At the turn of the 20th century golf was becoming more and more popular as a sport that included camaraderie, competition and relaxation.  Each region of the country had some form of a recognized golf association that organized tournament golf for both men and women. For example, the United States Golf Association was founded in 1894 and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association was formed in 1899. By 1911, golf associations specific to fostering womens' golf were recognized and those included the Womens' Western Golf Association; Womens' Southern Golf Association; and Womens' Eastern Golf Association.

The WSWGA was not far behind this trend as outlined in the copied letter below written by Mrs. Tucker, trustee member from Grays Harbor Country Club on the eve of the 50th championship anniversary dated July 1972.

"... Mr. Patterson, founder of Hayes and Hayes Bank, bought a ranch in 1911... developed the land as Grays Harbor Golf Club. Mrs. Patterson, president of thebank, and an aggressive feminist, urged the women of the state to have their own tournament. By 1920, exchange matches between women from various clubs throughout the state had a reputation for being the most united group of players in the Northwest.  Golf in the area had become very popular and there were more entries in the Pacific Northwest Amateur at Waverly Golf Club, Portland in 1921 than any other tournament in the United States that year.

On the wave of this enthusiasm for golf and much to the chagrin of then Seattle Post-Intelligencer Athletic Editor Mr. Rose, who felt that a tournament for women only would not be successful, all women golfers in the state were invited to play at Grays Harbor GC in 1922 and the Washington State Womens' Golf Association was born. Mrs. Patterson defeated Mrs. Young in the inaugural event. The following year Spokane GC hosted the championship tournament..." 

 By 1933, the women from the public course sector developed a golf organization for those players and from that time the Washington State Womens' Golf Association's membership became solely for the women members of the state's private golf clubs. 

The WSWGA's State Championship is the oldest state championship for women in Washington and one of the longest running match play competitions, not only in the state, but also in the region.

 There have been many worthy and storied champions of the WSWGA. These women have used their championships as stringboards to win USGA tournaments, British Amateur championships, collegiate championships, Womens' Western and Trans titles, as well as participate as Curtis Cup Team members, World Team members and participate on the Golf Channel's Big Break. 

 Member Country Clubs and WSWGA Regions

North: Bellingham, Everett, Kitsap, Mill Creek, Skagit, Useless Bay

Metro NW: Broadmoor, Glen Acres, Inglewood, Rainier, Sand Point, Seattle, Wing Point

Metro NE: Bear Creek, Fairwood, Glendale, Meridian Valley, Overlake, Sahalee

Metro S: Canterwood, Fircrest, Linden, Tacoma, Twin Lakes

Central: Lakeview, Wenatchee, Yakima, Yakima Elks

Southwest: Grays Harbor, Longview, Olympia

Southeast: Meadow Springs, Walla Walla

           How did the Paula Nelson Trophy come to be?

During the WSWGA State Championship, the 3 low net scores from each club are combined. The club with the lowest combined net score is that year's winner of the perpetual Paula Nelson Trophy. In the 1940's, Mrs. Paula Nelson of Manito Golf Club donated a trophy to the tournament to give the players additional incentive to play well on qualifying day and represent their clubs in a friendly competitive spirit. To this day, winning the Paula Nelson Trophy is a big accomplishment for the winning club!

Winners of the Paula Nelson Trophy:

Inglewood 1949, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1966,1981

Rainier 1950, 1972, 2001,2003,2006, 2007,2008

2009

Sand Point 1952, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1968,1997

Sahalee 1975, 1977, 1982

Glendale 1988, 1994

Glen Acres 1995, 2004

Royal Oaks 1991, 1992 

Walla Walla 1951, 1967

Spokane 1958,1980

Tacoma 1948, 1974

Clarkston 1954, 1978

Overlake 1962, 1990, 2022

Everett 1956, 1983

Fircrest  1958, 1984

Yakima Elks   1973, 2002

Wenatchee 1965, 1993

Longview 1971, 2000

Kitsap 1969, 1998

Meadow Springs 1999

Bellingham 1976

Manito 1964

Twin Lakes 2005

Moses Lake 1970

Oakbrook 1979

Mill Creek 1996

Skagit 2010

Canterwood 2021

(missing years 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989)

                          Who was Elizabeth Dwan?

Elizabeth Dwan was one of the original organizers of the Seattle Women’s Golf Association and its first president in 1927 as a charter member of Rainier Golf and Country Club.  She was a president of the WSWGA and the first vice president of the Western Women’s Golf Association from Washington State. She devoted over two decades of volunteer service for the betterment of competitive women’s golf. In her professional life, Elizabeth was a teacher at Broadway High  School in Seattle.  In January 1941, she fell near her home and fractured her hip.  After convalescing at a local hospital, she return to her home to pass away unexpectedly of an embolism February 6, 1941.

Each year the WSWGA recognizes Elizabeth Dwan with a home course event named in her honor.

           WSWGA Past Presidents

1922 Mrs.W.J. Patterson, Grays Harbor CC

1923 Mrs. W. J. Patterson, Grays Harbor CC

1924 Mrs. Elizabeth Farrell, Seattle GC

1925 Mrs. Roy Thomas, Everett GCC

1926 Mrs. Riggs , Yakima GC

1927 Mrs. C.W. Howard, Bellingham GCC

1928 Mrs. W.S. Griswold,  Inglewood GC

1929 Mrs. E.C. Cooney, Sand Point CC

1930 Mrs. L.S. Ruble,  Earlington GC

1931 Mrs. C.R. Harmon, Manito GCC

1932 Mrs. E. Dwan, Rainier GCC

1933 Mrs. A. Stebbins, Tacoma CGC

1934 Mrs. E. Ristine, Broadmoor GC

1935 Mrs. H. Paige, Bellingham GCC

1936 Mrs. E.V. Nelson, Olympic View GC

1937 Mrs. Roy Thomas, Everett GCC

1938 Mrs. A. Belts, Spokane CC

1939 Mrs. J.E. Charbonnel, Sand Point CC

1941 Mrs. L. A. Johnson, Fircrest GC

1942- 1945 No Tournaments Held

1946 Mrs. H. Manchester, Manito GCC

1947 Mrs. R. Smith, Tacoma CGC

1948 Mrs. D. Baldwin, Rainier GCC

1949 Mrs. G. Stewart, Broadmoor GC

1950 Mrs. D. Gray, Walla Walla CC

1951 Mrs. A. Olsen, Bellingham GCC

1952 Mrs. G. Downton, Inglewood GC

1953 Mrs. J. Butler, Clarkston GCC

1954 Mrs. J. Davis, Royal Oaks CC

1955 Mrs. I. Stephenson, Everett GCC

1956 Mrs. T. Cragin, Sand Point CC

1957 Mrs. C. Clausin, Spokane CC

1958 Mrs. J. Rawlings, Fircrest GC

1959 Mrs. E. Goldberg, KitsapGCC

1960 Mrs. R. Shields, Yakima CC

1961 Mrs. Wm. Taylor, Olympia GCC

1962 Mrs. A. Hainsworth, Overlake GC

1963 Mrs. R. Thorgrimson, Seattle GC

1964 Mrs. T. Eklow, Manito GCC

1965 Mrs. A. Seyster, Wenatchee GCC

1966 Mrs. A. Kilpatrick, Royal Oaks

1967 Mrs. J. Morrison, Walla Walla CC

1968 Mrs. I. Levine, Glendale GC

1969 Mrs. O. Siler, Kitsap GCC

1970 Mrs. D. Ries, Moses Lake GCC

1971 Mrs. R. Sailors, Longview GC

1972 Mrs. Pattok, Rainier GCC

1973 Mrs. F. Beem, Yakima Elks GC

1974 Mrs. Lou Young, Tacoma CGC

1975 Mrs. Val Vaughan, Broadmoor GC

1976 Mrs. Bev Ebright, Bellingham GCC

1977 Mrs. Patty Strait, Oakbrook GCC

1978 Mrs. Peg Pierce, Clarkston GCC

1979 Mrs. Judy Thompson Meridian Valley GCC

1980 Ms. Janice Murphy, Spokane CC

1981 Ms. Pat Look, InglewoodGC

1982 Ms. June Rogers, Sahalee CC

1983 Ms. Peg Loveland, Everett GCC

1984 Ms. Sharon Johnston, Fircrest GC

1985 Ms. Betty Wight, Yakima CC

1986 Ms. Jean Seyfried, Sand Point CC

1987 Ms. Lou Paulsen, Olympia GCC

1988 Ms. Gerry McKee, Twin Lakes GCC

1989 Ms. Betty Green, Manito GCC

1990 Ms. Liz Culver, Overlake GCC

1991 Ms. Roberta Britt, Royal Oaks CC

1992 Ms. Celia Ingram, Seattle GC

1993 Ms. Elaine Seabeck, Wenatchee CC

1994 Ms. Ruth Sulman, Glendale GCC

1995 Ms. Marta Lindgren, Fairwood GCC

1996 Ms. Joanne Dunham, Walla Walla GCC

1997 Ms. Barbara Tracy, Mill Creek GCC

1998 Ms. Pat Brewitt, Kitsap GCC

1999 Ms. Carlye Ingram, Meadow springs GC

2000 Ms. Betty Stulgis, Longview GCC

2001 Ms. Dori Rogers, Rainier GCC

2002 Ms. June Wilkes, Yakima Elks GC

2003 Ms. Susan Andrew, Tacoma CGC

2004 Ms. Jackie Mansfield, Broadmoor GC

2005 Ms. Elva Osborne, Clarkston GCC

2006 Ms. Carlotta Jarratt, Bellingham GCC

2007 Ms. Martha Berthelson, Oakbrook GCC

2008 Ms. Sharon Falkner, Meridian Valley GC

2009 Ms. Barbara Lindahl, Useless Bay GC

2010 Ms. Jennie Stephens, Skagit GCC

2011 Ms. Rita Keough, Twin Lakes GCC

2012 Ms. Ann Swanson, Sand Point GCC

2013  Ms. Cindy Stewart , Yakima GCC

2014 Ms. Dee Hanich, Everett GCC

2015  Ms. Sharon Johnson, Fircrest GCC

2016   Ms. JoAnn Osborn , Olympia GCC

2017  Ms. Chris Hogan , Inglewood GC

2018 Ms. Eleanor Devlin, Sahalee GC

2019 Ms. Joan Schille, Walla Walla GCC

2020 No Event COVID 19

2021  Ms. Kathryn Gift , Canterwood GCC

2022 Ms. Gywnne Johnson, Overlake GCC