A team from outside the Denver metro area had won the CWGA Club Team Championship just once — and never when the event was contested in the metro area — but a squad from Patty Jewett Golf Course in Colorado Springs broke new ground in an emphatic way on Monday.

With many competitors getting into the spirit of the event by wearing color-coordinated outfits at Valley Country Club, the team in pink from Colorado Springs ruled the day.

Though none of its four team members had played in the event before, Patty Jewett caught on quickly in posting a nine-shot victory in the ABCD stroke play format in which the scores of four players of significantly varying abilities are added up for a gross aggregate team total. Patty Jewett’s final tally of 363 was just four strokes off the tournament record, set last year by South Suburban.

Patty Jewett’s winning foursome — out of a 32-team field — consisted of Louise Lyle, who shot a 10-over-par 82; Hilary Dussing (86); Lita Van Cleave (91) and Beth Lindquist (104). (Pictured above are the champions, from left: Lindquist, Dussing, Lyle and Van Cleave. At left are Van Cleave and Lyle holding the trophy.)

“It’s nice (to prevail) because the Denver clubs seem to win everything,” Lyle said. “It’s nice to be like the little club that could. Our club itself is going to be so ridiculously happy. That’s what makes me so excited about it.”

Added Van Cleave: “They’ll be screaming. It’ll be so much fun. I’m excited about it because we’re a public course down in Colorado Springs and we want to make our club proud. It’s just a joy to be allowed to be part of this team.”

Patty Jewett, which hosted the first CWGA championship 100 years ago last month, joined the 2012 squad from the Country Club of Colorado as the only Colorado Springs teams to have won this event. The Country Club of Colorado prevailed at its home club four years ago.

Hyland Hills, The Club at Rolling Hills and the team from Blackstone/Blake Bear shared second place Monday at 372, while host Valley CC was fifth at 373.

South Suburban, winner of this event the last two years, placed ninth at 380 in the last CWGA championship of 2016.

In tying for second place individually, Lyle chalked up a birdie and eight pars in very windy conditions, while Dussing made a birdie and six pars, Van Cleave six pars, and Lindquist two.

“Everybody had bad shots (and) everybody had a bad hole or two,” Van Cleave said. “But we all had some good holes too. On a few of the holes, we all had good holes together. The D player (Lindquist) was getting some pars. That helped everyone involved.”

When asked after the round what they had shot individually, neither Lyle nor Van Cleave knew right away.

“We were just trying to play as a team,” Lyle said. “Somebody would have a bad hole, but someone else would have a par, and it’s like, ‘OK, we’re good.’ We weren’t trying to keep track of numbers. We were just thinking middle of the pack is great. We really didn’t have any expectations coming in. We just wanted to have a good time, and it just ended up that we pulled it out.

“Hilary had a couple of crazy chips that went about 6 inches from the cup. We all had some really good shots. It wasn’t like one person.”

Van Cleave wasn’t even originally scheduled to be on the squad competing at the Club Team Championship, but when another competitor’s handicap went down too much to be a C player, Van Cleave received a call.

“They said, ‘Can you fill in for us?’ I said, ‘You bet, because I’ve wanted to do this for many years,'” Van Cleave recalled. “You have to be asked at our club. I felt very honored to have this opportunity to play.”

Individually on Monday, Nina Dulacki of Broken Tee shot the best score of the day overall, an 8-over-par 80. Lyle and former CWGA Senior Stroke Play and Senior Match Play champion Mary Doyen from Foothills tied for second place in the individual competition at 82.
 

CWGA Club Team Championship
At Par -72 Valley CC in Centennial

Patty Jewett 174-189–363
(Patty Jewett Team Members: Louise Lyle 38-44–82; Hilary Dussing 42-44–86; Lita Van Cleave 44-47–91; Beth Lindquist 50-54–104)
Blackstone/Black Bear 186-186–372
Hyland Hills 185-187–372
The Club at Rolling Hills 187-185–372
Valley CC 190-183–373
Spring Valley 194-180–374
Broken Tee 189-186–375
Glenmoor CC 189-190–379
South Suburban 194-186–380
Colorado Golf Club 188-194–382
Kissing Camels 193-190–383
Pinery CC 192-191–383
Wellshire 187-196–383
Fox Hollow 192-194–386
West Woods 200-187–387
The Meadows 189-200–389
Heritage Eagle Bend 198-193–391
Willis Case 197-194–391
Foothills 198-195–393
Lake Valley 198-195–393
Highlands Ranch 199-198–397
Overland Park 196-204–400
Pinehurst CC 209-191–400
Littleton 205-198–403
Red Hawk Ridge 204-199–403
Meadow Hills 210-194–404
The Ranch CC 208-199–407
Saddle Rock 204-208–412
Fitzsimons 203-219–422
Pradera 214-214–428
Raccoon Creek 220-213–433
Indian Peaks NC

But to hear her tell it, that was about the furthest thing from the truth.

“I haven’t won this before — I’ve come in second once — but that’s a lot of pressure,” the player from Green Valley Ranch Golf Club said. “I was so distracted by how I stood and what I wanted to do — and then I’ve got to hit a shot. It’s very, very stressful.”

However it came about, Tuesday’s performance resulted in a lopsided victory. And not only that, but a career “senior slam” for Hughes in CWGA championships.

Two years after claiming the CWGA Senior Match Play title, Hughes posted her double-digit victory in the Senior Stroke Play. She shot a 5-over-par 79 on Tuesday, leaving her at 7-over 155 overall.

Hughes, who will turn 59 next week, becomes the sixth player to have won both the CWGA Senior Stroke Play and the Senior Match Play over their careers. She joins Lynn Larson, Mary Doyen and Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Christie Austin, Kim Eaton and Lynn Zmistowski.

“When I won the (Senior) Match Play, I wanted this so bad — too much, to be honest,” Hughes said. “I wanted to win both. My wife (Alex) and I, we’re not Buddhists, but in Buddhism you’re supposed to (let go) of expectations. That kind of helped me. But now that I have (the CWGA senior slam), my golf career is pretty awesomely set. It’s the source of immense pride for me.”

Colorado Golf Hall of Fame inductee Janet Moore trailed Hughes by three after the first round, but withdrew before round 2 due to back problems. So tying for second place in the championship flight on Tuesday, at 166, were Bev Hoffenberg of Columbine Country Club and Kathleen Johnson of The Ranch Country Club.

Though Hughes made two double bogeys on Tuesday, including three-putting from 1 foot on one hole, the rest of the round she was rock solid, posting a birdie, 13 pars and two bogeys. And she almost aced the 128-yard par-3 11th hole, where she made birdie, hitting an 8-iron to 6 inches.

For the 36-hole tournament, Hughes finished with six birdies.

All in all, it was a very satisfying end to a golf season in which she has played in an abundance of tournaments, including the recent U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Wellesley, Mass.

“I had a really (busy) year” on the golf course, Hughes said. “I was tired. To be honest when I came into the tournament, I was saying to a friend, ‘I just want this to be over. I want to rest, I want to sleep.’ So I get to rest now. And I feel so great about the win.”

Gross-score champions in the other flights of the Senior Stroke Play on Tuesday were: Pam Cortez of Coal Creek (165, first flight), Carol Key of the Country Club of Colorado (173, second flight), Marie Schriefer of South Suburban (177, third flight) and Connie Garcia of Fox Hollow (192, fourth flight).

For interactive scores, CLICK HERE.
 

CWGA Senior Stroke Play
At Par-74 Patty Jewett GC in Colorado Springs
GROSS

Championship Flight
Deb Hughes, Green Valley Ranch Wga 76-79–155
Beverly Hoffenberg, Columbine CC Lga 85-81–166
Kathleen Johnson, Ranch CC Lga 87-79–166
Ron Irons, Eisenhower Wga 86-81–167
Nancy Ziereis, Valley CC Wga 79-89–168
Louise Lyle, Patty Jewett Wgc 83-86–169
Carla Stearns, Wellshire Women 86-89–175
Betty Bullington, Eisenhower Wga 94-86–180
Patty Smogor, Saddle Rock Wga 98-85–183
Jane Ford, Hyland Hills Wga 96-92–188
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills CC Wga 79-WD–WD
 
First Flight
Pam Cortez, Coal Creek Wga 84-81–165
Patricia Swanson, West Woods Wga 88-82–170
Wendy Atkinson, Ranch CC Lga 85-86–171
Karen Leuschel, Riverdale Wga 88-84–172
Lisa Bolam, Highland Meadows GC 89-83–172
Maggie Brindley, Pinehurst CC Wga 90-82–172
Nancy Werkmeister, Foothills Wga 82-90–172
Janine Lowe, South Suburban Wga 85-88–173
Penny Mack, Patty Jewett Wgc 89-84–173
Carol Heupel, Colorado Springs CC Lga 93-81–174
Betsy White, Kissing Camels Lga 87-93–180
Karen Chase, Fox Hollow Lgc 99-82–181
Kay Geitner, Littleton Lgc 94-91–185
Peggy Puckett, Wellshire Wga 96-94–190
Dee Baker, Shining Mountain Wga 99-92–191
 
Second Flight
Carol Key, CC of Colorado Wga 84-89–173
Valerie Hunter, CC of Colorado Wga 87-87–174
Andrea Berry, Indian Peaks Wga 90-86–176
Becky O’Brien, Links Lga 90-86–176
Pat Dwyer, Patty Jewett GC 89-87–176
Karin Hathaway, Wellshire Women 92-87–179
Lea Croghan, Spring Valley Wga 92-89–181
Jennifer Tempas, Columbine CC Lga 92-90–182
Carlene Decker, Kissing Camels Lga 92-95–187
Claudia Gallegos, South Suburban Wga 96-92–188
Annette Sulzman, Aurora Hills Wga 93-97–190
Kim Kaiser, Foothills Wga 97-95–192
Donna Edelen, Riverdale Wga 94-103–197
Barbara Ingledue, Fox Hollow Lgc 99-99–198
Juliet Miner, Bear Dance Wga 98-100–198
Bobby Jackson, Willis Case Wga 97-WD–WD
 
Third Flight
Marie Schriefer, South Suburban Wga 85-92–177
Barbara DeGrand, Kissing Camels GC 96-82–178
Lyndon Lieb, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 90-90–180
Becky Hammer, Kissing Camels Lga 96-89–185
Becky Finger, Riverdale Wga 95-92–187
Marilyn Swedenburg, Eisenhower Wga 93-95–188
Judy Maillis, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 95-94–189
Sharon Thiel, Riverdale Wga 98-91–189
Beverly Byer, Wellshire Wga 103-94–197
Denise Thornton, Eisenhower Wga 98-99–197
Jalinda Gieck, Patty Jewett Wgc 103-94–197
Amy Hicks, Spring Valley Wga 101-100–201
Connie Norkoli, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 107-94–201
Holly Schuetz, Meadow Hills Wga 106-96–202
Susan Elliott, Riverdale Wga 100-102–202
 
Fourth Flight
Connie Garcia, Fox Hollow Lgc 101-91–192
Cindy Ortega, Foothills Wga 101-92–193
Harlene Bowman, South Suburban Wga 99-97–196
Kathleen Comes, Patty Jewett GC 103-98–201
Linda Schippers, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 105-100–205
Audrey McEwen, Coal Creek Wga 105-101–206
Ramona Conner, Murphy Creek Wga 107-99–206
Barbara Fagan, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 102-105–207
Virginia Newton, Aspen Wga 105-102–207
Bunny Ambrose, Riverdale Wga 104-105–209
Diane Dubose, Applewood Wga 105-104–209
Sandra Schnitzer, Riverdale Wga 104-106–210
Cheri Wallace, Meadow Hills Wga 109-105–214
JoAnn Smith, Foothills Wga 103-111–214
Deanna Messerli, Riverdale Wga 105-112–217
Carol Peterson, Twin Peaks 115-122–237

NET
Championship Flight

Kathleen Johnson, Ranch CC Lga 80-72–152
Nancy Ziereis, Valley CC Wga 71-81–152
Ron Irons, Eisenhower Wga 79-74–153
Beverly Hoffenberg, Columbine CC Lga 79-75–154
Carla Stearns, Wellshire Women 76-79–155
Deb Hughes, Green Valley Ranch Wga 76-79–155
Louise Lyle, Patty Jewett Wgc 76-79–155
Betty Bullington, Eisenhower Wga 87-79–166
Patty Smogor, Saddle Rock Wga 91-78–169
Jane Ford, Hyland Hills Wga 88-84–172
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills CC Wga 79-WD–WD
 
First Flight
Pam Cortez, Coal Creek Wga 73-70–143
Karen Leuschel, Riverdale Wga 75-71–146
Janine Lowe, South Suburban Wga 72-75–147
Penny Mack, Patty Jewett Wgc 76-71–147
Wendy Atkinson, Ranch CC Lga 73-74–147
Carol Heupel, Colorado Springs CC Lga 80-68–148
Patricia Swanson, West Woods Wga 77-71–148
Maggie Brindley, Pinehurst CC Wga 79-71–150
Lisa Bolam, Highland Meadows GC 79-73–152
Nancy Werkmeister, Foothills Wga 72-80–152
Betsy White, Kissing Camels Lga 74-80–154
Karen Chase, Fox Hollow Lgc 88-71–159
Kay Geitner, Littleton Lgc 81-78–159
Peggy Puckett, Wellshire Wga 83-81–164
Dee Baker, Shining Mountain Wga 88-81–169
 
Second Flight
Carol Key, CC of Colorado Wga 69-74–143
Pat Dwyer, Patty Jewett GC 73-71–144
Becky O’Brien, Links Lga 75-71–146
Valerie Hunter, CC of Colorado Wga 73-73–146
Andrea Berry, Indian Peaks Wga 76-72–148
Karin Hathaway, Wellshire Women 77-72–149
Lea Croghan, Spring Valley Wga 77-74–151
Jennifer Tempas, Columbine CC Lga 78-76–154
Carlene Decker, Kissing Camels Lga 76-79–155
Claudia Gallegos, South Suburban Wga 81-77–158
Annette Sulzman, Aurora Hills Wga 78-82–160
Kim Kaiser, Foothills Wga 83-81–164
Donna Edelen, Riverdale Wga 78-87–165
Barbara Ingledue, Fox Hollow Lgc 83-83–166
Juliet Miner, Bear Dance Wga 84-86–170
Bobby Jackson, Willis Case Wga 83-WD–WD
 
Third Flight
Marie Schriefer, South Suburban Wga 68-75–143
Barbara DeGrand, Kissing Camels GC 79-65–144
Lyndon Lieb, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 73-73–146
Becky Finger, Riverdale Wga 76-73–149
Becky Hammer, Kissing Camels Lga 79-72–151
Judy Maillis, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 77-76–153
Sharon Thiel, Riverdale Wga 80-73–153
Marilyn Swedenburg, Eisenhower Wga 76-78–154
Jalinda Gieck, Patty Jewett Wgc 84-75–159
Beverly Byer, Wellshire Wga 85-76–161
Connie Norkoli, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 88-75–163
Denise Thornton, Eisenhower Wga 81-82–163
Holly Schuetz, Meadow Hills Wga 87-77–164
Amy Hicks, Spring Valley Wga 83-82–165
Susan Elliott, Riverdale Wga 82-84–166
Sue Knutson, Coal Creek Wga DQ
 
Fourth Flight
Diane Dubose, Applewood Wga 72-71–143
Kathleen Comes, Patty Jewett GC 74-69–143
Harlene Bowman, South Suburban Wga 75-73–148
Connie Garcia, Fox Hollow Lgc 80-70–150
Bunny Ambrose, Riverdale Wga 76-77–153
Cindy Ortega, Foothills Wga 81-72–153
Ramona Conner, Murphy Creek Wga 81-73–154
Audrey McEwen, Coal Creek Wga 80-76–156
Deanna Messerli, Riverdale Wga 75-82–157
Cheri Wallace, Meadow Hills Wga 81-77–158
Sandra Schnitzer, Riverdale Wga 78-80–158
Barbara Fagan, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 79-82–161
Virginia Newton, Aspen Wga 83-80–163
JoAnn Smith, Foothills Wga 78-86–164
Linda Schippers, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 85-80–165
Carol Peterson, Twin Peaks 83-90–173

Next week, the historic course will be the site of another CWGA championship, the 34th Senior Stroke Play.

When the tournament is held Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 26-27), a first-time champion is guaranteed to be crowned. No former winners of the Senior Stroke Play championship flight are entered this year — a rarity in CWGA events.

But among the dozen championship flight players entered is Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore, a five-time winner of the CWGA Stroke Play who made it to the round of 64 earlier this week in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. Also in the field is Deb Hughes, the 2014 CWGA Senior Match Play champ. Hughes and fellow Senior Stroke Play competitor Bev Hoffenberg joined Moore in playing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Am.

Overall, 76 players are entered in the CWGA Senior Stroke Play, with competition set for five different flights.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

Editor’s Note: With the CGA celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1915, this is the second monthly installment of a series of stories looking back on the last century of golf in Colorado. All the articles will be published on ColoradoGolf.org. This chapter focuses on the period from 1915-1924. For a list of all installments to date, CLICK HERE. 

While there were certainly very notable happenings in the history of Colorado golf prior to 1915, the decade starting then marked a watershed for the sport in the Centennial State.

After all, that period included the founding of both the CGA and the CWGA; the first USGA presidency held by a Coloradan; the opening of a club that’s gone on to host more major championships and USGA championships than any other in Colorado (Cherry Hills Country Club) and of another club that’s been home to the second-most USGA championships in Colorado history (the Broadmoor); and the debut of what would become one of the country’s top amateur tournaments (the Broadmoor Invitation).

That’s what you call laying a strong foundation for golf in the state.

But before we continue with that, let’s briefly note what preceded the CGA’s founding.

A half-dozen golf courses in Colorado that opened prior to World War I remain vibrant to this day. That list includes Overland Park in Denver (left, circa 1895), Denver Country Club, Patty Jewett in Colorado Springs, Pueblo Country Club, Lakewood Country Club (then known as The Colorado Golf Club), and City Park in Denver. And there’s been some indication that other courses can trace their lineage back to pre-World War I, including perhaps Greeley Country Club.

Denver Country Club was one of the original 15 clubs in the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association (as was the Town & Gown Golf Club of Colorado Springs), and in the early years DCC hosted the Trans-Miss Championship in 1910 (won by a gentleman by the name of Harry Legg) and 1921 (George Von Elm). DCC was also the site of the 1912 Western Amateur won by Chick Evans, now best known as the founder of the Evans Scholarship for caddies. Evans would go on to capture eight Western Amateur titles in addition to two U.S. Amateurs and the 1916 U.S. Open.

Even though the CGA wasn’t founded until 1915, the tournament now known as the CGA Match Play dates back to 1901, making it the oldest continuously held state golf championship in Colorado. Frank Woodward, who played an exhibition match at Overland against the famed Harry Vardon during Vardon’s nationwide tour in 1900, captured the first Match Play title. (Keep his name in mind for a little history he’ll make later.)

Walter Fairbanks (pictured at top), also part of the Vardon exhibition, strung together four consecutive Match Play titles from 1902-05, a feat that remains unmatched in tournament history. But by far the most successful performer overall in the Match Play was Dr. Larry Bromfield, who won eight titles between 1912-28.

As for the specific decade at hand (1915-24), here are some of the highlights:

— The Colorado Golf Association was formally founded on Aug. 20, 1915. A two-paragraph Denver Post story noted that the “organization will control the state tournaments, give the cups and appoint the officers, and the winner will be the recognized champion of the association and state.”

M.A. McLaughlin of Lakewood Country Club was elected the first president. That same year, coincidentally, McLaughlin won the first of his two CGA Match Plays, this time defeating Bromfield. McLaughlin had been the Match Play runner-up the previous three years.

— The following year, on March 14, 1916, the Colorado Women’s Golf Association came into being when eight women met and elected a president, adopted a constitution and bylaws, and delineated the association’s objectives and purpose: to promote and maintain the best interests of the game of golf; to hold golf tournaments; and to promote good fellowship among member clubs.” Mrs. Olyn Hemming was named the CWGA’s first president.

In September 2016 the first CWGA Match Play Championship was held, with Mrs. M.A. McLaughlin of Lakewood prevailing for the title.

During the period from 1915-21, the McLaughlins won five CGA/CWGA Match Play titles between them.

— Meanwhile, at this same time, a Coloradan was making some history nationally. The United States Golf Association was founded in 1894, and from then through 1914, all the presidents of the organization had come from the East or Midwest. But Denver Country Club founding member Woodward, winner of the first CGA Match Play 14 years earlier, in 1915 became the first USGA president from the western U.S. He served a two-year term during which the USGA in 1916 stripped the amateur status from 1913 U.S. Open champion Francis Ouimet because Ouimet intended to open a sporting goods store. Ouimet wouldn’t be reinstated until 1918. The next USGA president from Colorado wouldn’t take office until 1980 (Will Nicholson Jr.).

During the period from 1909-20, Woodward would be president of Denver Country Club for five years. He was also a chairman of the Western Golf Association and the Trans Mississippi Golf Association.

— During the period from 1915-24, two of Colorado’s most famous courses opened, with the Donald Ross-designed Broadmoor Golf Club coming online in 1918 and William Flynn-designed Cherry Hills in 1922. Between them, Cherry Hills and the Broadmoor have hosted 16 USGA championships and 10 major championships (PGA, LPGA and Champions tours combined).

— In 1921, the Broadmoor debuted the Broadmoor Invitation (sometimes referred to as the Broadmoor Amateur Open in the early years), which would become one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in the country. From 1921 to ’95, the tournament built a reputation for crowning top-notch champions. Among the winners of the tournament over those years — the event returned in 2014 as a scratch four-ball — were Hale Irwin, Lawson Little, Tom Purtzer, Grier Jones, Duffy Waldorf, Bob Dickson, John Fought and Willie Wood — all of whom went on to win on the PGA Tour — as well as Charlie Coe and locals N.C. “Tub” Morris (his 1922 Broadmoor Invitation medalist honor is pictured above), Bill Loeffler and Jim English.

As for the Broadmoor Ladies Invitation, its most famous champion would be Babe Zaharias, who won the event three consecutive years beginning in 1945.

All in all, the decade beginning in 1915 — along with the period leading up to it — had Colorado golf off to a rousing start through the first quarter of the 20th century. But many ups and downs awaited in the years to come.

Next up: 1925-34.