Historic move for R&A as golf organisation names first female captain

After being nominated by the Past Captains of the Club, Dowling will become the first woman to serve as in the role and will begin her year in office after the traditional driving-in ceremony on the first tee of the Old Course on September 25 later this year.

Dowling was one of the first female members of the R&A back in 2015 and is also a distinguished amateur golfer. She represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup four times and was part of the 1986 team which secured the first Great Britain and Ireland victory over the USA team with a 13-5 win at Prairie Dunes.

Dowling represented Ireland in the Home Internationals from 1979 to 1992 and played in six European Team Championships. She also played for GB&I in the Espirito Santo Trophy on two occasions and six times in the Vagliano Trophy.

She won five Irish Championships, the first in 1983, the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 1986 and the Spanish Amateur Championship in 1987. She reached the semi-final of what is now the Women’s Amateur Championship in 1981 and 1988.

Dowling went on to captain the GB&I Curtis Cup team in a 10-8 defeat to the USA at Ganton in 2000. She also captained the Vagliano Trophy team and the Irish team.

Away from playing on the course, Dowling - who is based in Devon - has been heavily involved in golf administration, chairing England Golf’s Handicap and Course Rating Committee following the EGU/EWGA merger in 2012. She sat on the CONGU board between 2012 and 2015 and was an advisory member of The R&A Amateur Status Committee from 1997 until 2001.

After becoming a member of the R&A, Dowling served on the Rules Committee from 2015 to 2019, becoming Deputy Chair in 2017. She was elected to the General Committee in 2019 and became Deputy Chair in 2022. She is currently serving on the membership committee.

Dowling will succeed Dennis Watson, who held the captain’s position for the 2025/26 term.