R&A Introduces New Transgender Policy For Top Women's Golf Events

The R&A has followed the example of the USGA and LPGA by introducing new rules regarding transgender golfers' eligibility criteria for women's professional and elite amateur championships.

The "fair competition policy" will come into force at the start of 2025 and has been introduced after what the R&A says was an "extensive consultation over the last year with medical and scientific experts".

A press release from the R&A states that "the evidence shows that golf is a gender-affected sport in which male puberty confers a performance advantage".

And that research has now led to the new policy, which will ban transgender golfers who transitioned after going through male puberty from taking part in top women's professional events such as the AIG Women's Open along with elite amateur championships.

"A golfer entering female professional and elite amateur championships organised by The R&A must have been female at birth or transitioned to female before the onset of male puberty to be eligible to compete," read the R&A statement.

"Players assigned male at birth and who have experienced male puberty are ineligible to compete in these events, but can enter male professional and elite amateur championships organised by The R&A."

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers explained why the policy had been created following extensive research.

“We have carefully reviewed the best available medical and scientific advice relating to participation in elite and scratch level golf competitions by transgender athletes and decided that updating our entry conditions to preserve fairness in our female professional and elite amateur championships is the right thing to do," Slumbers said.

“While we believe that golf should be open to all and are committed to developing the sport, we recognise that we have a duty to ensure that in our elite competitions players can compete fairly and equally.”

The R&A concluded by adding that policy rules "will not apply at a recreational level where the sport supports inclusivity through the World Handicap System, which enables golfers worldwide to play and compete together on a fair and equitable basis regardless of age, ability, background or gender."

The move comes on the back of the USGA and LPGA adopting the same policy that has attracted recent attention due to the specific case of transgender golfer Hailey Davidson.

Davidson qualified for the Epson Tour in 2025 after coming through Q School, but will now not be able to take that place up after the LPGA updated its gender policy.

It's been a thorny issue in women's golf with arguments on both sides, with Davidson questioning the policy when reacting to being banned from taking up a place on the Epson Tour.