History of Women’s Golf At Washtenaw Golf Club

History of Women’s Golf At Washtenaw Golf Club

While golf has long been thought of as a “man’s game,” women have been an integral part of Washtenaw Golf Club since 1899.

Of the 99 charter members of the club, eleven were women. Charter member DeLynn Whitmore is pictured above in a photo dating to 1899.

The Washtenaw Women’s Golf Association was instrumental in the creation of the Detroit District Women’s Golf Association in the first half of the 20th century. The “Detroit District” eventually morphed into the Golf Association of Michigan.

Shirley Spork, one of the legendary thirteen Founders of the LPGA played and practiced at Washtenaw while a student at Eastern. In a conversation I had with Spork a couple years before her passing, she remembered Washtenaw fondly, noting that the club let her play for free.

In recent years, Washtenaw Golf Club has hosted the Golf Association of Michigan’s GAM Girls Championship and the GAM Women’s Championship, continuing its long tradition as a woman-friendly club.

From the 100th anniversary commemorative book:

Washtenaw Women’s Golf Association Debuts July 22, 1920

Unquestionably, the most active of Washtenaw’s organizations has been the Women’s Golf Association.

Under the early leadership of DeLynn Whitmire (in photo, above) and later that of Doris Greenstreet, it became the strongest such organization in the state. It spearheaded the formation of the Detroit District Women’s Golf Association and pioneered a junior program at Washtenaw that has been widely copied by other clubs.

Competition for the women’s club championship has always been keen. For many years, Dee Cameron (Delynn Whitmire’s sister) and Ruth McLain battled it out for the title . Cameron and McLain each won the championship 11 and 15 times, respectively. Later, Helen Bjorkquist would take over as the club’s
leading woman golfer.

And the women could raise money — and not just for their own purposes. One year they held bridge parties, a fashion show, raffle and rummage sale. Where did most of the funds go? Men ‘s locker room improvements!

They managed to collect enough to screen in the front dining room porch. In fact, the women’s efforts at fund raising date back to the infancy of the Washtenaw Womens Golf Association. In a newspaper clipping, Delynn Whitmire notes that in 1920 she decided it was time to decorate the “frog pond” as the ladies fondly called their locker room.

She contacted each stockholder, asking for a 25-cent donation. Two of those contacted were John and Horace Dodge, founders of the Dodge Company, who were so amused at the small amount of the request when they were usually asked for thousands that they sent $10 each. So the frog pond got a face lift.

The war years provided some uncertainty regarding the future of the organization. Nevertheless the Women’s Golf Association did its part to help the war effort.

In 1942, prizes became defense stamps instead of golf balls. Balls returned as prizes in 1944, “if old balls were turned in.”

In 1945, guest day was discorninued due to the food shortage. In July 1945, Washtenaw Women’s Golf Associaton celebrated its Silver Anniverrsary Luncheon. Silver Dollars were given out as prizes.

In 1948, Doris Greenstreet was appointed to organize a tournament for the children – thus founding Washtenaw’s junior program.

In l 956 Doris Greenstreet envisioned a tournament, for the “older” golfers around thestate. With the help of association president Vivian Obermeyer, Ma ry Nelson and Fern O’Hara, the Michigan Women’s Senior Golf Association was born. Washtenaw women invited members from all other private clubs. The turn-out was surprisingly large with 72 women participating and organizational steps were immediately adopted. Washtenaw’s Mary Nelson was elected the first president.

In 1964 the Ladies Invitational made its debut. By 1982, this tourney became a themed event with such highlights as Mardi Gras, Disney in Cleats and It’s a Safari .

As it approaches the new millenium, the Womens Golf Association, through its fundraising, tournament sponsorships and other activities continues to be an active and vital arm of Washtenaw Country Club .