Two major golf associations have announced a major change in gender policy for the upcoming season.
The updates, posted simultaneously by the LPGA and the United States Golf Association on Wednesday, banned the majority of transgender golfers from play in official circuits.
Both associations now ban players who went through male puberty before self-identifying as a woman from competing against females.
The LPGA’s post said the policy change was made with information and input from a “working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance, and gender policy law.”
According to the LPGA, the working group advised that the effects of male puberty “confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.”
The association’s ban does not only halt the majority of transgender players’ entries into the LPGA Tour, but also stops them from entering other elite tours and circuits headed by the organization.
Players the LPGA described as “assigned female at birth” are eligible for all women’s events.
Transgender players are not prohibited from entering open competitions hosted by the association. These events do not have any restriction on gender for participants.
“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said.
“The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”
The USGA’s own announcement also identified male puberty as a threshold event to entry for women’s events.
“The new policy ensures competitive opportunities are provided for athletes playing in USGA women’s competitions without allowing an unfair advantage for athletes who have received the sports performance benefits of male puberty,” the association’s statement read, “meaning athletes must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female prior to going through male puberty in order to compete.”
The USGA stated the policy changes will be handled differently within “recreational, non-elite competitions or participatory events, teams or leagues,” where it says different considerations are at play.
“We remain committed to providing opportunities for everyone to compete for a national title or team but have made changes to our eligibility criteria that reflects current scientific data and strives to maintain competitive integrity,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said.
“Our updated policy reflects a thoughtful and thorough process during which the USGA consulted with leading medical professionals from around the world.”
The changes follow a controversial January 2024 win by transgender golfer Hailey Davidson in the NXXT tournament. The tournament is a stepping stone to the Epson Tour — a qualifying tour one step below the LPGA.
At the time, the tournament issued a blanket ban on anyone not born female from competing in the women’s event.
The change came after an overwhelming response from female players in the tournament who were outraged at the unfair advantage held by Davidson.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
