The Early Days of the Alabama Golf
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I Alabama Golf Association i THE FIRST 100 YEARS by Ian Thompson f/ Commissioned by the Alabama Golf Association The Alabama Golf Association has had a storied past, which comes alive in Alabama Golf Association: The First 100 Years. From the early days of the association through almost one hundred State Amateurs, the reader is transported to yesteryear as championships are chronicled, characters introduced, and tales told from firsthand reports and many gleaned from newspaper stories of the day. State Amateur champions with such memorable names as Files Crenshaw through Smylie Kaufman, and all the champions before, after, and in-between, are learned of here. The two Sam’s, Perry and Farlow, stand tallest with four State Amateur wins each, with Glenn Crisman, Scudday Horner, M. C. Fitts, and Jackie Cummings each claiming three titles. And, in more recent times, who could forget Bobby Wyatt’s magical 57 in the second round of the 2010 State Junior at the Country Club of Mobile? Without a doubt, one of the very best rounds . in the history of the game. The AGA began in 1915, with the Women’s Alabama Golf Association coming along fourteen years later. Eighty-two Women’s State Amateurs have been contested with Kathy Hartwiger’s ten wins seemingly unassailable, and, who knows, she might just add to her tally. Others dominated their eras including Bee McWane’s six titles; Chris Spivey and Virginia Derby Grimes each with five; and June Mayson, Beth Barry, and Jane Reynolds all with four. These two associations became one in 2010 and that merger has seen both go from strength to strength as one body conducting twelve championships, many USGA qualifiers, and a number of other tournaments. What does the future hold? The next one hundred years are ready to be written ... ^A/DED ^ 'V ded^ Alabama Golf Association THE FIRST 100 YEARS By Ian Thompson Commissioned by the Alabama Golf Association Pictured on the previous two pages are, top row (L-R), Glenn Crisman, M. C. Fitts, Men’s State Amateur Championship Sam D. Perry Trophy, Miss Chris Spivey, Women’s State Amateur Championship Trophy, Mrs. Kathy Hartwiger. Bottom row are Sam Perry, Sam Farlow, Mrs. Virginia Derby Grimes, Miss Bee McWane, Jackie Cummings, and Scudday Horner. Copyright © 2015 by Alabama Golf Association All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work in any form whatsoever without permission in writing from the publisher, except for brief passages in connection with a review. For information, please write: Donning Company Publishers The Donning Company Publishers 184 Business Park Drive, Suite 206 Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Lex Cavanah, General Manager Barbara Buchanan, Office Manager Anne Burns, Editor Stephanie Danko, Graphic Designer Monika Ebertz, Imaging Artist Cindy Smith, Project Research Coordinator Nathan Stufflebean, Research and Marketing Supervisor Katie Gardner, Marketing Advisor Brad Martin, Project Director Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Thompson, Ian, 1968- Alabama Golf Association : the first too years / by Ian Thompson. pages cm Includes index. ISBN 978-1-57864-972-3 1. Alabama Golf Association—History. 2. Golf—Alabama—History. I. Title. GV969.A53T56 2015 796.35209761—dc23 2015007200 Printed in the United States of America at Walsworth Publishing Company Contents 6 Foreword by Jean Miller 8 Foreword by Richard Anthony 10 Acknowledgments Men’s State Amateur Championship 108 Women’s State Amateur Championship The Early Days of the Alabama Golf Association and Sadie Roberts Begins the Women’s Alabama the Start of the State Amateur (1915-19) Golf Association The 1920s The 1940s The 1930s The 1950s The 1940s The 1960s The 1950s The 1970s The 1960s The 1980s The 1970s The 1990s The 1980s The 2000s The 1990s The 2010s The 2000s The 2010s 176 Joe H. King Award 200 Profiles of Key People 224 USGA Championships 232 Golfers in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame 236 Appendices 265 Book Resources 266 Index 280 About the Author Foreword by Jean Miller As you probably know, our modern You will be fascinated reading about 5’ game of golf began in Scotland around 3” “Miss Sadie” Roberts of Birmingham. 1457. In the United States, the first Her leadership and passion was full mention of the game was recorded in blown when she established the Women’s Charleston, South Carolina, in 1739, with Alabama Golf Association (WAGA) in the oldest continuous golf course noted 1928. “Southern Hospitality” was her as Saint Andrews Golf Club in Yonkers, theme as well as “Golf by the Rules.” The New York, coming on board in 1888. The first WAGA Amateur Championship was golf courses were “MALE ONLY.” Our held at the Country Club of Birmingham. ladies were at home cleaning, cooking, Miss Sadie presided over women’s and raising future male golfers. golf in Alabama until 1956. Some of you Around the late 1800s, the ladies may remember “Babe” Zaharias and her caught on to the joy of hitting the visit to Birmingham encouraging women little white ball around on beautiful golfers. “It’s not enough to swing at the sunny days. By the early 1900s women ball. You’ve got to loosen your girdle and were seen on the Country Club of really let the ball have it!” she said in Jean Miller Birmingham’s new nine-hole course; 1948. You, dear reader, will learn of the long now Highland Park Golf Course The Great War was over. The Roaring many dedicated women who championed downtown. They hosted the Women’s Twenties, the Jazz Age. A decade of the game— not all great players, but women Southern Golf Championship in 1915. prosperity; we had become a fun- who had fallen in love with a game that Hats, gloves, and long skirts blended loving nation. Golf had become a popular developed character, integrity, and courtesy. together with golf clubs and balls. A pastime with both men and women. The next three decades brought true social extravaganza. Exciting, enjoyable, and social! expansion and excitement to the WAGA with the Junior Championship starting in to participate in a new inter-state match in women’s amateur golf in Alabama, as 1961 and the Women’s Senior Championship play championship beginning at Shoal well as men’s amateur golf, could only in 1973. Montgomery Country Club hosted Creek. WAGA was the host association go forward as a partnership. Given the the Women’s State Amateur Championship and conducted the competition won by economic environment, it made sense for the fiftieth anniversary in 1979. The Florida. The new event was so successful that we work under the auspices of field was limited to 144 players with it was named the Southeastern Women’s another strong and well-established USGA a waiting list of sixteen ladies. WAGA Amateur Team Championship Association entity to achieve our mission of improving championships had become popular (SWATCA). WAGA was involved until golf for the women of Alabama. events. A full field was the norm. 2011. In closing, I concur with “Babe” when The WAGA newsletter began to be You will enjoy reading of the women she said: “Winning has always meant produced and was later named WAGA Tales. who thrived on the spirit of competition, much to me, but winning friends has It was sent to all member clubs within the as well as the lifelong friendships that meant the most.” T state. And, by popular demand, the WAGA were made across many age groups. It began the Stroke Play Championship at Gulf takes patience, practice, and courage. Historical note ... Shores Golf Club in 1991. You will learn of the tremendous The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. It is exciting to see the number of contributions from the McWane family. The Andrews, which has a global membership young women who have received a college Bee McWane Reid Endowment provided of roughly 2,400, “voted overwhelmingly” education from the WAGA Scholarship the funding for the WAGA’s first salaried on Thursday, September 18, 2014, to allow Foundation Trust (SFT), which was executive director. female members for the first time in its established in 1993 to help and encourage WAGA joined with the LPGA-USGA 260-year history. the average young golfer, who was an Girls Golf Program nationally to support outstanding student but needed financial the vision and willingness to help young Author’s note: Jean Miller is profiled on assistance, to attend college. Nineteen girls learn this great game of golf. pages 149-153. She is a true delight and such scholarships have been awarded. Alabama was one of the key states to has meant SO MUCH to golf across this In the interest of promoting golf for support this program and continues to do state. A heartfelt thank you, Jean, for all women, several WAGA directors met with so at locations across the state. you have meant to so many golfers. You the United States Golf Association (USGA) The “Great Alliance” of the WAGA and have touched many, many lives; more than and invited the states of Florida, Georgia, the AGA went ahead in March 2010. The you could ever know. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee WAGA Board felt future accomplishments Foreword by Richard Anthony Some historians have called golf “the Convinced the association needed a full greatest game,” and I agree. This belief time executive director, King initiated has been supported in part by interesting the effort to recruit one. In 1985 Buford stories involving competitive amateur McCarty began his long and distinguished golf at the highest levels. Alabama career leading the AGA into a period of Golf Association: The First 100 Years further growth and positive influence. chronicles the past one hundred years This book features many distinguished of golf in Alabama, a time frame that golfers during different eras of our state’s begins with the establishment of the past.