The R&A, governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico, has announced a new “fair competition policy” that will bar transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in women’s golf tournaments from 2025.
In a statement, R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers said: “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 explained that the new policy is based on evidence that shows golf is a gender-affected sport, where male puberty confers a performance advantage.
“From the start of 2025, 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,” he said.
The R&A’s new policy brings the organisation into line with similar policies established by the LPGA and the USGA. Slumbers emphasized that the decision was made to ensure fairness and equality in elite competitions.
“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,” he said.
Under the new policy, players assigned male at birth and who have experienced male puberty are ineligible to compete in women’s events, but can enter male professional and elite amateur championships organised by the R&A.
Slumbers added that “We believe that this policy is the right thing to do to preserve fairness in our female professional and elite amateur championships, and we will continue to monitor and review our policies to ensure that they remain fair and inclusive for all golfers.”
