LPGA has published its updated policy, stating that transgender women who have gone through male puberty will be prohibited from competing in top women's golf tournaments starting in 2025.
Transgender players will only be eligible if they transitioned before male puberty. They must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels.
This will also apply to LPGA’s feeder Epson Tour, the Ladies European Tour and the eight United States Golf Association events such as the U.S. Women's Open.
Significantly, the updated policy will prohibit Scottish-born American Hailey Davidson from participating in the LPGA tour.
32-year-old Davidson used to play men’s golf at college in the U.S. before transitioning. She did not qualify for a card after finishing 95th during the second stage of the LPGA Q School in October. However, she would have been eligible for the Epson Tour, the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour, before the policy update.
Despite not qualifying, Davidson’s participation ignited controversy, and 275 female players signed a letter in October demanding a change to LPGA’s transgender policy, which allowed biological males to compete in women’s events if they had undergone gender-affirming surgery after puberty and met hormone therapy requirements.
The petition letter argued that “the male advantage in driving the ball is estimated around a 30% performance advantage,” and that “anatomical differences between males and females affect clubhead speed and regulating consistency at ball contact.”
It continued: “females have higher mean heart rates and encounter greater physiological demands while playing, especially at high altitudes.” The petition disagreed that “testosterone suppression” made the situation equal.
The LPGA voiced: “The policy - informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law - was developed with input from a broad array of stakeholders and prioritises the competitive integrity of women's professional tournaments and elite amateur competitions.
This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.”
There was apparently more than a year of study undertaken to come to the decision to update the policy.
The Royal and Ancient Gold Club (R&A), which governs golf policies outside of the United States and Mexico, is likely to align with LPGA’s updated policy from January 2025. This will impact the AIG women’s Open, for example.
The NXXT Golf Tour changed its eligibility requirements in March this year to specify that all players must be assigned female at birth. Davidson won the NXXT tournament in January, prior to the updated policy.
Davidson expressed: “Can't say I didn't see this coming. Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay 'neutral' thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”
Swimming, athletics and other sports already have the updated transgender policy that LPGA recently aligned with.
The first transgender golfer, Mianne Bagger, played in the 2004 women’s Australian Open. However, she now criticises more relaxed approaches to transgender participation in women’s sport.
The LPGA policies governing its recreational programs and non-elite events “utilise different criteria to provide opportunities for participation in the broader LPGA community.” LPGA’s full policy says the broader LPGA community: “remains accessible to all women for non-elite events and activities.”
