LPGA
The LPGA is the Ladies Professional Golf Association, the governing body and professional tour of women golfers.
The LPGA is the most important organisation in professional women's golf. Founded in the USA in 1950, it is the oldest continuously existing professional sports organisation for women. Today the name primarily covers the LPGA Tour, on which the best players in the world compete for prize money and world ranking points. This includes its own tournament series, developmental tours and the training of teachers. The male counterpart is the PGA or the PGA Tour. LPGA tournaments also include several Majors, the highest-paying and most prestigious events in women's golf.
For you as a golfer the LPGA is most visible through tournament coverage. An example: the big women's majors are broadcast internationally, where you see shots and strategies at the top level — often with a more precise short game than the men. Anyone who follows tournament golf recognises the tour by the organiser in the programme. Many training concepts and club series are also modelled on tour players, because their swing speeds are closer to the average golfer than those of the male long hitters.
A common misconception: the LPGA is no longer a purely American affair. The tour has long been global, with tournaments in Asia and Europe and players from all over the world. For amateurs in Germany the direct connection is small — here the DGV (German Golf Association) and the PGAs of Germany organise tournament and club life. As a term, however, the LPGA belongs to the basic knowledge about the structure of the sport of golf, like the USGA or the Royal and Ancient.
FAQ
What is the difference between the LPGA and the PGA?
The PGA is the professional association of golf pros as a whole, from which the men's professional tour also emerged. The LPGA, by contrast, is the independent governing body of women golfers and runs the world's most important women's professional tour with the LPGA Tour. The two organisations work side by side but are structured separately.
Can I follow LPGA tournaments from Germany too?
Yes, the big women's tournaments and majors are broadcast internationally, and the tour has long been global — with stops in Asia and Europe, not just the USA. It is especially worth watching: the precise short game and the strategies of the players are closer to the average golfer than the long game of the male long hitters.
Does the LPGA have any direct relevance for my game here in Germany?
Only as a term and a role model, not organisationally. Your club and tournament life in Germany is organised by the German Golf Association and the PGAs of Germany. The LPGA, however, is part of the basic knowledge about the structure of the sport — just like the USGA with the rules.