President Barack Obama plays golf. Image by Getty

(JTA) — The Woodmont Country Club, an exclusive, mostly Jewish golf club in Rockville, Maryland has  invited former President Barack Obama to join after all.

The club had been locked in a fierce debate over whether to admit Obama for membership because of what some called his bad relationship with Israel as president.

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In an email to members Monday, Woodmont President Barry Forman said that after “many hours in recent weeks considering this matter and the views of our members,” the club’s executive committee decided to invite Obama to join, the Washington Post reported Monday evening.

The exclusive club charges members an $80,000 initiation fee and $9,673 in annual dues. Obama would be invited to join the club under the “special membership” provision with no initiation fee.

Woodmont was founded by D.C.-area Jews in 1913 because Jews were banned from joining other clubs.

“Given our legacy, it is regrettable that we have now been widely portrayed as unwelcoming and intolerant, because that is not who we are,” Forman also wrote in his email to members.

At least one memberresigned when the club appeared to be shunning Obama.

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