The National Human Rights Commission has recommended corrective action for a golf course that prohibited people aged 70 and older from purchasing memberships.
On July 2, the Commission announced that it had recommended the golf course revise its rules, which had been amended to restrict membership for seniors.
This recommendation was made in response to a complaint that restricting membership purchases for those aged 70 and older at a golf course constituted discrimination.
At the time, an operator of a membership-based golf course amended the club's bylaws during a regular meeting of the golf course's management committee to prevent people aged 70 and older from joining. The golf course explained that, due to the steep slopes characteristic of the course, there were concerns about safety accidents involving elderly members, and therefore, an age restriction was imposed on membership purchases.
The Commission stated, "About half of the members at the golf course in question are seniors aged 70 and older, but the proportion of accidents involving seniors accounts for only 13.6% of the total. Restricting membership purchases based on age constitutes discrimination." The Commission further noted, "There was no need to completely block membership purchases, as alternative measures could have been considered, such as strengthening insurance requirements for members in age groups with a higher risk of accidents."
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