Golf Australia (GA) has revised its Gender Policy created in 2016 to fall in line with international standards, changing rules around handicapping for transgender club golfers.
A recent review of the gender policy established in 2016, which placed bans on any transgender female players who went through male puberty competing in elite women’s events, has resulted in changes which officials believe maintain golf as “inclusive for all”.
A new process has been introduced for transgender athletes to compete in women’s and girls’ “scratch” events, which include amateur and professional events run by GA, as well as pennant competitions.
Applications from transgender players to compete would have to be lodged six weeks in advance of any scratch competition and meet strict medical guidelines, including new testosterone levels that fall in line with international rules.
More crucially, however, there are new guidelines around golf handicaps, which are considered the greatest measure of fairness, regardless of gender.
Under the new policy, transgender and gender diverse players can play and compete in club competitions under either a men’s or women’s GA handicap, based on their gender identity.
There will be no medical testing required or eligibility restrictions placed on them in competitions, with application for any handicap changes kept confidential.
However, those chosen gender handicaps will remain in place for four years for “sporting purposes”.
It is understood the changes could impact around 20 current players at clubs across Australia.
The changes have been made to create a clearer pathway for new participants, with the number of people playing golf increasing in recent years and more than 500,000 people now members of clubs in Australia.
To enable smooth transition to the new rules, deal with complaints and solve all club issues with the policy, GA has established clear processes, with online help providing answers to frequently asked questions, as well as offering education sessions for club administrators.
While the policy is not binding on clubs, Golf Australia’s National Integrity Manager, Brooke Irvine, said using it would enable all club officials to navigate any problems which might arise.
“It is a much easier process to follow now, than what’s currently in place and it gives a lot better guidance to clubs on what is and isn’t allowed,” Irvine said.
She said clubs were seeking clarity amid emerging instances of gender questions and eligibility and this update provided that.
Irvine conceded there would still be problems which needed resolution and the changes should help.
“There’s a referral process, so that if anyone has any concerns or wants to voice their concerns, the referral process is in place in the new policy,” she said.
“They can follow that process and voice those concerns straight to us at GA.”
The changes come into effect immediately, less than two years after GA changed its policy to bring Australian golf in line with the world’s leading bodies, which imposed the transgender ban for female players who went through male puberty.
