Mission Statement
The mission of the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association is to foster women’s amateur golf and to encourage the participation of junior girls, while promoting integrity, respect for the game, and good fellowship through individual and team competition.
Founded in 1899, the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association is the second oldest women’s golf association in the United States. The WMGA has a membership of over 200 clubs and 2,300 individual members. Member Clubs are among the oldest and most prestigious in the country, and individuals must have a maximum USGA Handicap Index of 25.0 to join. Member Clubs are within a 60-mile radius of New York City and are located in one of the following three districts of the WMGA:
- Westchester/Connecticut (Fairfield County)
- New Jersey (including Staten Island)
- Long Island
In order to fulfill its obligation as a Member Club, each club is required to offer its course every three years, if requested, for a WMGA tournament other than Team Matches. Special consideration to extend the rotation term is offered to clubs that host a multi-day tournament.
The WMGA conducts about 30 competitions each year, providing WMGA members with one of the largest and most varied playing schedules in the country. The schedule includes:
- One-day individual stroke play
- Multi-day individual stroke play
- Team, partner, junior and senior events
- Family championships
- Inter-district, inter-city, international team competitions
Our organization, supported largely by volunteers, conducts course rating for women golfers in the Metropolitan area. This complimentary service is provided for both member and public clubs. The WMGA relies upon a strong, forward-thinking Board of Directors, and its network of club representatives (known as Met Reps) and volunteers who give of their time, talent and energy to shepherd the growth of the WMGA. The WMGA remains dedicated to its objective of fostering good sportsmanship, good fellowship and friendly rivalry and to recognize and develop skilled amateur junior and women golfers through individual competition and team play.
Our Partnerships
The WMGA is an active partner with the New Jersey State Golf Association, the Metropolitan Golf Association and the Metropolitan PGA. We partner with the MGA to conduct an annual Metropolitan Amateur Championship, a Women’s Public Links Championship, and a Mixed Pinehurst. We work with the Met PGA to conduct the Women’s Metropolitan Open Championship and the Junior Girls’ Open Championship. We are one of the founding members of The Women’s Golf Alliance comprised of women’s state and regional golf associations.
Junior Girls’ Programs
The WMGA is dedicated to junior golf. Through our charitable arm, the WMGA Foundation offers “Girls to the Tee” free clinics to junior girls with the help of PGA professionals. The clinics serve to teach the basics of the game while fostering friendships among the participants, identifying juniors with special talent, and hopefully instilling our love of the game. Through our Fellowship Program, we offer stipends to aid juniors with WMGA tournament entry fees and costs. And, most significantly, the Foundation awards collegiate scholarships to deserving girls with an interest in golf. To date, the Foundation has committed $940,000 to over 144 recipients.