SIWGA ~ HISTORY

Prior to 1989, the only competitive golf event available to women on Staten Island was a one-day event sponsored by the Staten Island Kiwanis Club.  When the Tournament Director decided to retire from running the event, Pat Hart was asked to continue the tradition.  In August of 1989, Pat Hart organized the first “Staten Island Women’s Classic”.

At or about the same time, the Management of LaTourette Golf Course offered to hold a one-day women’s tournament on condition that there be a minimum of “30 ladies willing to play”.  Meg O’Hare accepted the challenge and gathered the required amount of female competitors.  The “Staten Island Women’s Amateur” was resurrected in September of 1989.

The Staten Island Women’s Golf Association evolved from the efforts of Pat Hart and Meg O’Hare.  Together they decided to enlist a small group of women dedicated to the notion that female golf could be enhanced by various events designed to provide recognition to the amateur women golfers on Staten Island.  In January 1990, Jean Mc Cabe, Mary Cahalane, Kathy Lane, Clara Andreano, Rose Phelps, Mary Helbock, Jean Swedberg, Ginger Yannotta, Maria Hogan and Ann Marie Henderson joined Pat Hart and Meg O’Hare to become the Charter Members and first Board of Directors of the “SIWGA”.

By 1995, the SIWGA schedule was expanded to include a better ball tournament, “The Team Tournament”, and a scramble event called the “Captain and Crew Tournament”.

Before the end of its first decade of existence, the SIWGA turned up the level of competition to include match play in the Staten Island Women’s Amateur and an Interclub competition for the local women’s golf clubs.

The number of women golfers competing on Staten Island has steadily increased and the quality of golf has consistently improved as a result of the efforts of the SIWGA.  From the mere 30 female golfers competing in 1989, there are now more than 250 women playing competitively on Staten Island in 5 different tournaments held over 4 different courses.

Guided by its original purpose to develop, promote, maintain and protect the best interests of the game of golf among women, the SIWGA continues to provide the opportunity of high-quality competition for the female amateur golfers of Staten Island.