The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, has finally allowed its first female member to join. Gasp.

The club hosted a ballot to see if the men of the club should allow women to join their “prestigious” institute of golf (and drinking), and 85 percent of the 2,400 male members said ‘yes’. Welcome to 2014, gentlemen.

The decision carries powerful symbolism. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club is a 260-year-old institution that calls itself the spiritual home of golf. The separate governing body it created in 2004, called the R & A, is entrusted with running the British Open and helping adjudicate the game’s rules, making it one of the sport’s primary seats of power.

“I’m obviously delighted with the news,” said Catriona Matthew, a Scot from nearby Edinburgh who won the 2009 Women’s British Open and could be a candidate for admission to the club. “I think they had to take in ladies. Just for the position they have in golf, they had to be seen to have equality.”

Well there we go. Just wait long enough (around 260 years) and anyone will eventually crack.

Check out the full story on NY Times.