TO celebrate its centenary year in 2006, Women’s Golf Victoria (WGV) recently announced plans to involve all 28,500 golfers in the 380 clubs across the state in the commemoration of its 100-year milestone.
Local clubs including Sunshine Golf Club and Werribee Park Golf Club will honour the achievements of the past century with activities held early next year.
The festivities include a special tournament, celebration functions starting with a Centenary Cocktail Party scheduled for 15 February at the Commonwealth Golf Club, and the launch of an address book illustrating the sport and its players over the past 10 decades.
The major event of the year will be the Centenary Tournament – a pairs-based tournament with winning pairs from each club playing in district finals.
Club rounds will run from early in the new year to June, the district play-offs will be held at nine venues during August and the final in Melbourne in November.
To be held at the Royal Melbourne, the final will feature pairs representing districts from across the state playing to win this commemorative event.
The sport of women’s golf in Victoria has bloomed since 11 enterprising women met in Melbourne’s Mia Mia tearooms in April l906 to form the Victorian Ladies Golf Union.
With six foundation clubs, 278 members and Annie Lindon as the founding president, the union’s objectives were to promote the interests of the game of golf to women, establish a uniform handicapping system, and to organise and control interclub matches.
The history books reveal the past century has delivered extensive growth in clubs and members, the formation of many successful tournaments including pennant, junior and adult development activities and the handicapping of courses statewide.
When looking back over the century, it’s obvious many women golfers have a lifelong passion for the sport.
To commemorate the 100 years, WGV has gathered a portfolio of more than 40 photographs depicting golf over the past century and presented the shots in a hard cover address book.
For information on the centennial celebration activities or for a copy of the address book, contact a district delegate, Women’s Golf Victoria office or log onto www.womensgolf.com.au
A portion of the sale of each book and of the statewide centenary tournament will be donated to the Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation.
