Golf has been a popular sport for both men and women for centuries, with its roots dating back to the 15th century in Scotland.
Over the years, the game has evolved, but one thing that has remained constant is the grace and elegance displayed by its players.
In this article, we invite you to take a visual journey through the history of women’s golf, as captured in these stunning vintage photographs.
From the early 1900s to the mid-20th century, these images showcase not only the evolution of the sport but also the fashion and societal norms of the times.
The earliest recorded evidence of women playing golf dates back to Scotland in the early 1800s. At this time, golf was a popular sport among the Scottish aristocracy, and women were not allowed to play on the same courses as men.
Instead, women were relegated to playing on smaller, less challenging courses, and they were often accompanied by chaperones to ensure that they behaved appropriately.
However, it was not until the 20th century that women were taken seriously and eventually broke the “Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden” rule. Many men saw women as unfit to play the sport due to their supposed lack of strength and ability.
In 1891 the newly built Shinnecock Hills nine-hole course in Southampton, New York became the first club to offer membership to women golfers.
Four years later, in 1895, The U.S. Golf Association held the first Women’s Amateur Championship tournament.
Just like professional golfer Bobby Jones, Joyce Wethered was considered to be a star in the 1920s. Jones praised Wethered in 1930 after they had played an exhibition against each other.
He doubted that there had ever been a better golfer, man or woman. However, Bobby Jones’ comment was not enough for others to change their views on women golfers.
The Royal Liverpool’s club refused entry of Sir Henry Cotton’s wife into the clubhouse in the late 1940s. The secretary of the club released a statement saying, “No woman ever has entered the clubhouse and, praise God, no woman ever will.”
However, American golfer and all-around athlete Babe Zaharias did not have to enter the clubhouse. She was able to prove herself on the course, going on to become the first American to win the British Women’s Amateur title in 1947.
The following year she became the first woman to attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open, but her application was rejected by the USGA. They stated that the event was intended to be open to men only.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association was formed in 1950 as a way to popularize the sport and provide competitive opportunities for golfers.
The competitions were not the same for the men and women. It was not until 1972 that U.S. Congress passed the Title IX of the Education Amendments. “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activities receiving Federal financial assistance.”
The modern game of golf originated in 15th-century Scotland. The 18-hole round was created at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1764.
Golf’s first major, and the world’s oldest golf tournament, is The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, which was first played in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland.
This is one of the four major championships in men’s professional golf, the other three being played in the United States: The Masters, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship.