One of the perks the members will lose is their vote on the new Rules of Golf, which are updated every four years.While the executive branch has generally been thought to be doing a good job, there has been increasing disquiet about a club with a male-only membership policy governing the game. This reorganisation may technically remove that objection.The Royal and Ancient, the private club that is, will no doubt remain the most prestigious and influential club in the land, with an imposing clubhouse behind the first tee of the Old Course, and will host the Open every time it returns to St Andrews. Those are, many observers feel, good reasons for it to reconsider its membership policy.. Fittingly for the Wales Open, red is most definitely the colour for Ian Poulter this week after a 65 gave the 27-year-old from Leighton Buzzard a share of the first-round lead with Nick O’Hern. Then he got out to show off the red streaks he has dyed into his hair in honour of his beloved Arsenal. Next came an opening round fairly littered with the red squares that indicate birdies. And to cap it all off he then revealed he had done so with a throat so red raw he had been on the brink of pulling out.Indeed, the only things redder must have been the faces of the hoards of leading European professionals who had chosen not to appear at an event being played in a glorious setting, under glorious sunshine and that has a piffling prize fund of some £1.5m.

One of these absentees is the reigning champion, Paul Lawrie, who pulled out earlier in the week with a “sore neck”. Yesterday, Poulter could only dream of such an encumbrance.”I haven’t been too well since I got here, and it’s developed into tonsillitis,” Poulter said. “It has felt like somebody has put two cricket balls down my throat. I’m dosed up on antibiotics.” Whoever makes these pills should repackage them and sell them as game-improvers in golf shops everywhere, especially as Poulter has had some previous success when “dosed up”.”I won in Morocco when I had tonsillitis as well. But I think I want to get them removed now because I’ve had enough of this.” Maybe he should not whip them out too hastily, or at least have them made into a lucky charm, as yesterday represented a huge upturn in form from a slump that has seen him miss five halfway cuts in his last six events.”This was a massive surprise as I had no expectations at all,” he said.

“I have been to see David Leadbetter and he changed a few things. I knew it was going to take a little time so hopefully this is the time. Maybe it was a blessing that I was feeling lousy and just went out there and swung it at 80 per cent.”Goodness knows what he would have scored at full pelt as he stormed through the first 11 holes in six-under par. A solitary bogey on the par-three 14th slowed his momentum monetarily until a 20-foot putt for a birdie three on the 15th put him back on track. Another birdie at the par-five 18th gave him a 65 that only O’Hern was able to match.The Australian left-hander has been knocking on the door for his maiden tour title for a few years now and a blemish-free round with seven birdies yesterday prised it open a little further for the 31-year-old.