The Anchorage Women's Golf Association has been around for a long time, and there are few around today who will remember the afternoon in January, 1963, when twelve ladies gathered at the home of Helen Carr, to form the association. At that time, play was on Forest Park Golf Course, and there were many tears shed when only two years later, it was but a memory. The ladies were left with no golf course at all. But true to the persistence of female power, they held on in the interim until Russian Jack Golf Course was finished, and it became the home course. With the opening of the new Anchorage Golf Course in 1987, play return, shared with this course, and the two military courses, Moose Run and Eagleglen.
One of the founding 'mothers' of the group was Aurora Loss, who spelled out the By-laws with Bernadine Prince. A nominating committee was formed, consisting of Jane McGuire, Ellen Bevins and Peggy Lott. Electra Koeniger purchased the manuals and rule books from her own funds, and acted as the photographer for advance publicity -- a new club was launched!
The AWGA signed Mac (Malcolm) Taylor as their official pro, and he later moved on to Moose Run Golf Course as their PGA pro. He was a feisty, cantankerous fellow, but well-liked by all for his professionalism. In fact, he even set up an indoor net at the Anchorage-Westward Hotel (currently the Hilton), for winter golf, and it was open from 10 a.m. til 10 p.m.
Another early figure in golf circles was Jock Brown, a former caddy from Scotland, who is said to have 'brought golf' to Anchorage. After he passed away, the ladies had an annual tournament in his memory. This lasted several years, together with the Joyce Campbell Memorial Tournament. Joyce was one of the charter members, and popular in other activities, as well as Mrs. Anchorage at the time of her passing, around 1967.
Mac Taylor had donated a traveling plaque for each year's winner but it was lost somewhere along the way. The minutes showed that a bill for a Jock Brown Day cake was $7.50, and Vi Smith was reimbursed for this before she moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband in February, 1967.
Green Fees at Forest park were $2, and the annual dues for AWGA were $5. Please note that dues remained at $7.50 until 1985, which were increased to accommodate the GHIN handicap system the club is now on.
In 1968, the Joyce Campbell Memorial Award was won by Electra Koeniger, and
there was a three way tie for 2nd place between Helen Carr, Sharon Peterkin, and
Aurora Loss. Some of the later winners of the tournament included Helen Carr,
Joanne McDonald, Nancy Rodges, and Karla Sheppard.
Kay Bechtol, Nancy Rodges, Lu Brundin, Barbara Ingraham
. . . from Anchorage Daily News, circa '74
The 1969 annual report was discouraging, as membership was down to 30, and the treasury was down to $56, but Lu Brundin took over the presidency, and revitalized the club. Besides the opening of Russian Jack, Moose Run was unlocking its gates to civilians, and golf was on the upswing for the ladies. the annual Scotch foursome at Finger Lake Resort was another plus for the social side of ladies' golf. New enthusiam was thrown into the picture when the Municipality Golf Committee invited Mary Shreve, Betsy Tower, Kay Bielowski, Barbara Hill, and Patti Collins to serve in July 1983, to scout the site for a 'real' 18-hole PGA-approved golf course. Another member who was instrumental in setting aside open lands, and now has that adjacent park in her name, is Ruth Arcand. The Anchorage Golf Course officially opened on July 1, 1987, with the AWGA Board invited to play as guests of the city officials, and the following day, being a Thursday, was the First Ladies' Day on the course, with 64 ladies playing. (Due to a mix-up, the 65th lady sent her golf clubs around on a golf cart, but did not get to play.)
Early in 1987, the President of the Moose Run Golf Association, Marvis Nelson, tried to get her group to merge with AWGA. But the Base Commander denied the request, so they continued to play on Tuesdays in their name, and AWGA had plays days at Russian Jack Golf Course on Mondays, and Eagleglen on Wednesdays, and AGC on Thursdays. Special plays remain at Settler's Bay, and there was talk of a new course in Palmer. It did happen, followed by a private nine-hole course in Anchorage, named Tanglewood Golf Course. So golf thrives in Alaska!
Compiled by Vera Crews
from 1990 notes