Columbia Women's City Golf Championship

Originally written by Marge McKoy

     Prior to 1964, the Women's City Golf Championship tournament was comprised of competition between the ladies of Forest Lake Country Club, Fort Jackson Golf Club, Columbia Country Club, and Spring Valley Country Club, the four existing clubs at that time.  This tournament was started in 1962 as an "annual inter-club event" to determine the city champion.

     The first "inter-club" women's championship was a two-day event held in October, 1962, with the first day being played at Columbia Country Club and the second d ay at Fort Jackson Golf Club.  34 players competed and Mary Lou Crowder, a Columbia Country Club player and the tournament medalist, won with a score of 79 at Columbia Country Club and an 89 at Fort Jackson Golf Club.  The runner-up was Letha Wilson with an 88.

     This tournament was renamed Women's City Golf Championship when The State-Record Company became the sponsor in 1963.  The format was changed to a three-day event played at Forest Lake Country Club.  100 players competed and again Mary Lou Crowder was the medalist and went on to win the championship title with a 78, 79, 79 (236) over Forest Lake's Mildred Linton by 5 strokes (241).

     The State-Record Company provided a beautiful silver bowl as a traveling trophy which was presented to the champion by Charles Wickenburg, the Associate Editor at that time.  Mary Lou Crowder had the distinguished honor of being first to have her name neatly engraved twice - 1962 and 1963.

     Then, what was destined to be the last Women's City Golf Championship for many years was played at Columbia Country Club in November, 1964, where the title was taken by Kathryn "Kat" Salley of Forest Lake Country Club and Spring Valley Country Club.  "Kat" won over Mary Lou Crowder by 1 stroke (240 - 241) and only 47 players participated that year.  Medalist honors went to Mary Lou Crowder after winning a play-off with Rose Berry of Columbia Country Club to break the qualifying scores tied at 78.

      "Kat" had possession of the Women's City Golf Championship title and the sterling silver bowl for twenty-one years until both were once again "put up for grabs" at Columbia Country Club in November, 1985, when, largely due to the enthusiasm and efforts of Ann Potts and Daisy Trobaugh, both of Columbia Country Club, and a small group of dedicated workers, this championship was reorganized and revitalized.

      The State-Record Company again agreed to sponsor this championship and the name was then changed to The Women's City Golf Championship of the Greater Columbia Area.  The first revival of the championship tournament attracted only 31 players and was won by Suzy Ellison of Columbia Country Club.  Charles Wickenburg presented the champion's bowl in 1985 and 1986.

     The 1985 original Women's City Golf Championship reorganization committee members were: Ann Potts, Daisy Trobaugh, Leila Mote, and Mary Lou Crowder of Columbia Country Club, Marge McKoy of Spring Valley Country Club, Kathryn "Kat" Salley and Kathryn Hemphill of Forest Lake Country Club, Ethel McGowan of Fort Jackson Golf Club, and Inez Long an LPGA member.

(Contributing to this history were "Kat" Salley, who searched her memory and reminisced, Mary Lou Crowder, who researched information from newspaper clippings in her possession, Ann Potts who helped with information relative to the resurgence of this event, and The State-Record Company.  To all of you, "I thank you very much and hope this bit of history will be interesting to posterity.")