LPGA and USGA Update Gender Policies, Affecting Transgender Golfers

The organizations are implementing new guidelines starting with the 2025 season.

The USGA's new gender policies will go in effect for its 2025 championships. / Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The USGA and LPGA have announced a new gender policy, which will affect transgender golfers.

Starting in 2025, the USGA is implementing a “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy,” which states that “athletes must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female prior to going through male puberty in order to compete.”

The LPGA has also updated its guidelines, stating “players assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty are not eligible to compete” in LPGA, Epson Tour and Ladies European Tour events.

“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in a release. “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.”

USGA CEO Mike Whan said: “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. Our updated policy reflects a thoughtful and thorough process during which the USGA consulted with leading medical professionals from around the world.” 

Transgender athletes playing in women's sports have become a hot-button topic in recent years. Last week, Boise State withdrew from the Mountain West women's volleyball tournament, not wanting to participate against San Jose State because of a lawsuit claiming there is a transgender player on the team.

In golf, Hailey Davidson, who is transgender, has participated in LPGA qualifying and has made Epson Tour starts. Davidson won a tournament on the NXXT Golf tour earlier this year. Then, NXXT Golf and the Cactus Tour added a female-at-birth requirement for eligibility.

In August, the Independent Women’s Forum sent a letter to the LPGA, USGA and IGF (International Golf Federation), which more than 275 LPGA players signed, calling for the LPGA to change its transgender policy.

The letter, obtained by Golfweek, said “It is essential for the integrity and fairness of women’s golf to have a clear and consistent participation policy in place based on a player’s immutable sex.”