County History

The Lancashire Ladies' County Golf Association

A short summary of its history

The first meeting of the County Association was held at Formby Ladies' Golf Club on Monday, January 22nd, 1900. It was then resolved to use the title "The Lancashire Ladies' County Golf Club", but this was changed in 1928 to the present one of "The Lancashire Ladies' County Golf Association".

Lady Stanley was elected President at this first meeting in 1900, and as Alice, Countess of Derby, continued as our President until her death in 1958.

The first County Match was played at Formby on June 13th against Yorkshire, but there is no record of the result.

Matches against Yorkshire, Cheshire and Northumberland started in earnest in 1904, and the Lancashire team first brought honour to the County when they won the English County Shield in 1908 at Wallasey.

The Inter-Club Scratch Championship Shield was presented by Miss Florence Carr, and was first played for in 1905.  It was the first County Competition when each club affiliated to the LLCGA took part. These were: Formby, West Lancashire, Hesketh, Lytham St. Annes, West Derby and Worsley.

The Inter-Club Handicap Trophy was presented by Mrs Maud Dean in 1939.

In 2005 Penwortham Golf Club donated a salver to the County which will be presented annually to the Runners-up in the Inter-Club Handicap Trophy.

The first County Championship was played at Formby in 1907 for the present Trophy, which was presented to Lancashire by Lady Derby, the handicap limit being 6. The Carr Gold Medal was donated by Mrs G Carr, mother of Florence for the lowest scratch score of the morning round.  Only one round was played with 8 players qualifying for the Match play stages. The present method of playing the Championship was first used in 1921, when 16 players qualified from 36 holes stroke play for the match-play stages, and the handicap limit was raised to 12. In 1979 Mrs Jean Noble presented two gold badges that had belonged to her mother, Mrs Isabella Scott.  These were mounted and are presented annually to the losing semi-finalists.  In 2001, a second flight was introduced, called the Plate.  The next best 16 players qualified from the 36 holes stroke play for the match play stages of the Plate, which was presented by Mrs Patsy Wolstenholme.

In 2017 the first day was reduced to 18 holes stroke play. It was returned to 36 holes in 2020.

The President's Handicap Tournament for the Challenge Cup (also presented by Lady Derby), was first played for in 1912.  This event has now been renamed the Lancashire County Handicap Tournament and President's Prize. In 2003 Mrs Audrey Pratt re-presented a silver replica, which had been won by her mother Mrs Maud Dean, in 1935, and this is presented to the runner-up annually.  In 2004 Bury Golf Club Ladies' Section re-presented to the County the silver replica which had been won by Mrs A Harrison in 1933, and which had been discovered in Canada. This is presented annually to the player with the best gross score of the day in the qualifying round.

The Lancashire Scratch Shield was presented by Mrs C.H.W. Clark in 1928 for a 7 a-side team, with the winners in each of the 4 divisions of the County meeting in the semi-finals and final. In 1983 this was altered to 5 a-side, to be drawn in groups, with the eventual 4 winners of the groups meeting in the semi-finals and final.

The Lancashire Handicap Shield was presented by Mrs Issette Miller in 1928. This is played for by a team of 7, the winners in each of the four divisions of the County meeting in the semi-final and final.  In 2004, Mr Mike Wood of Ashton-under-Lyne Golf Club donated a salver to the County which will be presented annually to the Runners-up in the Handicap Shield.

In 2017 the teams were reduced to 5 players.

In 2004 the County started a new shields competition for players of between 20.5 and 35.9 handicaps and called it the Bronze Shield. The Shield which was donated to the County by Mr Stan Stokes of Shaw Hill Golf Club is played for annually by a team of 5, the winners from each of the four divisions of the County meeting in the Semi-final and Final.

The County Handicap Foursomes Competition (The Scott-Leggatt Foursomes), is played for the Hilda Leggatt Trophy.  This trophy was presented in 1952 by Mrs Isabella Scott, Honorary Treasurer, in memory of her predecessor, Mrs Hilda Leggatt, who held the office from 1914 until her death in 1951.  The competition starts with a qualifying round on the players' home course, leading to Divisional finals and a County final.

The Junior Challenge Cup donated by Mrs Edith Smith was first played for in 1950 and is presented to the Junior Champion.

The Manning Plate was donated by Mrs Jenny Manning in 1953, when her husband Jack Manning was President of Lancashire. A match is played each year for the Trophy, between the Lancashire Union Executive and the Ladies' Executive.  The event first started in the 1950's. However, a match between the men and the ladies began in the 1930's.

The Lads and Lasses match. The format is match play, with foursomes in the morning and singles in the afternoon. In 1965 Mr & Mrs Norman Stewart donated a cup for this event. A new trophy was presented in 1997 by Mr & Mrs Sands Johnson.

In 1973 Mrs Ann Howard suggested that the County Trials should be in the form of a match between the Captain's and the President's teams. Mrs Howard gave a trophy to be presented to the winning team and the above format commenced in 1974.

The Junior County Trophy was donated in 1985 by Miss Ann Irvin and Mr Tom Schofield for the Boys v Girls County Match. The trophy is played for annually by the Juniors, and the format is match play, with foursomes in the morning and singles in the afternoon.

Dr and Mrs Benstead of Royal Birkdale donated the Frances Smith Trophy in memory of Mrs Frances Smith. The event is open to all clubs in the Association, with one representative from each club competing annually in an 18 hole stroke play competition. The competition commenced in 1980.

The Elsie Corlett Summer Meeting commenced in 1989 as the result of a legacy to the County from Miss Corlett's estate.  A salver was donated by Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club in 2001 in memory of Miss Elsie Corlett for the best nett score.