WTGA History

The following explains significant details that happen in each year.

2007

In 2007 an extreme WTGA makeover was launched, which has led to one of the biggest transitions in the history of the association. Suzan Knox (President and also original Strategic Planning Committee Member) said, “We’re aggressively growing our organization, increasing our volunteer base for course rating, rules officiating, and adding to our tournament menu. The goal is to improve all of the services, tournaments and programs of the WTGA, ultimately improving women’s golf in Texas.”
A new logo was created, and the USGA provided a grant for the WTGA to hire their first paid staff. Projects to improve tournament administration began. Successful upgrades included the addition of online entry, Real Time Scoring, new scoreboards and scorecards, more rules officials, pace of play check points and course set up – including new scoring tents, flags, and banners. The tournament menu expanded with the introduction of a successful Four-Ball Championship played at Redstone Golf Club.
Next the Board launched The Alliance and Alliance Cup, an annual giving program designed to enhance the formation of the organization’s support services for golf in Texas. The inaugural event was held on June 5, 2007 at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. Molly Price (WTGA Director) was the Committee chair and worked very hard in making this first year event a huge success.Soon after the WTGA succeeded in securing its status as a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation. All of this enabled the WTGA to improve and add to its services and membership benefits, including an updated WTGA website, a handicap eRevision update for GHIN members, a new web-based master calendar, licensing assistance, educational seminars, course ratings, an e-Newsletter, and two new scholarships.
A full time Executive Director, Kelly Kilgo, was hired to start in January 2008. Some big things happened in amateur championships as well. The USGA State Team was played at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. The women’s team placed 7th and the Men’s team placed 1st. Anna Schultz, long time WTGA player and Supporter, won the USGA Women’s Amateur Championship and the Spirit International, a premier amateur championship featuring top ranked players from 24 countries around the world came to Whispering Pines Golf Course in Trinity, Texas. Our very own USGA Regional Director and WTGA player/supporter, Alli Jarrett, was named USA Team Captain

2008

The Alliance Cup was a huge success and the WTGA decided to keep it in play. The WTGA scholarship program began and the Winners’ Program/Texas Challenge kicked off. Kelly Kilgo, new Executive Director, started in January. This was the start of the Extreme Makeover mentioned in the year 2007.

2009

The WTGA expanded it tournaments and added the popular Eclectic tournament in the spring. The State Amateur held at Ridgewood and was won by Stacy Dennis. She was a current board member at the time and was her second State Amateur victory.

2010

A second staff member was hired, Assistant Executive Director, Katie O’Donnell began January 1. The Texas Challenge trophy was named The Toni Wiesner Cup. The challenge is part of the Winners’ Program, the WTGA Junior Golf initiative partnering with the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf across the state. Toni Wiesner was a competitor, friend and ally of the WTGA for many years and the WTGA is honored to name this trophy after her. In October, Mina Hardin of Fort Worth captured the 2010 USGA Senior Women’s Championship in Fort Meyers, Florida at Fiddlesticks CC.

2011

In 2011, the WTGA was under the direction of President Stacy Dennis from Huntsville. Dennis and the Board of Directors enhanced and changed the Mission Statement.The Women’s Texas Golf Association exists not only for the good of the game but because the game is good. Good for connecting people Good for building character. Good for building bridges between generations. Good for the mind and body. WTGA staff and volunteers provide tournaments, scholarships, junior golf programs, rules education and course rating services because we believe golf is a positive force for enriching lives.

2012

Under the direction of President Molly Price, the WTGA voted to add the Regional Series to begin in 2013. The Regionals Series was researched and discussed heavily with the help of Suzan Knox and her Long Range Planning Committee. The WTGA history was restored digitally by the USGA. The WTGA scrapbooks dating back to 1916 became part of the USGA Museum. Also, Past President in 2008, Pam Murray was named to the USGA Women’s Committee

2013

President Peggy Spann and the WTGA made big changes this year. The Board of Directors of both the Texas Golf Association (TGA) and the Women’s Texas Golf Association (WTGA) approved the merger of the two governing bodies of amateur golf in Texas.The TGA Board of Directors approved the merger during its Annual Meeting held Friday, October 25, at the Northwood Club in Dallas. The WTGA Board of Directors voted earlier that week to approve the unification.The official merger date was set for January 1, 2014, and created one governing body for all amateur golf in Texas that, along with its other duties and responsibilities, will actively encourage new golfers and increase the continued interest and participation in game.Five representatives from the WTGA will be elected to the TGA Board of Directors, with one appointed to the Executive Committee. The remaining WTGA Directors will serve on the newly created Women’s Texas Golf Association Committee (WTGAC).

2014

In its 98th year, the WTGA merged with the TGA and created a unified governing body for all amateur golf in Texas. As a result of this new relationship, for the first time since the TGA’s founding in 1906, women serve on the TGA Board of Directors and on key committees. Women’s Golf is still served by a WTGA Committee that develops and guides programs and championships for women, and provides input to the TGA Board.
Portland Rosen won the State Amateur Championship hosted at Bent Tree Country Club and followed up her victory the next week by qualifying for match play and advancing to the round of 32 in the Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship.

2015

A new championship was introduced in 2015, the Women’s Stroke Play Championship. The inaugural event was played at Eagle’s Bluff Country Club in Bullard, Texas and Austin Kaitlyn Papp claimed the title. Papp, a former standout on the Legends Junior Tour shot a 66 in the second round on the way to her victory. The State Amateur Championship returned to Ridgewood Country Club in Waco for the fifth time. Annika Clark defeated Maddy Raynor in the final and was cheered on by TCU coach Angie Larkin-Ravaioli. Clark will be a freshmen at TCU in 2016.