Women’s professional golf tours form the heartbeat of the modern game — connecting continents, careers, and communities.

From the pioneering LPGA Tour in 1950 to today’s global network spanning Europe, Asia, Australasia, and beyond, these tours have created pathways for women to compete at the highest level and to earn recognition for their skill, dedication, and leadership.

Each tour reflects its region’s character and culture, yet all share a common purpose: to advance opportunity, visibility, and excellence in women’s golf. Together, they tell a story of determination, collaboration, and growth — a story still being written every season around the world.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) was founded in 1950 by 13 trailblazing women players who believed golf could be their profession as well as their passion. Among them were legends like Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, and Louise Suggs.

Their vision created not just a tour, but a movement — giving women a platform to compete, earn, and inspire future generations. The LPGA became the world’s first enduring professional golf organisation for women, rooted in independence, determination, and excellence.

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As the LPGA grew, its founders recognised that the future of women’s golf depended on education and access. In 1956, the LPGA Teaching Division was created to professionalise golf instruction for women and by women.

The LPGA Teaching Division empowered female professionals to become coaches, mentors, and ambassadors of the game — building pathways for girls and women to learn, play, and thrive at every level. Today, the LPGA Professionals (as it’s now known) remains a global leader in golf education and coaching standards.

In 1960, Japan became the first country outside the United States to establish a women’s professional golf body — the Japan LPGA. It reflected a growing national enthusiasm for golf and the emergence of pioneering Japanese women determined to make their mark in the sport. This early movement laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most successful and influential women’s tours in the world.

The Japan Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association (JLPGA) was officially formed in 1968, uniting Japan’s leading women professionals under one banner. The JLPGA focused on competitive excellence, professionalism, and the advancement of women in sport.

Over time, it became a model of success — renowned for its depth of talent, strong domestic support, and commercial power. Today, the JLPGA stands as one of the largest and most successful women’s golf organisations globally.

Across the Atlantic, the Women’s Professional Golf Association (WPGA) was established in 1973 within the framework of the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland.

The Women’s Professional Golf Association (WPGA) offered women golfers a professional home and a voice in shaping the game’s future in the UK and Europe. The WPGA paved the way for the creation of a full professional circuit, nurturing talent and promoting equality in a sport still dominated by men.

In 1973, Australia’s top women professionals came together to form the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) Tour, creating competitive and career opportunities across Australasia.

The tour grew in stature through the 1980s and 1990s, hosting world-class events and fostering international champions. Under the modern WPGA Tour of Australasia, led by CEO Karen Lunn, the organisation continues to champion women’s professional golf and inspire the next generation of players.

The Ladies European Tour (LET) was officially founded in 1981, bringing together women professionals from across Europe into a unified tour. Emerging from the early work of the WPGA, it represented a major step forward for women’s professional golf in Europe — offering international competition, visibility, and community. The LET continues to evolve, now aligned with the LPGA to create more playing opportunities worldwide and elevate the global women’s game.