Guardians of the Game,  Since 1921

Introduction

The story of senior women’s golf is one of quiet leadership and enduring commitment.
Founded in 1921 by Mabel Emily Stringer, the Veteran Ladies’ Golf Association (VLGA) created a home for experienced women golfers — those who had carried the game through its early decades and wished to keep competing, contributing, and connecting beyond their peak playing years. vlga.intelligentgolf.co.uk+1
At a time when many sporting organisations overlooked older women, the VLGA offered recognition, respect, and purpose.

Origins: 1921 and the Founding Vision

The VLGA began as a network for women aged 50 and over who had long supported the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) and county associations. Mabel Stringer and her contemporaries understood that experience itself was an asset — not a barrier — to participation. Wikipedia+1

The association’s early aims were simple but revolutionary:

• To promote friendly competition among senior women.

• To maintain lifelong involvement in the game.

• To uphold the spirit, etiquette, and community that women had built into golf since the 1890s.

This founding vision inspired the growth of a movement that would spread across Britain and beyond.

Expansion and Evolution

Through the mid-20th century, senior and veteran golf associations multiplied — at county, national, and international levels.

Each new group shared a similar ethos: inclusion, camaraderie, and respect for the game’s traditions.

By the 1950s and 1960s, Veteran/Senior Women’s Golf Associations existed across:

• England – Regional and county veteran ladies’ associations, aligned with the VLGA. warwickshiregolf.com+2lrvlga.co.uk+2

• Scotland, Ireland & Wales – Sister organisations with their own structures. sswgawest.com+1

• Australia, Canada, South Africa, the USA and Japan – Independent senior women’s groups formed, many inspired by the British model.

International competitions began to emerge, with senior women representing their countries with the same pride and professionalism as the younger amateur teams. womenonthetee.com

Independence from Governing Bodies

Senior and veteran women’s golf associations are independent organisations.
They are not affiliated with The R&A, the USGA, or any national or international governing body of golf. Their committees, fixtures, and championships are organised autonomously and funded through their own memberships and event income.

What this means in practice:

• Self-governed: Constitutions, eligibility, fixtures, and selection policies are set by the associations themselves.

• Rules-aligned, not rules-run: They follow the Rules of Golf and standard handicapping, but no governing body directs their operations.

• Leaders who also compete: Many office-bearers are experienced referees, administrators, and leading amateur players who represent their clubs, counties, and countries in other contexts — yet they serve here in an independent capacity.

• Community first: Their mission centres on competitive opportunity, friendship, and service to senior women — not on institutional agendas.

Key point: Individuals may hold roles within county, national, or international golf structures, but the senior/veteran associations themselves remain separate and self-determining.

Evolving with the Times

After more than a century of proud tradition, the Veteran Ladies’ and similar associations are modernising their identity to reflect both continuity and change.
Many have adopted the term “Senior Women” in place of “Veteran Ladies” — a shift that recognises the language and values of today’s game while honouring their heritage.

This evolution signals a new openness:
an acknowledgement that experience and modern thinking can stand side by side.
It reflects the associations’ desire to welcome new generations of women into their community — golfers who value fairness, friendship, and lifelong participation, but who also expect contemporary governance, inclusive language, and a visible place within the wider story of golf.

In changing their name, they have not changed their purpose — only strengthened their relevance.

Timeline of Senior & Veteran Women’s Golf Associations Worldwide

• The European Senior Ladies’ Golf Association (ESLGA), founded in 1985, formalised cooperation among Europe’s senior women’s golf bodies, bringing together independent national associations from across continental Europe. Its members — from Austria to Sweden — coordinate international competitions, including the European Senior Ladies’ Team and Individual Championships, and the Sgaravatti Trophy.However, the British senior and veteran women’s golf associations — including the Veteran Ladies’ Golf Association (VLGA) and its regional divisions, as well as the Scottish Senior Women’s Golf Association (SSWGA), Irish Veteran Ladies’ Golf Union, and Welsh Veteran Ladies’ Golf Association — have never been members of the ESLGA.This separation is both historical and structural rather than purely political:
  • The UK and Ireland developed earlier, well-established senior golf systems (dating back to 1921) that pre-dated the ESLGA’s formation by more than 60 years.
  • Their competitions and inter-county events operate through a self-contained British & Irish network that remains strong and independent.
  • The ESLGA was founded primarily to unite continental European associations seeking international representation under a common framework.
  • While Brexit may have reinforced the current distinction, the separation existed long before — rooted in differing administrative traditions rather than exclusion.

  Today, both systems coexist respectfully:

  • The British and Irish senior women’s associations continue to operate independently, maintaining their own championships, home internationals, and administrative structures.
  • The ESLGA and its European members sustain a vibrant international circuit for senior women across continental Europe.

  Together, these parallel traditions reflect the diverse yet interconnected heritage of senior women’s golf — one that values autonomy, shared purpose, and enduring friendship across borders.

  Each of the Senior Womens Golf associations retains its independence from national governing bodies (The R&A, USGA, England Golf, EGA, etc.) while remaining aligned with the Rules of Golf.

  Collectively, they represent a global community of experienced women golfers, united by shared values of competition, friendship, and service to the game.

Legacy and Recognition

For more than a century, senior women have quietly upheld the spirit of amateur golf.
Their influence is not always visible, but it is deeply felt — in every well-run event, every fair ruling, and every welcoming clubhouse.

They are not just part of the past of golf — they are its guardians, ensuring that the game remains open, fair, and kind across generations.