🏌️‍♀️ The Women’s Professional Golf Association (WPGA)

Building a Global Network of Women Professionals in Golf

The Women’s Professional Golf Association — known today by its familiar initials, WPGA — has become a symbol of unity, professionalism, and progress in the global story of women’s golf.

The name first appeared in the United States in 1944, when a small group of trailblazing women — led by Ellen Griffin, Betty Hicks, and Hope Seignious — founded the first organisation for professional women golfers. Though short-lived, that early WPGA proved what was possible: women could earn, teach, and lead the game on their own terms. Its spirit lived on through the founding of the LPGA in 1950 and inspired generations to follow.

Across the world, other WPGAs emerged — each one shaped by its own landscape, yet connected by a shared purpose: to represent women working in the golf profession. In the United Kingdom, the WPGA was established in 1978 as a division of The PGA of Great Britain & Ireland, supporting women coaches, club professionals, and competitors.

In Australia, the women’s professional tour adopted the WPGA name in 2021, linking the southern hemisphere to a global network of women professionals.

Together these organisations form a living heritage of women’s leadership in golf — a lineage built on skill, service, and solidarity.

🌍 A Global Sisterhood of Professionals

Today, the WPGA name carries meaning in every corner of the golfing world.
From teaching and coaching to competition and mentoring, women PGA professionals are shaping the future of the game. The launch of the Women’s PGA Cup in 2019 brought this worldwide community together — a celebration of friendship, professionalism, and pride, where national teams of women PGA members compete for honour, not prize money.

The Women’s PGA Cup stands as a modern emblem of everything the original WPGA stood for: excellence, equality, and connection through golf.

🕊️ Legacy and Purpose

The WPGA story reminds us that women’s professional golf has always been about more than trophies.
It’s about creating opportunities — in clubs, classrooms, and communities — and ensuring that women have a voice, a pathway, and a place in every part of the golfing profession.

From the pioneers of 1944 to today’s global network, the WPGA continues to champion women who make golf thrive — on and off the course.