In Alberta, Canada, biological female golfers face new competition on the leaderboards. The catalyst was a 2025 ruling that allowed transgender golfers to partake in women’s golf. Transgender athletes Veronica Ivy and Rachel Elser have claimed five individual women’s golf championships this summer. Ivy, formerly dominant in women’s cycling in Great Britain, was also part of the winning team in the 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Rachel Elser’s accomplishments include the Fort McMurray Club Championship and the 2026 Miskanaw Ladies Open title. Meanwhile, Ivy secured the B.C. Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master titles on the same day in June, along with another club title in August.
Veronica Ivy has a message for those opposing transgender athletes in women’s golf: “Get better, ladies.” Ivy expresses little tolerance for criticism, stating, “To the bigots: stay mad, and get a better hobby. You’re not going to make me stop existing and succeeding.” Ivy highlights an ongoing debate in sports regarding participation of transgender athletes.
Women & Girls Alberta, a group advocating for the rights of Alberta’s women and girls, protests Ivy and Elser’s participation. Alberta legislation should protect female golfers, but Alberta Golf’s policies allow athletes like Ivy and Elser to compete. To compete as a female, male-to-female transgender individuals must provide documentation of one year of ongoing gender reassignment, with hormone therapy being sufficient.
Since this policy took effect, Ivy has announced her return to competitive golf, a sport she played since childhood. She quickly added several championship titles to her achievements. Despite these wins, Ivy argues that media outlets exaggerate the impact. “They just see that I won some competition,” Ivy said, noting that she hadn’t made elite cycling teams before.
Ivy’s dismissive comments about the competition have drawn attention. She suggests biological female golfers are not competitive enough, a standpoint sparking further discussion on inclusivity and fairness in sports.
Rachel Elser’s golf history includes a club championship in 2025, but her sudden prominence in Alberta’s women’s golf scene raises questions. Ivy and Elser’s dominance reflects ongoing debates about transgender athletes’ inclusion in women’s sports.