The Royal St. George's Golf Club, which has hosted the British Open 14 times, will allow women to join as members for the first time since it was founded in 1887.

The club in Sandwich, Kent, along the English Channel is one of three on the Open rotation that operated on a male-only policy. Today's change leaves Royal Troon and Muirfield as the only two that still bar women from joining. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland, home of the rule- setting organization for the sport outside the U.S. and Mexico, opened its doors to female golfers for the first time in its 260-year history in September.

"Time for change, and I think the members have realized that," Royal St. George's club secretary Tim Checketts said by phone. "We will be electing lady members, it's a good day for the club."

More than 81 percent of its members took part in the Feb. 14 vote, with 91 percent of those in favor of the change, the club said.

Founded by two Scots, Royal St. George's has been hosting amateur and professional golf tournaments since the 1880s. Former members include James Bond creator Ian Fleming.

The club had been considering letting women in for 15 months, following the move by St. Andrews, Checketts said.

Augusta National, which hosts the Masters Tournament in Georgia each April, ended its all-male policy in 2012 following years of controversy.