Miss Cissie Miss Leonora Miss Una Miss Kathleen Mrs Barbara Mrs RD (Patricia) Mrs Margery TREVOR JONES WRAY MBE CLIFT MBE ARMSTRONG (TR) STREET BRIDGES OBE McWILLIAM OAM

1928-1949 1950-1970 1957-1960 1960-1976 1977-1998 1985-Current 2004-Current

Life Members

Page 2

1903 - 2010

Past Presidents

Patron

Lady Mabel Halse Rogers

(Trevor Jones)1904

CentreMrs Langer Owen

1905-1911Miss Una Clift MBE

1912-1914 Mrs Ruby (RC) Lethbridge 1914

Mrs Nonie (RV) Pennefather 1914

LeftMiss Kate Egan

1915

Miss Una Clift MBE1915-1956

Miss Leonora Wray MBE1957-1965

Mrs Barbara(TR) Street1966-1973

Mrs CH Locke (GI)1974-1977

Miss Beryl E. (Beb)Johnson BEM

1978-1981

Mrs RD (Patricia)Bridges OBE1982-1985

Mrs Anne MM (GE) Fairfax

04/08/1903-1903

Mrs Gwen (RJ)Bevan

1986-1988

Mrs Faye Heywood1989-1991

Mrs Margret Drury1992-1994

Mrs Barbara Uttley1995-1997

Mrs Sue Ross1998-2000

Mrs Helen Lowe2001-2003

Mrs Carol Humphreys2004-2006

Mrs Anne Lenagan2007-2008

Mrs Katrina Brown2008-2009

Mrs Sue Fabian2009-2010

Patron 2003-2010Her Execellency the Governor of NSW

Prof. Marie Bashir, AC

Page 3

Ladies Golf Union - 1903 Women’s golf in NSW began on 29th June 1903 at a meeting with representatives from five clubs: Mrs Taylor Young and Miss Johnson (Royal Sydney), Miss M Trevor Jones and Miss Cowley (Marrickville, later Bonnie Doon), Mrs Braddon and Miss Egan (Lindfield Golf and Recreation Club, later renamed as Killara to prevent people getting out of the train at Lindfield), Mrs Lethbridge and Miss Despord (Hunter’s Hill, 1900-1932), and Mrs Logan and Mrs Monday (Dobroyde, 1899-1920). At this meeting the suggested Constitution of the Ladies Golf Union of NSW (LGU) was read and amendments were made at subsequent meetings.

The instigators of this initial meeting were the ladies of the Marrickville Golf Club who, by way of a letter to the ladies of the Royal Sydney Golf Club, suggested that a Ladies Golf Union be formed in New South Wales. At the time, Royal Sydney had the largest membership of any golf club, and because of this Marrickville suggested that they should take the matter in hand. It is believed likely that the Marrickville ladies were aware that in 1902 the NSW Suburban and Country Golf Association had been formed by male golfers of a number of golf clubs to represent the interests of golfers in the State who belonged to the increasing number of golf clubs. One of the leaders in that move was EW Brooke, Treasurer of Marrickville Golf Club; and it is believed that it was his advice and counselling to the golfing sisters, Misses Mabel (later Lady Halse Rogers) and Cissie Trevor Jones, that resulted in Marrickville’s letter being sent to Royal Sydney. At the June 1903 meeting, the proposal that a Ladies’ Golf Union be formed was unanimously adopted by the representatives from the five clubs. At a subsequent meeting held on 4th August 1903 in the ABC Tearooms, Sydney, the following were elected to office: President, Mrs GE Fairfax (Royal Sydney); Secretary, Miss M Trevor Jones (Marrickville); Treasurer, Mrs C Lethbridge (Hunter’s Hill); Council Members, Mrs (Lady) Braddon, Miss Egan, Miss Cowley, Miss Salter, Mrs Logan and Mrs Wood. Affiliation fees were set at one guinea for metropolitan and suburban clubs, and half a guinea for country clubs. Soon after its formation, Bathurst & Richmond joined in 1904, followed by The Australian, Bowral & Kiama (1905), Concord, Cooma, Goulburn & Moss Vale (1906), Manly (1907), Camden, Beecroft, Dubbo, Grafton, Armidale, Orange & Maitland (1908), Bombala & Drummoyne (1909) and Newcastle (1910). Some of these clubs left the LGU and re-affiliated at a later date.

AssociationsWGNSW has five metropolitan zones: Northern, Northern Peninsula, Central Southern, Western; and the latest in Nepean as a result of the splitting of Women’s Golf Nepean Illawarra (formed in 1934) into two zones. Women’s Golf Illawarra became a stand-alone District in 2008 and Nepean became part of the metropolitan area in 2009. There are 13 country associations as listed below: (*Note: see respective District Reports)

Western District Ladies Golf Association Inc. Formed 1927Central Southern Golf Association Formed 1928Blue Mountains District Ladies Golf Association Formed 1929Newcastle Hunter District Ladies Golf Assoc. Inc. Formed 1930Far South Coast & Tablelands Golf Assoc. Inc. Formed 1931New England District Golf Association Formed 1931Riverina Ladies Golf Association Formed 1931North & North West District Ladies Golf Assoc. Inc. Formed 1932Women’s Golf Central North Coast Formed 1932Women’s Golf Northern Rivers Formed 1932Women’s Golf Illawarra (formerly with Nepean Illawarra in 1934) Formed 2008South West Ladies Golf Association Formed 1935Central Coast Women’s Golf Association Formed 1980(Previously known as Brisbane Waters Ladies Golf Association)

Current affiliates include over 32,000 members from 362 clubs. (*Note: See Membership Breakdown.)

Presidents from New South WalesThe ALGU, Australian Ladies Golf Union, was not formed until September 1921. The ALGU became Women’s Golf Australia in 1998 and in 2006 amalgamated with the Australian Golf Union (AGU) to become Golf Australia (GA). Five ALGU Presidents have come from NSW: Miss U Clift, Miss L Wray, Mrs TR Street, Mrs CH Locke and Mrs RD Bridges (who held the office three times). Following amalgamation with AGU, Mrs Anne Lenagan was appointed Chairperson of Golf Australia when the new Board took up office on 1st February 2008 signalling the end of its interim board on 31st January. Mrs Lenagan still serves as Chairperson of Golf Australia to date [October 2010].

In 1981, Mrs RD Bridges was awarded the OBE for her “Service to the Sport of Golf and the Community.” She later had the distinction of becoming the ONLY Australian man or woman to hold an Executive position on an International Golf Committee during her tenure of office as Chairperson of the Women’s Division for the World Amateur Golf Council from 1994 to 2000.

Women’s Golf New South WalesSince the formation of the LGU, when the first Constitution was ratified in 1903, there have been changes to the Constitution in 1924, 1929, 1959, 1972, 1998 when the New South Wales Ladies Golf Union was changed to Women’s Golf New South Wales, and in 2004 and 2009 in preparation for the amalgamation with NSWGA. WGNSW (LGU) cements its place in Australian golf history in its 107 years as one of the oldest golfing bodies in the nation.

First State Amateur ChampionshipThe very first NSW Amateur Championship for ladies was a 54-hole stroke event. The entrance fee was 3 shillings. The championship was held at The Australian over three days in September 1903 and was won by Miss Mabel Trevor Jones with a score of 312. She won it again in 1904. Since then the NSW Amateur Championship has been won by incredible golfers following in Miss Trevor Jones’ footsteps, with many of these players winning the Australian Amateur title. Pat Borthwick, with her six wins, retains the title of winning the most Amateur Championships. She won in 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1958. (*Note: See List of NSW Amateur Champions).

WGNSW Background

“I wear a mini-skirt when playing golf because it’s the fashion,” said Jan, the exceedingly pretty girl from Balmain. “But I don’t wear one as short as when I’m going out. My golf skirts are two inches longer.” ... the daring Jan Stephenson.

Nikki Garret by Anthony Powter

Styles over the century

Source: WGNSW Archives and 100 Years of Women Drivers - A Brief History of Women’s Golf in NSW