History of Women's Golf

Women's golf goes back to the 16th century

The history of women in golf goes back to at least the 16th century when Mary Queen of Scots, who was already an avid golfer, invented the term "caddy" by referring to her assistants as "cadets". Nowadays, the women's game continues to grow with professional tournaments and a growing fan base around the world.

Back to the Start

First ladies golf tournament took place at St Andrews

As well as being the first person to use the term "caddy", it was during Mary Queen of Scots' reign that the famous golf course at St Andrews was built. This course, found in the Scottish town of the same name has become known as "the home of golf" and has played host to many major tournaments over the years.

It was in 1867 that St Andrews provided the location for the first ever ladies golf club--The Ladies Club of St Andrews, but it was the Scottish course at Musselburgh that provided the venue for the first known women's tournament in 1811.

Ladies Golf comes to the USA

Ladies golf comes to USA in 1891

In 1891, the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island was the first golf course in the U.S. to open its doors to women, a move that proved so popular that two years later, they decided to open a special nine-hole golf course just for women.

The seven-hole Morristown course in New Jersey was the venue for the first U.S. ladies tournament in 1894. This golf club later became known as the Morris County Golf Club.

Competitions and Tournaments

More and more competitions and tournaments

Following the success of the early competitions, the first U.S. Women's Amateur championship was held at the Meadow Brook Club in Hempstead in New York in 1894. Also in that same year, the Amateur Golf Association of the United States was formed. This organization would go on to be renamed the United States Golf Association. It wasn't until 1917 though that the Women's Tournament Committee of the USGA was formed.

The Curtis Cup

One of the best known competitions for women golfers was played for the first time in 1932. This involved two teams of golfers from USA and Great Britain and Ireland. The first competition was won by the USA.

The equivalent competition for men's golf is the Ryder Cup, which originally involved the same two teams, although it has evolved from a Great Britain and Ireland team to "Europeans." The Curtis Cup however has stayed as the same two teams since the start with the first tournament played at the Wentworth Club in England.

The USA has the best record in the Curtis Cup, only losing eight times during the first 70 years of the competition.

Turning Professional

The professional game is growing

In 1934, Helen Hicks became one of the first women golfers to turn professional, although there were no professional tournaments at the time. It wasn't until 10 years later that the Women's Professional Golf Association was formed, to be replaced by the LPGA six years later.

Other names who became well-known throughout the 1930s and 1940s included Patty Berg, who won the U.S. Women's Amateur at the age of 20, and Babe Zaharias who played against the men in the L.A. Open in 1945 and made two of the first three cuts. She also became the first American to win the British Ladies Open Amateur in 1947.

Marlene Bauer won the U.S. Girls Junior Championship at the age of 15 in 1949, and in 1961, Louise Suggs defeated 10 male players to win the $10,000 Palm Beach Par 3 Invitational.

In 1963, the U.S. Open of that year became the first nationally televised women's event. In 1975, Judy Rankin became the first LPGA Tour player to have earnings of more than $100,000 during one season. Two years later, in 1977, the PGA of America voted to accept women members.

The Solheim Cup

The Solheim Cup is another big competition

The rivalry between Europe and USA that is tested in the Ryder Cup, came to women's golf in 1990 with the inaugural Solheim Cup. The first staging of this competition was at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Florida with a U.S. victory the result.

The competition alternates between USA and Europe in venue and has been held in mostly alternate years since 1990, with USA winning seven of the first 10 tournaments.

A junior version of the cup has also been held since 2002 following a similar format to the senior tournament.

Getting younger for the future

The future looks bright

As the profile of women's golf gets bigger, so the age of its big stars is seemingly getting younger, demonstrated in 2003 when Michelle Wie became the youngest women to win a USGA adult woman's competition at the age of just 13. The future of women's golf looks bright.

References

• Nancy Berkley: History of Women's Golf
• Berkley Consulting: Important Dates in the History of Women's Golf

Resources

• LPGA