on whether to become independent, a historic sporting decision will be made inside arguably the most famous building in golf.
The Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, an all-male bastion since its founding 260 years ago, votes Thursday whether to admit women members. For the first time, the R&A is allowing its 2,500 worldwide members to vote by proxy.
"I think it's the right thing," R&A club secretary Peter Dawson said during its spring meeting in May, "and I hope that R&A members do what's right for golf."
"We wouldn't be entering this if we didn't feel there was strong member support for it," Dawson has said. While a "No" decision is the marginal favorite in the independence referendum, the R&A vote should be more clear-cut at its annual Business Meeting at St. Andrews. "We wouldn't be entering this if we didn't feel there was strong member support for it," Dawson has said. The club said a favorable vote would take effect immediately.
Heisman winner Jameis Winston benched for vulgar remarks
College Football •Jameis Winston will be a spectator in the first half of Florida State's showdown against Clemson Saturday after making "offensive and vulgar" comments about women — the latest embarrassment in a growing list of poor decisions off the field.
Florida State interim President Dr. Garnett S. Stokes and athletic director Stan Wilcox announced in a joint statement Wednesday that the quarterback also will undergo internal discipline, but did not provide details of the punishment.
Several students tweeted Winston stood on campus Tuesday and shouted a lascivious comment about female anatomy that may have derived from an internet meme.
The 20-year-old Winston addressed his inappropriate comments before Wednesday's practice at his weekly press conference, saying: "I have to tone it down."
The Heisman Trophy winner has made similar comments after previous incidents and Florida State seems to be growing less tolerant of his discretions.
While playing for the Florida State baseball team, he was suspended for three games and completed 20 hours of community service after acknowledging he stole $32 worth of crab legs from a local grocery store in April. Before the football season, he said he had matured, learned what it takes to be a leader and understood that he needed to be more careful in his personal life.
The school president and AD admonished him Wednesday for doing just the opposite.
"As the university's most visible ambassadors, student-athletes at Florida State are expected to uphold at all times high standards of integrity and behavior that reflect well upon themselves, their families, coaches, teammates, the Department of Athletics and Florida State University," their joint statement said. "Student-athletes are expected to act in a way that reflects dignity and respect for others."