AUGUSTA National chairman Billy Payne has hinted he will vote in favour of women being allowed to join the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

R&A chief executive Peter Dawson believes the club has "strong support" for the vote to admit women members, 260 years after it was founded.

And it looks certain there will be at least one 'yes' vote on September 18, assuming Payne travels to St Andrews to cast it in person. No postal or proxy votes will be accepted from the R&A's 2,400 members.

Augusta National, venue for the US Masters, admitted women members for the first time in October, 2012.

Payne said: "As I've said before, we readily and joyously welcomed our lady members when that happened a couple years ago and it remains a very good decision on our part.

"We are so delighted, and I know I speak for everyone, that they are members. I'm proud to be a member of the R&A and I bet you can guess how I'm going to vote."