A jury has decided in favor of four women who said the Spokane Country Club denied them full benefits because of their gender.

The Spokane County Superior Court said Thursday the club must pay them more than $500,000.

The Spokesman-Review reports ( http://bit.ly/WrQck2) the verdict caps a five-year legal battle over the club's practice of allowing its male members premium golf tee-times and barring women from certain areas of the restaurant.

Lawyers for the club say it has been making changes, such as removing the name "Men's Grill" from a portion of the restaurant.

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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com