The R&A announced a change in its gender policy this Thursday, December 12. The institution called it a “fair competition policy” and largely follows in the footsteps of changes announced last week by the LPGA and the United States Golf Association (USGA).
The core of the change is that transgender players must have transitioned before puberty. Otherwise, they will be considered ineligible to play in R&A-sanctioned tournaments.
The new gender policy will take effect on January 1, 2025 and will apply to all professional players and those playing in elite amateur tournaments. The policy does not affect recreational golf in any way.
The R&A CEO Martin Slumbers had this to say about the matter (via the governing body’s official website):
“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.”
Players whose sex at birth was female will not be restricted in any way from playing in tournaments sanctioned by The R&A. The governing body has also confirmed that transgender players who have transitioned after puberty are welcome to play in men’s tournaments, both professionals and elite amateurs.
Recently, the LPGA and USGA updated their respective gender policies. The underlying principle of both updates was that transgender players would only be eligible to play in women’s tournaments if they transitioned before puberty.
The R&A is one of the two governing bodies of world golf (along with the USGA). Virtually the entire golfing world (except the notorious cases of United States and Mexico) is governed by the rules of the governing body based in St. Andrews, Scotland.
These are the main tournaments (professional and amateur) where the new gender policy will apply from January 1, 2025:
AIG Women’s Open
It is called the R&A after the Royal & Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews, believed to be the world oldest golf club. It was formed in 2004 and comprises of three divisions which includes Rules, Championships and Group Services.
The first one is concerned with the generation, analysis, modification and interpretation of the rules of golf, a horizon that she shares with the USGA; every institution being on the ground as regards to its realm.
The second subsidiary is the organization arm of the institution. It is the company that hosts the tournaments authorized by this body like the AIG Women’s Open and Open Championship. The third subsidiary relates mainly to the internal administrative aspect of the running of the institution.