ILLINOIS WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

 

In 1933, the Illinois Women’s Golf Association (IWGA) was added to a long list of prestigious golf associations whose missions are to promote the game of golf and to provide championship golf opportunities to players across the United States.

In 1894, the United States Golf Association (USGA) was founded by the five charter clubs which included 4 on the East Coast and Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, IL. That same year, The USGA conducted the first US Amateur Championship followed the very next day by the first US Open Championship, and one week later by the first US Women’s Amateur Championship.

In 1899, the Western Golf Association (WGA) was founded by 11 Chicago area golf clubs to bring championship opportunities to the “West” (west of the Allegany Mountains). The WGA conducted men’s championships and in 1930 established the Chick Evans Scholarship Foundation which funds and awards college scholarships to caddies.

To fulfill the gap with women’s championships, in 1901 the WGA begrudgingly established a women’s championship, but the association lacked the enthusiasm to run a proper championship. After two attempts to conduct a Western Women’s Championship it was suggested that an association of women should be established to conduct this championship and the Women’s Western Golf Association (WWGA) was born in 1903.

 

Today the WWGA conducts national championships for women and junior girls as well as providing scholarship opportunities.

In 1930, the Chicago Women’s District Golf Association (CWDGA) was established under the sponsorship and guidance of the WWGA to advance women’s golf at its member clubs, the private clubs in the Chicagoland area. 

 

In 1933 the CWDGA recognized that there should be an organization that would conduct the State Women’s Amateur Championship and advance golf for all women of Illinois and in 1933 the Illinois Women’s Golf Association was born.

With Mary Wheeler as founder, a small group of women conducted the first State Women’s Amateur Championship at Evanston Golf Club in 1934 and without looking back the future of the competition was established.

The IWGA has been conducting the Illinois State Women’s Amateur Championship annually since 1934 and added The Illinois State Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in 1970 and the Illinois State Junior Girls’ Championship in 1980.

 

The USGA recognizes the IWGA as the official Illinois State Women’s Golf Association.