Golf clubs which admit male and female members, but discriminate against one sex will be outlawed by 2007, the European Union has said.

The Daily Telegraph reports that under a new directive approved by EU states, differences in treatment can be justified by a legitimate aim, but not in the case of a leisure or golf club which admits both male and female members.

The EU framework law is currently being converted into national laws in the 25 member states. These will then be examined to ensure they have been 'correctly transposed'.

Irish MEP, Proinsias De Rossa recently tabled a question asking the European Commission whether British golf clubs would be covered by the directive, to which the commission stated that the concerns would be taken into consideration.