Player Categories in Women’s Golf – An Overview
Women’s golf is structured around a series of player categories that reflect the different stages of a golfer’s life and playing journey — from early development to lifelong participation.
These categories, broadly recognised across national and international golf bodies, include players in the following categories:
- Junior
- Amateur
- Mid-Amateur
- Senior
- Super Senior
Each stage represents more than an age bracket; it marks a distinct phase of experience, competition, and community.
Understanding these categories helps to trace how women engage with golf throughout their lives — from learning the game and competing in junior or collegiate settings, to balancing careers and family in mid-amateur competition, and sustaining social and competitive play into senior and super senior years.
Together, they form the backbone of women’s golf participation and the pathways that sustain the sport across generations.
Category |
Typical Age Range |
Eligibility / Definition |
Level of Play |
Common Competitions / Pathways |
Notes on Women’s Golf Context |
| Junior | Under 18 (some countries U16 / U19) | School or youth players; usually members of junior golf programs or development squads. | Developmental to elite amateur | National junior championships, junior leagues, school competitions, age-group squads, junior opens | Many federations offer strong junior girls’ programs; female participation is growing due to school and academy support. |
| Amateur | Typically 18+ | Retains amateur status under governing body rules (non-professional). | Club, county/state, national, international | Club championships, national women’s amateur, inter-club/team events, international representation | Core of women’s golf structure; includes elite and recreational players. |
| Mid-Amateur | 25+ (R&A / USGA standard) | Amateur golfers aged 25 and over, often post-college or early career. | Competitive amateur | Mid-Amateur Championships (e.g., US Women’s Mid-Am, Women’s Mid-Amateur in England & Europe) | Reflects life-stage balance — career, family, less time for elite play; growing recognition for this category. |
| Senior | 50+ (most nations), some 45+ | Amateur or professional women aged 50 or older. | Competitive and social; national and international | National Senior Women’s Championships, Senior Ladies’ Societies, Veterans’ Associations | Deep historical roots — from 1921 onwards; key area for leadership, volunteering, and lifelong play. |
| Super Senior / Veteran | 65+ (varies by nation, sometimes 70+) | Experienced senior players; may have separate trophies/divisions. | Competitive and social | Super Senior divisions at senior events; Veteran trophies | Encourages continued participation, camaraderie, and wellbeing; increasingly recognised through dedicated divisions. |
| Professional | Any age (post-amateur status) | Plays for prize money or as teaching professional. | Elite, tour, or teaching | LPGA, LET, WPGA, national tours, PGA teaching pathways | Increasingly includes former amateurs and mid-amateurs; separate governance but connected to amateur pipeline. |