Golf is open to all
The R&A
How and Where We Work
The R&A works collaboratively to ensure the long-term success of the sport.
How We Operate
Golf is played by more than 100 million people across the world, across various formats.
The sport has enjoyed a significant increase in popularity with an additional 14 million 9 & 18 hole golfers playing the sport worldwide since 2012. As we aim to attract more people of all ages, genders, backgrounds and abilities into the game, The R&A is at the forefront of modernising the sport and making it more accessible and welcoming to all.
Championships
We are involved in staging leading professional and amateur championships and in a range of initiatives to broaden golf’s appeal on a global scale and address some of the challenges facing the sport.
Staged by The R&A, The Open is golf’s original championship. Played since 1860 on iconic links golf courses, it is the sport’s most international major championship with qualifying events on every continent.
The R&A also oversees the AIG Women’s Open, one of the five major championships in professional women’s golf, attracting competitors from across the world. It acts as a championship to inspire all ages and is played at world-class venues. The R&A also works with the DP World Tour to stage the ISPS HANDA Senior Open.
Other Work and Activities
Working with the USGA, the Rules of Golf have been modernised and updated and a new World Handicap System™ has been developed. The R&A introduced the first Women in Golf Charter in 2018 as part of its drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the golf industry.WAGR®
World Amateur Golf Ranking®
The World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) comprises a women’s ranking and a men’s ranking for elite amateur players, administered by The R&A and the USGA. WAGR currently incorporates over 6,800 events with over 8,100 players.
Our Network
The R&A works collaboratively to ensure the long-term success of the sport. National and local associations, players and fans make up our network. We rely on talented, dedicated and hard-working people committed to developing the sport across the world for today and future generations. The R&A has 167 affiliates that operate in 148 countries around the world to develop and sustain the sport. We reinvest the proceeds from The Open, in growing and supporting golf and provide financial support to a range of organisations, including the DP World Tour, the Ladies’ European Tour, EDGA, the Golf Foundation and national associations across the world.Our Global Locations
St Andrews
The R&A is based in St Andrews, at the home of golf.
The R&A World Golf Museum is also based in St Andrews, while The R&A's equipment testing facility is based nearby at Kingsbarns, incorporating Allan Robertson House and the surrounding environment.
Asia-Pacific
In 2016, The R&A opened a new office at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore to further its commitment to the growth and development of golf throughout Asia-Pacific.
The Asia-Pacific team looks after our interests in this region, including championship support and operations, golf development initiatives, sponsor identification and engagement, referee and rules education; and agronomy and sustainability initiatives.
Latin America and the Caribbean
The R&A’s Latin America and Caribbean team is located in Argentina at Pilar Golf, also home to the Argentine Golf Association.
The team is responsible for building relations with our affiliates in the region, evaluating ongoing and new programmes supported by The R&A.
