Celebrating Our History

In the late 1960s, a group of women envisioned creating a women’s golf league at the newly built San Juan Hills Golf Course. With support from course management, Chris Harrington, the wife of the Director of Golf, reached out to several women golfers to bring this idea to life. Among the founding members was Dottie LaFever, who later served five terms as SJHWGA President. As the story goes, Thursday was chosen as Ladies Play Day because Dottie was already committed to bowling on the originally proposed Tuesday. Marge Debach became the first President in 1969, leading a club that started with approximately 40 members. They established by-laws and procedures, and the club quickly grew in popularity. At one point, membership required sponsorship and meeting qualifying standards, with some women waiting up to two years to join. SJHWGA initially affiliated with WAGA (Western American Golf Association), and many members played active roles on the WAGA board. Later, WAGA merged with WSCGA (Women’s Southern California Golf Association), which primarily served private golf clubs. In 2008, SJHWGA switched to the San Diego County Women’s Golf Association. Once again, members contributed actively, participating in team play, association events, course ratings, and board activities. The club is currently affiliated with SCGA (Southern California Golf Association). Membership grew rapidly between 2020 and 2023, leading to a cap of 120 members. Many members cherish fond memories of earlier years. Liz Shattuck, President in 1973 and 1974, proposed the roadrunner as the club’s official symbol. Linda Healion, the Club President in 2009 & 2010, introduced the Hills Creek Cup, a three-round challenge with the Tijeras Creek Golf Course ladies' club. Dottie LaFever and Binky Valentine, President in 1994, coordinated biannual "away trips," which became legendary adventures both on and off the course. The club has even seen intergenerational membership, with Corkie Birdsall, the 2010 Club Champion, following in the footsteps of her mother, Adele Hanson, a once-active SJHWGA member. The Binky Valentine Pink Ball Tournament was later renamed the Binky-Burdick Tournament to honor Diane Burdick, a longtime member who passed away on December 24, 2020. Known for its entertaining moments, the tournament often involved players going to great lengths to retrieve the pink ball—even wading into lakes! This event has since evolved into a three-day Eclectic Major Tournament. In 2020, Tournament Chair Robin Fong initiated the “Home 2 Home” friendly team competitions with other local golf courses. By 2022, overnight away trips were reintroduced, becoming highly popular and fun events. In 2024, SJHWGA adopted the Golf Genius platform for managing weekly tournament stats and mobile scoring. Spearheaded by Tournament Chair Letty Burks, board members organized training sessions to help members learn the system. This effort streamlined the scoring process and was a great success. The SJHWGA continues to make history, creating new memories while honoring its rich legacy.