California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Olympic Club Votes to Let Women Join

Members of San Francisco’s Olympic Club voted by a margin of more than 2 to 1 to open its doors to women after more than 131 years as an exclusive men’s club. “We’re very pleased that the voting members have so strongly supported our earlier decision to amend the club’s bylaws to make membership gender-neutral,” club President Michael Ohleyer said. The club’s board of directors changed the bylaws in July to allow women to become full members, with wording that said any “person” was eligible. A campaign began soon afterward to overturn that action and restore wording that restricted membership to any “gentleman.” The new policy was frozen until Saturday’s balloting. The city sued in 1987 to enforce an anti-discrimination ordinance against the club. Part of the club’s championship golf course is on land leased from the city, and City Atty. Louise Renne said the golfers could be kicked off.