History of Zone 5 (Formerly BCLGA - District 1)
In 1933 when BC became a branch of the CLGU, three ladies from Victoria were elected to serve on the BC Branch as well as to carry on the business of ladies golf in Victoria. Mrs. Margaret Sayward-Wilson of Royal Colwood was 2nd Vice President, Mrs. B.P. Philbrick of Victoria Golf Club was Handicap and Pars Manager, and Mrs. Walter Parry of Victoria Golf Club was Honorary Secretary-Treasurer.
In December 1934, Captains and Vice Captains from the 4 clubs in Victoria were invited to attend the first meeting of the Victoria Division at Victoria Golf Club. Captains and Vice Captains present were:
Royal ColwoodMrs. Helen Crowe
Miss Fitz-Gibbon
Uplands
Mrs. Woodcroft
Mrs. Hope
Victoria
Mrs. A.H. Mitchell
Mrs. Howard
Gorge Vale
Mrs. H. Hodges
Miss Banfield
In 1935, the Victoria Division requested the permission of the CLGU to form their own Executive in Victoria and be a Branch of the BC CLGU. The request was granted and the Branch was called the Pars & Rules Committee, with the Chair to be also the 2nd Vice President of the BC CLGU. The Committee to include the Assistant Handicap Manager, the Assistant Honorary Secretary-Treasurer and Captains from the 4 clubs. Later in 1935, Mrs. Sayward-Wilson resigned and Mrs. Alan Morkhill of Victoria Golf Club became Chair and 2nd Vice President, and remained in office until 1941. Mrs. Parry and Mrs. Philbrick remained in their offices from 1933 to the end of the war years.
In 1938 an Assistant Chair of the Team Fund Committee was added to the Branch Executive and the 2nd Vice President was now also the Chair of Pars & Rules.
In 1941 Mrs. Morkill resigned as 2nd Vice President and Mrs. Helen Crowe assumed that office, and remained in office until 1955. The following year, Miss Ruth Jones, Victoria Golf Club, after 10 years as Secretary-Treasurer, took over the office of 2nd Vice President and remained in that office until 1960. In those days, elections were not held as they are today, and many Officers stayed in their positions for many years.
In reading over past City Minutes of the 30’s and 40’s, much attention was given to discussing ways and means of raising money to put into a BC Team Fund (for Inter-Provincial Team play), and also to allowing handicaps in flights for the City Championship in order to attract more entries. Handicaps in flights was tried, dropped, and then tried again with no definite solution reached.
In 1937 Mrs. Crowe moved that a Team Fund Committee of 3 be appointed by each club, and they be asked to find a way to raise $100.00 per club. Many means of fund raising were tried, and finally in 1953 the fund raising came to an end when the CLGU inaugurated a ’dollar a year’ plan for all CLGU members, and assumed the expenses for all provincial teams.
In the early years, up to 1939, the BC Branch assured Victoria that it would have one representative on the BC Team, providing a qualified player was available. As Vancouver had the greater majority of lower handicap players, the team was made up of one from Victoria and three from Vancouver. Mrs. E. Jackson of Uplands GC was the team member from Victoria at that time. A problem arose in August 1939 when Mrs. Art Dowell of Royal Colwood won the BC Championship, and Mrs. Jackson led BC on points to make the team, because, in 1937 the CLGU had passed a resolution that provincial teams include provincial champions on their teams. Mrs. Dowell was now automatically on the team and Victoria was firm in their stand that Mrs. Jackson must be on the team. The dilemma was taken out of their hands as the CLGU Championship was cancelled due to the outbreak of War. We wonder what the outcome might have been?
The BC Championships of 1939 were held and were played at the Victoria Golf Club. Phil Taylor, the Pro, was in charge of starting, receiving score cards and in posting the results of matches. He was assisted by a lady member. He also conducted the long driving and approaching competitions, and for all of this received $10.00 for the week, and this included a gratuity to MacKenzie, the Caddy Master.
Other ladies who played a prominent part in the development of ladies golf in Victoria in earlier years were; Mrs. Hew (Nora) Paterson, Victoria GC, Mrs. Jackson, Uplands GC, and Mrs. Art (Isobel) Dowell, Royal Colwood. All held positions of office in the Victoria Branch for many years.
An excerpt from the Minutes of a January 1941 meeting, held at Mrs. Philbrick's home, to discuss annual handicap revisions, 'on revising sheets for 1939-40, Mrs. Philbrick found many players at Oak Bay GC had not returned scores in 1940 as they had been occupied with war work'. 'Mrs. Musgrave, who had played for a year on half handicap and seems unable to reduce, was placed at the handicap her scores gave her'. After discussing the matter, it was decided to leave revision of handicaps in abeyance, if this would be agreeable to Captains and their committees, as it did not seem fair to make alterations, except in the case of reduction.
There were no City Championships from 1943 to 1945, but were resumed in 1946. This City Championship was first played in 1920, and the first winner was Mrs. Hew (Nora) Paterson of Victoria GC (History of the 'City' included in this Manual)
In 1948 the City 'Foursomes' was inaugurated and entry fees were given to aid the Provincial Team fund (History of 'Foursomes' included in this Manual).
In 1949 it was reported that there were 20 players in BC with handicaps of 6 and under, and 25 clubs in BC affiliated with CLGU
In 1951 the '15 and Under' competition was inaugurated (The Harris-Erickson). (History included in this Manual)
In 1952 a resolution was passed at a 'Pars & Rules' meeting, that all clubs would hold their Club Championships in the same week in September. This was done to aid Captains in drawing up their fixture lists. Fitting all events into a season was becoming a problem, especially Inter-Club Team matches.
In 1954 the City Committee decided to contribute $10.00 to each Huntting Cup team member for traveling expenses when matches were held in Vancouver. It was sometimes a problem fielding the team of 12 players to go to Vancouver (History of 'Huntting Cup included in this Manual).
In the mid-60's, Glen Meadows opened and became a CLGU member, and also Cedar Hill opened another 9 holes and became an 18 hole course. Both were now used for City events.
In 1957 a new BC Constitution was adopted, and now Officers were elected to serve set terms of office. The Victoria Branch followed the new Constitution and from then on Officers did not serve the long terms as before.
The 'Pars & Rules' Committee remained until 1963 when BC was divided into 3 divisions; Vancouver Island, Interior and Lower Mainland. Now the Victoria Branch became the 'Vancouver Island Division of the BC CLGU', and Up-Island members of a CLGU club were eligible to compete in Victoria & District events (City, Foursomes, 15 & Under).
By 1964 there were 13 clubs belonging to the CLGU on Vancouver Island, and a total of 805 lady members
In 1966 the Vancouver Island Division requested that they have a representative on the City & District Men's Committee so as to have input into fixture lists etc. The letter was sent to Mr. Harry Young, Chairman of the Committee. The request was turned down.
In l967, the CLGU became the CLGA.
In 1975 BC was again divided, this time into Districts, and Vancouver Island was divided into 2 Districts; Cowichan North became District 6, and Lower Vancouver Island became District 1. The Victoria Branch had another name change, 'District 1 Branch of the BC CLGA'. The Executive was elected from the Victoria area and members are: Chair, who sits on the BC CLGA Board, Vice Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, and Chairs for Rules & Handicap, Course Rating, Junior Development and Teams & Publicity.
In 1976 the District 1 Committee handed over the business of the Huntting Cup to the Harris-Erickson Group,as the Vancouver City Committee had done when it gave the responsibility to the Sweeny Group.
In 1990 the Office of Secretary-Treasurer was separated into 2 offices, and District 1 had 15 affiliated clubs, 16 clubs in 1991.
In 1998 the BC CLGA had a name change to BCLGA.
In 1999 Cowichan south became part of District 1, and now two more clubs were added for a total of 18 clubs in 2000. (Cowichan and Arbutus Ridge)
Arbutus Ridge Metchosin Ardmore Olympic View Cedar Hill Pender Island Cordova Bay Prospect Lake Cowichan Royal Colwood Galiano Royal Oak Glen Meadows Uplands Gorge Vale Salt Spring Island John Phillips Memorial Victoria
In 2001, two 9-hole clubs, Galiano Island and John Phillips Memorial, left the District taking the number back to 16 clubs.
In 2003, Bear Mountain joined, bringing the number of affiliated clubs to 17. Member Group (SportsTraders) was also added.
In 2004, two additional Member Groups were added: GolfBC headed by Lori Randle and located at Olympic View GC, and Galiano Island.
2005 - Zone 5 hosted the 100th Anniversary of the BC Women's Amateur at Victoria Golf Club (July.) Her Honour Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of BC was guest speaker at the Opening Ceremonies which was followed by a Victorian Tea for special guests and Zone 5 members. A Centennial Celebration was also held to honour Past Presidents of the BCLGA and Past Amateur Champions.
2005 - Duncan Meadows Golf Club was welcomed to Zone 5.
2005 - November 1st, the BCLGA amalgamated with the BCGA.
ZONE 5 TOURNAMENTS
Ladies Amateur: First played in 1920 for the "Begg Motor Cup", which was retired in 1973. C-FAX radio took over sponsorship and continued until 2002. Metro Lexus Toyota became the prime sponsor and a name change was made to the Cup. During the war years (1943-45) the Championship was not held but resumed in 1946. Originally played in September with a Qualifying round followed by Match play, over the years the format has changed from a 36-hole stroke event after the War, back to the original Match Play, then to 54-hole stroke play in 2000. Availability of a single course for a full week plus the substantial increase in green fees brought the tournament back to a 36-hole stroke play event in 2002.
Ladies Senior: In 1981, the District inaugurated the first Senior Tournament, a 1-day stroke play competition to be played in conjunction with the 'City'. The Seniors' were given their own event and Trophy in 1998. In 2005, the Tournament became a 36-hole event played in conjunction with the Amateur and Handicap.
Ladies Handicap: A 36-hole flighted event, played in conjunction with the Amateur/Senior. First played in 2005.
Foursomes "Two Ball": 1998 marked the 50th Anniversary of this unique tournament.. A 5-day event with Qualifying Stroke play followed by Match play. Team of two, alternate shot. The only event of its kind in Canada, and probably North America having played continuously from 1948 to (ongoing).
NET Tournament: : First played in all Provinces in 1972 and originally called NHA (National Handicap Award Competition) for higher handicaps. In 1997, the BCLGA voted to permanently discontinue the event. With a name change, the Mid-Amateur was inaugurated in 1997 as a 1-day event to be played on a 9-hole course and run by the Districts. A name changed once again resulted in 2002 to NET. This event is open to all ladies with a handicap factor of 18.1 to 40.4.
Harris Erickson: : First played in 1952 and known as the "15 and Unders" which gave way to an official name of Harris-Erickson to honour the founders, Peggy Harris and Helen Erickson. Competition (match play) is held annually between the Sweeny Cup group for the Huntting Cup.
Juniors: In 1968, the BCLGA donated a Centennial Trophy to honour Canada's 100th Birthday. There are 3 Centennials scheduled usually in May. In 1976, a trophy in the name of Dale Shaw was donated; a low gross competition with the scores of the 3 Centennials combined. The Vancouver Island Championship is a low gross competition for Zone 5 and 6 Juniors, rotating play between the two Zones.
* Excerpts taken from BCLGA District 1 Reference Manual
contact Barbara Rainey misssb@shaw.ca for additional information.
