C-Me: The LPGA’s Action Plan to Change the Face of Golf

LPGA Mission

The LPGA is committed to being the global leader in women’s golf and to use our unique platform to empower, inspire and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course.

C-Me Overview

At the LPGA, we carry forward the legacy and spirit of our 13 Founders who were pioneers in championing diversity and inclusivity in golf. They established a professional golf Tour for women 22 years before Title IX was enacted in the U.S.

Our culture is rooted in the principle “Act Like a Founder,” a mantra that drives out commitment to creating a more diverse and welcoming environment for all. We stand firm against racism, harassment, and discrimination, echoing the resilience and determination of our Founders. Through their vision, we have made significant strides in Changing the Face of Golf.

Recognizing that diversity transcends gender, we launched C-Me in 2020 during our Association’s 70th year. This initiative aims to embrace and celebrate diversity in all its forms, fostering a more inclusive LPGA Community. Regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, abilities, or appearance, our commitment remains unwavering—to ensure everyone feels welcome and valued.

As we progress, our dedication to inclusivity remains unwavering. We aspire for women and girls to see themselves represented in all facets of the sport, whether they are newcomers to golf, avid spectators, participants in our programs, or even LPGA members and staff. Our ultimate goal is to Change the Face of Golf — making the sport we love more accessible and inclusive for all and ensuring those who have the opportunity to participate in this great game is more reflective of the world in which we live.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are not just values we uphold—they are integral to who we are and everything we do at the LPGA.

Moreover, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the LPGA are underpinned by three key pillars:

PEOPLE: Build, grow and empower diverse teams, leaders and governing Boards who represent the communities where we work and play.
CULTURE: Create an environment where all LPGA stakeholders feel valued and welcomed.
COMMUNITY: Show that golf is a sport where everyone is welcome and demonstrate our commitment to diversity and opportunities for women and girls, on and off the golf course, through our actions, communications, policies and partnerships.

C-Me Initiatives & Progress

People Strategy: Three years later, we’ve diversified representation across all sectors of the LPGA staff, hiring more than 50 new staff members since 2022, 27% from diverse backgrounds, compared to 14% in 2020. Our leadership reflects our dedication, with more than 70% of our Board, Executive Leadership Team, and Staff being female. This year, we were recognized by Sports Business Journal as one of the Best Places to Work in Sports. We aim to build on this trend, growing staff while increasing diversity among new hires.

Creating a Pathway to the LPGA Tour: We've expanded opportunities for Tour Professionals from diverse backgrounds to earn exemptions into LPGA and Epson Tour events through initiatives like The John Shippen, The Mack Champ Invitational, PGA Works Collegiate Championship, and National Women’s Collegiate Championship. Today, our influence spans four global tours, with members hailing from more than 50 countries, and our televised coverage reaches more than 160 countries. Going forward, we remain committed to creating more opportunities for women and girls from diverse backgrounds through.

Closing the Gap: Top 100 LPGA athletes have seen a remarkable 46% growth in average income from 2021 to 2023, with significant increases for #50 and #100 players. Looking ahead, we want the top female golfers in the world to make a living commensurate with their world-class talent.

Growing our Membership: We’ve grown women of color LPGA Amateur’s membership by 46%, LPGA Professionals membership by 48% and increased the number of ethnically diverse girls participating in our LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program from 35% to 42%.

Advancing our Supplier Diversity: Launched in 2022, our vendor procurement initiative aims to enhance the utilization of diverse vendors at LPGA HQ and owned events.We continue to focus on trending toward top benchmark performance in supplier diversity, both inside and outside the ropes.

Building the Renee Powell Fund: Nearly $1M has been raised for the Renee Powell Clearview Legacy Foundation through our annual benefit and Hoodie for Golf efforts since 2020, honoring Renee Powell, a pioneering Black woman in the LPGA family.

Community Engagement: Partnering with over 30 grassroots organizations, we've introduced their youth and female members to golf and the LPGA brand, contributing over $650,000 since 2021 to organizations dedicated to diversifying and inclusive golf initiatives.

Advocacy: The LPGA is a proud participate in the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The CEO pledge outlines a specific set of actions the signatory CEOs will take to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcomed, and employees feel comfortable and empowered to have discussions about diversity and inclusion.

C-ME ACTION PLAN