World No.3 Rory McIlroy believes Muirfield's decision not to admit women members has tarnished golf's image and backs the move to drop the course from the list of venues for the British Open.
Muirfield, close to Edinburgh, has retained a male-only membership policy since being founded in 1744.
A vote on Thursday to admit women members fell short of the required two-thirds majority.
"The damage to golf's image is more important than us losing an Open course. We have such a strong ladies tour. We have the Olympics coming up, which is all about including everyone," McIlroy, 27, told British media.
"The girls are going to get so much exposure from being in the Olympics with the men. It's 2016. Time moves on ... everyone should have the opportunity to join a club if they want to.
"Especially when we are trying to break out of this stuffy old image. This is not what we need ... in this day and age, it is a little disappointing to see. I think the R&A made the right decision," said the Northern Irish golfer.
Four-times major champion McIlroy was two strokes behind US Masters winner Danny Willett, who finished with 65, after Thursday's first round of the Irish Open.
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