Over 275 Female Golfers Send Letter To LPGA Expressing Concerns Over Trans Golfers Competing Against Women
A total of 194 players will be competing in this week's LPGA Qualifying Series in hopes of punching their ticket into December's final stage of qualifying school (Q-School) to earn an opportunity to earn an LPGA card. Among the nearly 200-person field is transgender golfer Hailey Davidson, whose inclusion may align with LPGA's current gender policy, but not with the vast majority of fellow competitors.
Davidson advanced through the pre-qualifying stage of Q-School in August after finishing in a tie for 42nd and was allowed to do so despite more than 275 female players voicing their concerns over a biological male competing in women's golf.
As the Independent Women's Forum shared with OutKick, over 275 female golfers sent a letter to the LPGA, United States Golf Association (USGA), and the International Golf Federation (IGF) on August 19, three days before the opening round of the pre-qualifying stage of Q-School.
Those letters clearly fell on deaf ears with the LPGA allowing Davidson to compete and advance in pre-qualifying, taking an opportunity away from a biological female in the tournament field.
Hailey Davidson/ Credit: Riley Gaines
The LPGA and USGA have both adopted gender policies that deem biological male competitors eligible to compete against biological females if they have undergone gender reassignment surgery and met hormonal therapy requirements. Davidson meets eligibility requirements after reportedly undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2021.
One of the professional golfers driving this movement in women's golf is Lauren Miller, who has had to compete against Davidson in the past. Miller joined OutKick's Dan Dakich earlier this month explaining the absurdity of the situation.
"There is no world where I ever thought this would be the case," Miller told Dakich. "I've been talking to my parents about it, and they can't believe they have a daughter who is having to go through this. It's truly shocking to realize kind of where we are today and that this is the state of the world."
Lauren Miller Fights For Women's Sports | Don't @ Me With Dan Dakich
As pointed out in the letter, hundreds of female golfers do not accept the so-called reality and align with Miller.
"We all know there can be no equal athletic opportunity for women without a separate female golf category. Yet, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) continues to propagate a policy that allows male athletes to qualify, compete and win in women’s golf, even as several national and international governing bodies of sport and state legislatures increasingly reject these unjust and inequitable policies that harm female athletes," the letter reads in part.
"LPGA policy does not explicitly state eligibility based on sex. 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. There are differences between the sexes—female and male—that specifically affect our sport of golf," the letter continues.
"The male advantage in driving the ball is estimated around a 30% performance advantage; this is an enormous difference in the context of sport. Anatomical differences between males and females affect clubhead speed and regulating consistency at ball contact. Females have higher mean heart rates and encounter greater physiological demands while playing, especially at high altitudes. The anatomical differences are not removed with male testosterone suppression. There is no way to turn a male into a female. Being female is not equated to being male with a reduction in strength."
Hailey Davidson will play in the second stage of LPGA Q-School. (OutKick/MattReigle)
The letter also includes multiple data-focused points describing the difference between male and female golfers before moving into the two requests that the over 275 female players want to see the LPGA and other governing bodies in the sport adopt.
"Repeal all policies and rules that allow male golfers to participate in women's golf events" and "establish and enforce the right of female professional golfers to participate in women's golf based on sex-eligibilty must be limited to members of the female sex."
The letter concludes with a powerful statement expressing the hopes that golf's governing bodies will listen to its female competitors.
"Competing at the highest level is the greatest honor, and thanks to our determination, years of hard work, and world class skill we have earned a shot at the prize—whether that is the opportunity to play on tour, earn eligibility for certain tournaments, improve our ranking, or come home with that victory. We deserve to strive for these rewards with a policy that recognizes fair and equitable competition for women. We hope you will stand with us and act promptly to protect the integrity of the sport that we love."
In March, NXXT Golf, a smaller women's professional tour Davidson was competing and winning on, announced that all competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate.
While the LPGA announced earlier this year that it was reviewing its current gender policy that allows biological males to compete against women, it has certainly taken its time in implementing any change, an most would argue that it is too late.
Davidson may still be two stages away from earning an LPGA card, but will be handed status on the women's Epson Tour if they complete 72 holes during the qualifying stage this week.