Letter to LPGA Developmental Tour Player Exposes Inequalities at Some Golf Clubs

A tweet showing an email from an unspecified golf club, presumably in the United States, to a golfer on a women’s pro circuit set off somewhat of a firestorm this week.

Monday Q Info, which is an account associated with the Fire Pit Collective, shared this tweet on Monday.

Dear Clubs,

The below letter is to a player with Epson Tour status.

In layman’s terms this says they do in fact let players w status have practice privileges (for free)…but only if you’re a male.

But they would be happy to this woman pro a membership

Pretty shitty pic.twitter.com/sgAK7K4fAf

— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) December 12, 2022

It is an email that was sent to a female golfer on the Epson Tour, which is a developmental tour under the LPGA that’s formerly known as the LPGA Futures Tour.

While the golfer and the club were not identified, the account went on to say that the letter is not unusual and that this particular golfer has had multiple messages saying the same thing.

To back the story up, other women’s golf pros weighed in.

This is so gross but unfortunately not uncommon. @f_lindblom and I have gone through the same thing at multiple clubs and it really perpetuates the issues in growth for mens and women’s golf

— Hannah Gregg (@hannahbggg) December 13, 2022

It’s so bad! When I got my LPGA card in 2017 and moved back to AZ after college in NV I couldn’t find a club to practice at and I’m born and raised in AZ. I practice at my local muni Dobson Ranch until @superstitionmtn took me in 2019 and they are hands down the best club in AZ!

— Dana Finkelstein (@Dana_Fink) December 13, 2022

While the particular course is unknown, many commenters suggested that it’s a TPC course, which are owned by the PGA Tour.

That could explain why the privileges at this course are only extended to members of a PGA Tour (since DP World Tour isn’t on the list), but many are saying it’s still a bad look for the venue and the state of men’s vs. women’s sports in general.

Cover Image Via Twitter