Boomtime, hardtimes, and wartime, our Kentucky Association has survived them all. Born in the roaring Twenties, mellowed in the depression Thirties, and revived in the post-war Forties, "the State" has crowned 23 homegrown Kentucky champions.

  Good sports and fun-lovers have made the tournaments. Par-busting golfers have won them.

  Mrs. Harvey Myers of Covington pioneered our State golf association. Unable to compete in the Ohio women's tournament due to her non-Ohio residence, she set her heart on organizing a similar golf championship for Kentucky.

  Her dream came true on October 11, 1922. A score of Louisville and Lexington golfers met with Mrs. Myers at the Seelback Hotel. Serving as chairman of the meeting was Mrs. S. B. Kent, Cincinnati, president of the Ohio association. Patterned after Ohio's, our constitution and by-laws were written. Mrs. Myers was elected president. Other officers chosen that historic day were Mrs. Joe W. Morford, Lexington, vice-president; Mrs. E. D. Mason (Mrs. Charles L. McCraw), secretary, and Mrs. Harry Buckley, treasurer, both of Louisville.

  "Forty-nine paid, one got away," recorded the secretary at the first tournament, played at the Audubon Country Club in Louisville, June 5 - 9, 1923. They named the flights: championship, Kent, Cardinal, and Purchase. The highest eight scores qualified in the Birdie Flight.

  Voluminous costumes roamed the fairways. What would pass for picture hats today covered heads of braided hair. Sunburned ladies not being the fashion, long skirts and sleeves were popular. In later years styles jumped to knickers, to culottes, to shorts. (See picture of a group of contestants from first amateur {SLOW DOWNLOAD})

  Until 1926 a replica of the Brown Hotel trophy went to the champion. [Mr. J. Graham Brown was commended in 1923 for his kindness in donating the two handsome silver championship cups.] Later it was the custom to award her a sterling silver pitcher. Members of the host club always begged handsome trophies from business concerns and generous friends. As many as five clubs used to bid for the State tournament and throw in $100 towards trophies for bait. The annual banquet was "on the club."

  Elaborate posters announced the second annual championship in 1924. Displayed in "prominent business houses" and clubs, they carried a picture of Miss Edith Cummings, the national champion. The Lexington Country Club turned on room and board hospitality. About ten golfers slept in the clubhouse, barracks-style.

  Whenever our golfers of the Twenties get together, they fondly recall:

• Mr. Harvey Myers' welcoming address at Twin Oaks, when he praised the association for its successful first three years.
• The one-day invitationals.
• A Courier-Journal picture of Mrs. G. Walter Hopkins, '27 champion, holding woods when she won the title using only irons.
• The Middlesboro postmaster's gin drinks.
• Mrs. Myers, Mrs. Mason, and young Harvey Myers, Jr., arriving for the Paris tournament in an otherwise empty bus.
• Mrs. Ellerbe Carter's caddies from Louisville, getting mumps in Lexington.
• Hilarious banquets with three-putt queens putting on the show.
• The freshman golfer who thought a bye meant she had to go home.

  The depression hit hard. Entry fees went down to $2.50 and caddies got $.75. A flood swamped Twin Oaks so the 1933 championship moved to Maysville. Spirits were high, but the temperature was low, 37 degrees qualifying day. Prepared for seersucker weather, the golfers bundled up in borrowed woolens and teed off. In the finals Mrs. Willard G. Johnson of the Louisville Country Club defeated Marion Miley. It marked the only time Marion ever lost in a State Tournament.

  Marion Miley, Kentucky's all-time great golfer, won her first tournament at the Big Spring in 1931. During the Thirties she climbed to the top of U. S. golfdom. Along the way she earned five more Kentucky titles. Armed burglars fatally wounded Marion in 1941, when they broke into the Lexington Country Club. Also a friend of Kentucky golfers, her mother, Mrs. Fred Miley was a victim of the crime. In honor of their golfing star, the Lexington club founded the Marion Miley Memorial Tournament. Played every July, the two-day medal event attracts over 100 entries.

  Behind the scenes working to make the books balance was Mrs. Winfield L. Waters, who plays from the Big Spring Golf Club. She's seen the association grow into a big business. For ten years Dorothy Waters has been secretary-treasurer.

  You hear the older golfers say, "Time was when everybody knew everybody." They're not complaining, it's a fact. Now, the total number of entries pushes 100 or tops it. They hail from Paducah to Paintsville. Nobody can deny that the champion represents all of Kentucky.

2003

State Team Championship

Mrs. Jessica Grace, Mrs. Tammy Mahar and Ms. Cindy Summers represented our state at the USGA State Team Championship at the Wellesley Country Club in Massachusetts. Our team finished tied for 32nd with a three day score of 485.

2004

Currans Low Net Trophy

In 2003, Mrs. Anne Farthing donated $500 to the Association in memory of her father. A trophy was purchased and presented at the 2004 State Amateur Championship to Miss Morgan Cross of Elizabethtown.

Bill Currans passed away shortly before the 2003 Amateur Championship. Anne said that the money could be used in any way to make the running of the Association easier (she knew that we were investigating the purchase of a laser printer). The Board has elected to purchase the printer. However, we felt that something more needed to be done that would reflect Mr. Currans' memory. In 2004, we will present the first Currans Memorial Low Net Trophy to the player who has the low net score on Monday during stroke play. The Association would like to thank Anne and her family for the very generous donation.

2005

USGA Women’s State Team Championship

The USGA hosted the 6th bi-annual Women’s State Team Championship September 27-29, 2005 at Berkley Hall in Bluffton , SC. The championship was played on the Tom Fazio designed course at 6,115 yds. Berkley Hall played at a par 73 (36-37).

This national championship consists of 3 person teams selected by each state’s golf association or governing body chosen to represent their state in a 3 day stroke play competition. This year 50 teams representing each state except North Dakota and Puerto Rico participated in the USGA State Team Championships.

Representing Kentucky for 2005 was Cindy Summers of Bowling Green, Kim Hartlage of Elizabethtown , and Krissy Martin of Louisville. The KY team finished tied for 34 th place with a three day total of 478. The team from Georgia won it’s first national USGA championship with a final score of 434. Alabama was second at 436 and Texas was third at 450.

If you have any questions regarding this or other championships please check our website at www.wksga.org , www.usga.org or www.stateteam.org for further information.

26th Senior Women's Kentucky State Golf Championship - Mrs. Beth Curlin - 2005 Senior Women's Amateur Champion
For flight results see The 2005 Senior Amateur

79th State Amateur Taryn Durham - 2005 Women's Kentucky Amateur Champion
For all results from the Qualifying Round and daily match play results see 2005 Results.

A very special award was given to Mrs. Ruby Bird during the 2005 State Amateur Banquet. It will be hereafter known as the Ruby Bird Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was given to honor Mrs. Bird for her commitment to golf and the Association.

2006 Information

The 2006 Senior Women's Amateur was held at Arlington Golf Club in Richmond September 12 & 13. Congratulations to Mrs. Marsha Bordas - winner of the 2006 Senior Amateur! Participants and their results for the tournament can be found at 2006 Seniors.

The 2006 State Amateur Championship was held at The Summit Country Club in Owensboro June 19 - 23. Congratulations to Miss Krista Burton - winner of the 2006 Amateur! Results can be found at following link: 2006 State Amatuer results.

The Board is pleased to announce that sites for 2007 and 2008 have been secured.

• 2007 Amateur - Miller Memorial Golf Club - Murray
• 2007 Senior Amateur - Madisonville Country Club - Madisonville
• 2008 Amateur - Elizabethtown Country Club - Elizabethtown

 

Our Champions - Our Heritage