Golf has been played in the UK for 500 years, the first mention of women playing golf was in 1738, when the Caledonian Mercury Newspaper, covered a match between 2 women, whose husbands were their caddies, the match attracted a crowd and gambling was involved…. More detail can be found HERE
In 2022, an independent film, about womens golf was created by women in golf and shown on SKy Sports, and is avaibale to watch on YouTube or below, where figures from the World of Womens Golf discuss their experinces, views and perception of progress in Womens Golf in recent years and acknowledge that while change is afoot, there is still much still to do.
History of Womens Golf
1540’s
The history of Womens Golf goes back to Mary Queen of Scots, in the 1540’s, named as the first female golfer in the St Andrews Experience Website, however it took until 1811, for the first womens competition took place, where 55 fishermans wives participated.
1861-1867
It took until 1861, for the first womens golf club to be established and in 1867, the Ladies Putting club of St Andrews was formed, and exists to this day, with an active membership of around 200 women. An interview with the current committee and archivist, can be found on the Womens Golf History Podcast HERE.
1890’s
Women golfers of the 1890’s were the next generation of golf pioneers, specifically Issette Pearson a founding member and first honorary secretary of the Ladies Golf Union, the creator of one of the first equitable handicap systems, enabling women with mixed abilities from different clubs to play together, In 1910, Issettee started the Pearson Trophy, an annual intercounty trophy which is still played today by teams across, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey. Counties were selected based on their proximity to London, which made travelling to matches easier as the main mode of transport was by train. The Pearson Trophy is played by teams with WHS Handicap Index 12.5 – 34.4 across each county, with the winners meeting to play a final match play knockout in July each year.
In 1894, Issette met Mabel Stringer the captain of Littlestone Golf Club in Kent, when Issette came to inspect the course in advance of Littlestone hosting the second Womens Amateur Golf Championship in 1894. After their first game, Mabel and Issette became good friends and Mabel became an active member of the Ladies Golf Union.
A summary of Women Pioneers and initiatives from
1890 until 2022
1890 – 1914
Below is a paper from Sports Historians, who have given their permission to publish their paper on the origins of women’s golf up to 1914, a fascinating read full of characters and their determination to participate and develop golf for women.
1893
Women Golfers come together and start to become organised forming the Ladies Golf Union, devising the first handicap system enabling women from different clubs to compete at various venues, launching the first Womens (Ladies) Amatuer Championship in 1893, played at Lytham St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire.
1893 – 2017
Ladies’ Golf Union – Wikipedia – was set up in 1893, Issette Pearson was a founding member, and it became the governing body for womens golf in Great Britian, this remained in existingance until 2017, when it was merged with the R&A, the international governing body for Golf outside the Americas, where the USGA performs provides governance. Each Nation has its own National Governing Body of Golf, ie Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, Golf Ireland, Golf Canada, Golf Australia etc
1952 – 2011
English Womens (formerly Ladies) Golf Association (EWGA ) – was formed as the governing body for womens golf in England, and merged with the English Golf Union to form England Golf, which remains the governing body for amateur golf in England
1921
As the founders of the Womens Golf experience enter their 50’s they realise that while they love competiting their ability to win against younger women is diminishing, and decide to form the Veteran Ladies Golf Association, to create and deliver golf competitions and experiences for women 50 and over.
In 1969, there are 4 associations in the UK, the South, Midlands and North of England and in Scotland, in addition many counties have their own Senior Women/Veteran Ladies Associations creating more local social and competitive events.
The first Senior Womens Amatuer Champsionship in the UK was in 1981.
2016
Syngenta, a turf and water management company, published a report Unlocking Golfs True Potential – The Global Economic Value of Increased Female Participation in Golf” which highlighted a potential uplift in revenue for the Golf industry of up to $35billion if the 32million latent women golfers around the World participated regularly. Since then Syngenta have continued to support Womens and Girls Golf through different initiatives and reports, which can be found on www.Syngentagolf.com
2018 – Women in Golf Charter – R&A
The R&A launched the Women in Golf Charter, to encourage, organisations, governing bodies and commercial partners to register a statement of intent to support Women in Golf, both as players and also as individuals employed across the Global Golf Industry. More information abut the initiative and the 1,300 signatories, (June 2024) can be found here: Women In Golf Charter (randa.org) Women on the Tee is a Women in Golf Charter Signatory.
Participation and the creation of more opportunities for women and girls to access and participate in Golf is at the heart of the Charter and since its launch has been instrumental in bringing the conversation about women and girls in golf to the fore and seen many new initiatives launch to create new opportunities and to support new women and girls in to Golf.
In addition to the R&A signatories, individual clubs and county associations have signed the national governing bodies commitments, a list of these can be found on governing body websites.
2019
Alongside the Women in Golf Charter, The R&A, launched the “Women in Golf Leadership Development Program” a positive initiative and program, bringing women from across the Globe working in Golf together in a year long career development program.
This renewed focus on Womens, Girls and Family Golf has resulted in many new initiatives to get more women, girls and families in to golf, however what has been omitted from the work and research is an understanding of the Womens Golf Experience today and the valuable role women play in creating and delivering the Womens Golf Experience, within Clubs, Counties, Regional Associations and Alliances, Golf Socities and volunteering and supporting club, county, national and international events.
2018 – 2024
In 2018 – the R&A published:
The Women’s, Girls’ and Family, Participation in Golf: An Overview of Existing Research (2018)
A link to the research paper is HERE where it can be read or downloaded.
2019 – Women in Golf Leadership Program – R&A
In 2019, The R&A launched the Women in Golf Leadership Program , to provide a development opportunity for women in golf and to create a global network of women working in the golf industry, the latest update from the program which has seen 100, past and current women participate in the program, can be found HERE
2022 – Investment in Golf Development
In December 2022, the R&A announced a £200 million investment in amateur golf, alongside the publication of their PLAYBOOK, which defines their purpose and focus for the next 10years, a key strategic initiative is the transformation and evolution of women’s golf.
2023 – 2024
As Golf comes together to support women and girls golf around the world, some great initiatives have launched, combining those with partnerships with commercial and professional services organisations is driving change, an initiative which resonates with women is #inviteher from, which acknowledges and addresses one of the barriers for women participating which is the lack of confidence to enter somewhere new, so focusing on inviting women in, is key to getting them to take that first step. This video with Annika Sorenstam highlights this and the power of invitation for women:
2023 – 2024
As Golf comes together to support women and girls golf around the world, some great initiatives have launched, combining those with partnerships with commercial and professional services organisations is driving change, an initiative which resonates with women is #inviteher from, which acknowledges and addresses one of the barriers for women participating which is the lack of confidence to enter somewhere new, so focusing on inviting women in, is key to getting them to take that first step. This video with Annika Sorenstam highlights this and the power of invitation for women:
Recognising that a barrier for women participating in sport is the confidence to get started, the LPGA Womens Network launched a campaign which provides a comfortable pathway in to Golf, leveraging the power of a simple invitation:
2025
The foundations for a great future for Womens Golf are in place,
- there is a commited cohort of women golfers, who create and deliver the womens golf experience today
- there is a focus from across the Golf industry on developing the womens golf experience
- there are intitiatives from across the globe that we can learn from and build upon
This renewed focus on Womens, Girls and Family Golf has resulted in many new initiatives to get more women, girls and families in to golf, however what has been omitted from the work and research is an understanding of the Womens Golf Experience today and the valuable role women play in creating and delivering the Womens Golf Experience, within Clubs, Counties, Regional Associations and Alliances, Golf Socities and volunteering and supporting club, county, national and international events.