History of the GWGA
GEORGIA WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION, INC. (GWGA ) was founded in 1929 at Radium Country Club in Albany, the site of our first Championship in 1930. Today, GWGA continues to promote, maintain and protect the best interests of the game of golf among the amateur female golfers throughout the State of Georgia. Each year, the GWGA hosts two tournaments: the GWGA Four-Ball Tournament and the Georgia Women’s Amateur Championship.
Every year since 1930, the winner of GWGA Championship Tournament is named the Georgia Women's Amateur Champion. The site of the tournament varies from site to site each year. Following is the schedule for the next few years.
| Year | Dates | Location |
| 2008 | July 29 - 31 | Stonebridge G&CC, Albany |
| 2009 | June 23 - 25 | Idle Hour Golf Club, Macon |
The tournament is open to all members in good standing of the Georgia Women's Golf Association. The field is limited to 112 competitors and acceptance of entries is by ascending order of handicap index. Entry forms for the tournament will be made available to the membership approximately six weeks prior to the tournament.
TopChampionship History 1971 - Present
From 1971 to the present, the GWGA has conducted the Georgia Women's Stroke Play Championship for the Eleanor M. Keeler Memorial Trophy. Prior to 1971, the GWGA conducted both a Medal Play and a Match Play Championship. In 1969, the association agreed to sponsor a single championship tournament, with the winner being recognized at the Georgia Women's Amateur Champion.
Since 1971, there have been 18 different champions, including six-time winner Janet Olp, four-time winners Ceil MacLaurin and Wendi Patterson, and four-time winner and current champion, Laura Coble. In addition to her four Stroke Play Championships, Ceil MacLaurin has won a total of eleven championships over a twenty year period between 1952 and 1975.
Year |
Champion |
Site |
 |
|
| 2007 | Laura Coble | August Country Club | ||
| 2006 | Jean Reynolds | Atlanta Athletic Club | ||
| 2005 | Laura Coble | Dalton CC | ||
| 2004 | Laura Coble | Doublegate CC | ||
| 2003 | Laura Coble | Reynolds Plantation | ||
| 2002 | Patti Huxford | Green Island CC | ||
| 2001 | Kathi Eutzler | The Landings Club | ||
| 2000 | Claudeen Lindberg | Capital City Club | ||
| 1999 | Laura Coble | West Lake CC | ||
| 1998 | Patti Huxford | Athens CC | ||
| 1997 | Janet Olp | Cherokee Town CC | ||
| 1996 | Kim Lisi | The Farm | ||
| 1995 | Wendi Patterson | Eagles Landing CC | ||
| 1994 | Brenda Pictor | Atlanta CC | ||
| 1993 | Wendi Patterson | The Landings Club | ||
| 1992 | Wendi Patterson | Valdosta CC | ||
| 1991 | Wendi Patterson | Doublegate CC | Laura Coble has won the Championship four times: 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007. | |
| 1990 | Bettie Shadday | Cartersville CC | ||
| 1989 | Ginette Spinucci | Jones Creek CC | ||
| 1988 | Jenny Holder | Griffin CC | ||
| 1987 | Janet Olp | Coosa CC | ||
| 1986 | Martha Kirouac | River North CC | ||
| 1985 | Janet Olp | Flat Creek CC | ||
| 1984 | Janet Olp | Berkely Hills CC | ||
| 1983 | Janet Olp | Athens CC | ||
| 1982 | June Holder | Dalton CC | ||
| 1981 | Janet Olp | Valdosta CC | ||
| 1980 | Carol Donald | Atlanta Ath. Club | ||
| 1979 | Carol Donald | Radium Springs CC | ||
| 1978 | Eleanor Walker | Coosa CC | ||
| 1977 | Mitzi Edge | Flat Creek CC | ||
| 1976 | Terri Moody | River North CC | ||
| 1975 | Ceil MacLaurin | Brookfield West CC | ||
| 1974 | Ceil MacLaurin | Berkely Hills CC | ||
| 1973 | Ceil MacLaurin | Sea Palms CC | ||
| 1972 | Ceil MacLaurin | Dalton CC | ||
| 1971 | Billie Wickliffe | CC of Columbus |
Medal Play Championship 1952 - 1970
From 1952 through 1970, the Championship was played as a Medal Play Tournament. The Champion was awarded the Eleanor Keeler Trophy. The first Georgia Medal Play Tournament for the Eleaner Keeler Trophy was played at Capital City Club in 1952. Although there were 30 entries, only 24 ladies competed. The format consisted of 36 holes of stroke play as a field, followed by a round of 18-holes flighted into groups of 8. The low 16 players from the qualifying rounds would constitute the championship flights, eligible for the Championship Trophy. Dorothy Kirby, the former national champion and six time winner of the Georgia State Championship, won in 1952, a full 19 years after her first win in 1933!
Year |
Champion |
Site |
|||
| 1952 | Dorothy Kirby | Capital City Club | |||
| 1953 | Dorothy Kirby | Capital City Club | |||
| 1954 | Mary Lena Faulk | Augusta CC | |||
| 1955 | Mary Ann Reynolds | Sea Island GC |  |
||
| 1956 | Mary Ann Reynolds | Ft. Benning CC | |||
| 1957 | Margaret Allen | Griffin CC | |||
| 1958 | Janice Phelps | Callaway Gardens | |||
| 1959 | Madge McDonald | Athens CC | |||
| 1960 | Dot Clay | Coosa CC | |||
| 1961 | Margaret Allen | Radium Springs CC | |||
| 1962 | Sally Molloy | Idle Hour CC | |||
| 1963 | Dodie Garlington | Columbus CC | |||
| 1964 | Billie Wickliffe | The Standard Club | |||
| 1965 | Ceil MacLaurin | Augusta CC | |||
| 1966 | Grace Clay | Okeefenokee GC | |||
| 1967 | B.J. Grabrielson | Valdosta CC | |||
| 1968 | Ceil MacLaurin | Atlanta Ath. Club | |||
| 1969 | Ceil MacLaurin | Savannah Inn & CC | |||
| 1970 | Billie Wickliffe | Doublegate CC |
Match Play Championship 1930 - 1970
From 1930 to 1970, the GWGA conducted a match play tournament to determine the Georgia Women's Amateur Champion. The first Official Match Play Championship was held at Radium Springs Golf Club in Albany from October 6 through 10, 1930. Forty women competed on the 6300 yard, par 85 course. Mrs. W. D. Doak defeated Miss Margaret Maddox on the 18th hole of the final match to become the first state champion. It was to be her only win. Miss Maddox returned to win the following two years (1931 and 1932) and managed a third victory in 1938.
vYear |
Champion |
Site |
||
| 1930 | Mrs. W.D. Doak | Radum Springs GC | ||
| 1931 | Margaret Maddox | Sea Island CC | ||
| 1932 | Margaret Maddox | Capital City CC | ||
| 1933 | Dorothy Kirby | East Lake CC | ||
| 1934 | Mrs. S.B. Lippitt | Radum Springs GC | ||
| 1935 | Dorothy Kirby | East Lake CC | ||
| 1936 | Dorothy Kirby | Columbus CC | ||
| 1937 | Martha Daniel | Coosa CC | ||
| 1938 | Margaret Maddox | Druid Hills CC | ||
| 1939 | Colleen Butler | Glen Arven CC | ||
| 1940 | Louise Suggs | Columbus CC | ||
| 1941 | Dorothy Kirby | Capital City CC | ||
| 1942 | Louise Suggs | East Lake CC | ||
| 1943 | Caroline Dykes Kibler | East Lake CC | ||
| 1944 | Martha Daniel | Capital City CC | ||
| 1945 | Mary Melnyk | Augusta CC | ||
| 1946 | Mary Lena Faulk | Ft. Benning GC | ||
| 1947 | Mary Lena Faulk | Glen Arven CC | ||
| 1948 | Mary Lena Faulk | Brunswick GC | ||
| 1949 | Martha Daniel | General Oglethorpe GC | ||
| 1950 | Eileen Stulb | Druid Hills CC |  |
|
| 1951 | Eileen Stulb | Coosa CC | ||
| 1952 | Ceil MacLaurin | Valdosta CC | ||
| 1953 | Mary Crawford | Ft. Benning GC | ||
| 1954 | Frances Rich | Griffin CC | ||
| 1955 | Mary Crawford | Radum Springs GC | ||
| 1956 | Janice Phelps | East Lake CC | ||
| 1957 | M.A.Sauls Reynolds | Savannah GC | ||
| 1958 | M.A.Sauls Reynolds | Radum Springs GC | ||
| 1959 | Mary Crawford | Columbus CC | ||
| 1960 | Barbara Greene | Glen Arven CC | ||
| 1961 | Grace Lyons Clay | Druid Hills CC | ||
| 1962 | Mrs. Grady McDonald | Valdosta CC | ||
| 1963 | Mrs. Grady McDonald | Callaway Gardens | ||
| 1964 | Ceil MacLaurin | Athens CC | ||
| 1965 | Ceil MacLaurin | Sea Palms GC | Billie Wickliffe won the State Championship in all three formats: Match Play (1966 & 1967), Medal Play (1964 & 1970), and Stroke Play (1971). | |
| 1966 | Billie Wickliffe | Green Island CC | ||
| 1967 | Billie Wickliffe | Radium CC | ||
| 1968 | Mrs. Tom Molloy | Callaway Gardens | ||
| 1969 | Hollis Stacy | Athens CC | ||
| 1970 | Ceil MacLaurin | Sea Palms GC |