The first official Women’s Championship of Southern California was held under the auspices of the Southern California Golf Association in 1900 at the 9-hole, 2,291 yard, Pasadena Country Club Links at Oak Grove (NLE), over two days in January 1900.
Pasadena CC was the first golf “country club” in Southern California. It was founded in 1897, and the course opened in 1898. Its first professional was W. H. “Bertie” Way, formerly of Westward Ho!, England, Shinnecock Hills, Meadow Brook and Detroit Country Club. Over the winter of 1899-1900 he was doing double duty at Pasadena and Los Angeles Country Club.
The women’s championship contest at Pasadena was played over two days. It started with an 18-hole medal play qualifier for the four lowest scores. Then 18-hole match-play, and an 18-hole final.
The first Southern California Women’s Champion was Mrs. Jean W. Bowers, who beat Mrs. John D. Foster 5 and 4. Both ladies from Los Angeles CC. Mrs. Hugh Vail won the medal. Jean Bowers won again the next year at Los Angeles CC.
The Women’s Amateur Championship was run by the SCGA tournament committee from 1900 to 1920, when they formed a women’s sub-committee, and soon after, the Women’s Auxiliary of the SCGA. The Auxiliary ran the tournament until the Southern California Women’s Golf Association was formed in 1934.
The 1934 Women’s championship was played at San Diego Country Club at Chula Vista in May.
“Miss Helen Luscomb, sweet girl graduate of U.C.L.A. just a year ago, today became the new Southern California California golf champion. She defeated Mrs. Kenneth Carter, San Gabriel champion, 4 and 2, in a scheduled 36-hole match.” Helen won on her home course.
The Southern California Women’s Amateur Championship was held every year until World War II. After that it gets complicated!
To be continued…
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