The Green’s Ladies Golf Club, Inc. was organized May 1, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lorraine Sawyer. Although women were looked upon by male golfers as someone to plan social activities, Mrs. Sawyer envisioned that black women could partake of the experiences on the golf links, including the 19th hole, instead of simply being golf widows. She saw that there was a need for black women to have a club that could nurture their interest in golf.
On May 1, 1954, she convened with seven other women at 160 N. Sanford Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they laid the foundation of the Green’s Ladies Golf Club. As the founder and first president, Mrs. Sawyer was motivated by the need for a totally governed black female golf club; which would be respected in the community and beneficial to other black women interested in sharing in the joys of golf. The Charter members were: Opal C. Shields, Alma Fay Horn, Mary Frances Simpson, Lubertha Slocum, Lillian Cherry, Ann Wilson, Gladys Gray. These women became the liberators of black women into golf in the City of Philadelphia and South Jersey. That year the mold was set with an everlasting impression that would outlast any of us as members.
Over the years the club members have traveled the eastern seaboard from Boston to Miami extensively to places such as Boston, Springfield, New Haven, Hartford, Stanford, New Bedford, Baltimore, New York, Washington, DC and of course Philadelphia.
The first tournament hosted by the Green’s Ladies Golf Club was held in 1955. With the participation of golfers from Philadelphia and the various cities to which we traveled in our first year of tournament play, the tournament was a tremendous success. We became members of the Eastern Golf Association and the United Golf Association.
To learn more visit http://www.greensladiesgolfclub.org/index.html
