Women's Golf Victoria (1906 - )

The Victorian Ladies' Golf Union (VLGU) was established in 1906 after the golfing women of Geelong, in 1905, had initiated moves to create an organisation to further the development of golf for women in Victoria. There were six foundation clubs - Caulfield (later known as Metropolitan, Colac, Kew, Essendon (Northern), Geelong and Surrey Hills (Riversdale) - with a total of 278 members.

The women of the union immediately established themselves as women of action. Within its first six months, the Union had undertaken a standardised handicapping system, decided to introduce pennant competition, held a number of friendly interclub matches and initiated a silver medal competition, a competition that is still played as the Silver Spoon event. Since those early days, the VLGU has overseen metropolitan and country competitions, junior development and the emergence of some exceptional talent. Jane Lock, for instance, began her international career playing junior golf in competitions overseen by the VLGU.

Needless to say, the VLGU has undergone change and development throughout its 100 years of existence. Competition stopped, for instance, during the first and second world wars and the members put their considerable skills and networks to use to raise funds for the war effort. The Equal Opportunity Act of 1985 had a huge impact on the way clubs operated and laid the foundations for the way the sport is organised today.

The 1990s were a time of great change for the Union, with the most important issue being that of constitutional change. Over the years, the development of the sport in Victoria had outgrown the ability of the governing structure to operate efficiently and democratically. Between 1992 and 1994 the board worked to develop a new constitution that would take the Union into the new millennium. As a reflection of this new direction, a new name was adopted. In June 1995 the Victorian Ladies' Golf Union became Women's Golf Victoria.

• Victorian Ladies' Golf Union (previous name, 1906 - 1995)

Events

1906	Victorian Ladies' Golf Union Established
1907	Nellie Gatehouse wins the first State Championship presided over by the Victorian Ladies Golf Union
1925	Mona Macleod wins the first of five Victorian Championships
1925	Inaugural Girls' Golf Championship of Victoria played
1927	The Victorian Ladies' Golf Union wrests control of the organisation of the Victorian Championship from the male run Victorian Golf Association
1929	The first country golf tournament presided over by the Victorian Ladies' Golf Union is held in Hamilton, Victoria
1953	The Mona Macleod Brooch competition is established to commemorate her contribution to women's golf
1961	Burtta Cheney set a course record of 71 at Royal Melbourne
c. 1966	Burtta Cheney established the annual junior camp at Anglesea
1985	The Equal Opportunity Act changes the way golf clubs are organised
1993	Karrie Webb breaks Burtta Cheney's course record at Royal Melbourne
1994	A new constitution in adopted
1995	Victorian Ladies' Golf Union adopts the name Women's Golf Victoria

President

• Gatehouse, Eleanor Wright (1886 - 1973)

  Nellie Gatehouse was president of the Victorian Ladies' Golf Union on two occasions; once between 1928-1936, the other between 1942-46.

Related People

• Lock, Jane Melinda (1954 - )

  Jane Lock achieved the outstanding feat of winning the Junior Girls' Championship organised by the Victorian Women's Golf Union a record five times in a row. She won the Victorian title twice and many other events before moving on to a professional career.

Australian Women Exhibitions

• She's Game: Women Making Australian Sporting History, Australian Women's Archives Project, 2007, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/sg/sport-home.html. [ Details... ]