The R&A and Ladies Golf Union complete merger

The merger of the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) and The R&A has been finalised and will come into effect from 1 January 2017.

The heads of agreement between the two organisations was signed in June leading to the integration of the LGU’s business operations and its members of staff into The R&A group of companies. An agreed governance structure has also been implemented to give LGU Board members representation on relevant R&A Committees.

The R&A will assume responsibility for staging the LGU’s championships and international matches next year, offering leading women’s professional and elite amateur golfers opportunities to play in a world class series of events. The Ricoh Women’s British Open will continue to be managed by IMG in 2017 under the existing agreement with the LGU.

Trish Wilson, Chair of the LGU, said, “The completion of the merger is a progressive and important step for the development of women’s golf.

“Bringing the two organisations together creates a platform that will allow us to develop our aspirations for women’s golf on a global stage and encourage more girls and women to play golf and become members of clubs.

“The success of the Ricoh Women’s British Open and the Curtis Cup demonstrates the growing strength of women’s golf in both the professional and amateur game and we look forward to building on this with The R&A.”

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “The integration of the two organisations puts us in a better, stronger position to realise our collective vision for growing the game of golf around the world.

“Our combined resources and staff expertise will help us to achieve our shared aims for the development of golf, including increasing girls’ and women’s participation and encouraging more families to enjoy golf as a recreational activity.

“Both organisations have an excellent track record of successfully staging prestigious championships and international matches and we are looking forward to a great season of events next year.”

The 2017 schedule of championships and international matches is as follows:

Championship	Venue	Date
Coronation Foursomes	Various	1 January – 17 June
Ladies British Open Amateur Championship	Pyle & Kenfig	13 – 17 June
The Amateur Championship	Royal St George’s and Prince’s	19 – 24 June
The 146^th Open – Regional Qualifying	Various	26 June
Vagliano Trophy and Junior Vagliano Trophy	Circolo Golf Bogogno, Italy	30 June – 1 July
The 146^th Open – Final Qualifying	Various	4 July
The 146^th Open	Royal Birkdale	20 – 23 July
Ricoh Women’s British Open – Pre Qualifying	Hankley Common	17 July
The Senior Open Championship	Royal Porthcawl	27 – 30 July
Ricoh Women’s British Open – Final Qualifying	The Castle Course, St Andrews	31 July
Ricoh Women’s British Open	Kingsbarns Links	3 – 6 August
The Boys Home Internationals	St Annes Old Links	8 – 10 August
Ladies and Girls Home Internationals	Little Aston	9 – 11 August
The Seniors Amateur Championship	Sunningdale (Old Course)	9 – 11 August
Girls British Open Amateur Championship	Enville	15 – 19 August
The Boys Amateur Championship	Nairn and Nairn Dunbar	15 – 20 August
The Jacques Leglise Trophy	Ballybunion (Old Course)	1 – 2 September
Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship	North Berwick	6 – 8 September
The Walker Cup	Los Angeles Country Club	9 – 10 September
Ladies Senior British Open Amateur Championship	Royal Belfast	19 – 21 September
Ladies Senior Home Internationals	Newport	3 – 5 October