ALSGA History

 The Atlantic Senior Ladies Golf Association (ASLGA) is the offspring of a tournament for senior women held in September 1983 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of women’s golf at the Liverpool Golf and Country Club.

The nine-hole Liverpool Golf and Country Club was established in 1932 as a collaboration involving the Mersey Paper Company (later Bowater Mersey Paper Company), White Point Beach Lodge, and business folks from the town of Liverpool. The women’s division was created in 1933. Over the years, the club became known for its hospitality and its annual women’s invitational field day, which was very much in demand.

In the 1960s many golf clubs held one-day invitational tournaments for women, and these competitions were a popular way for golfers from different communities to get together outside of provincial amateur championships. The women became good friends who looked forward to seeing each other every few weeks in a different town, enjoying a day of golf, a nice meal put on by the host club, and sometimes an overnight in a motel.

In 1983, after many years of hosting an annual one-day tournament at the 9-hole course at White Point, the women of Liverpool Golf and Country Club decided to host a 50th anniversary tournament for senior golfers (women aged 50 years and older).

The tournament included a 9-hole practice round on Wednesday and an 18-hole tournament on Thursday. The entry fee was $50. Accommodation was at White Point Beach Lodge, breakfast included. The handicap range of this tournament was 13-40.

They had so much fun they thought they should do this every year. Many women’s husbands were members of the Maritime Senior Golf Association, and the women’s event would be modelled after this. With somewhat “relaxed” rules (e.g., not playing out of bunkers), it would be more fun than the Rules of Golf required in their other competitions.

With the objective to “encourage a friendly spirit among all golfers who have reached the age of 50 years,” the following steering committee was struck to investigate the possibilities:

• Betty Rawding, Liverpool (chair)
• Jean Hemeon, Liverpool
• Sheila Shapland, Eden
• Gladys Otterson, Truro
• Miriam Penney, Bridgewater
• Lib Connor, Ashburn
• Nancy Steele, Lunenburg
• Toogie Wilson, Ashburn, then president of the Nova Scotia Ladies Golf Association

The steering committee met in winter 1984 and recommended a 27-hole tournament to be held near the end of the golf season, at a resort where members could socialize, for women 50 years or older from any golf course in the province.

As they prepared for their inaugural event, these governance decisions were taken:

• Initial limit: 80 golfers
• Initiation fee $25
• Annual dues $10
• An anonymous membership committee would screen applicants before recommending them to the Board of Directors.
• The group would be governed by a Board of Directors comprising officers and committee chairpersons.
• A constitution would be developed.
• Social members were permitted.
• The Board would have Zone representatives covering the province whose duties were to encourage memberships from rural clubs, respond to questions, and bring different perspectives to discussions.
• All new applications were to be signed by two members of the organization who had known any applicant for at least two years.
• The organization was originally called the Nova Scotia Senior Ladies Golf Association (NSSLGA). However, at that time all women’s golf in the province was administered by the Nova Scotia Ladies Golf Association (NSLGA) and there was concern that the two organizations would be confused. So one month after the NSSLGA was incorporated, the Registry of Joint Stocks approved a name change to Atlantic Senior Ladies Golf Association (ASLGA).
  Elisabeth (Lib) Connor (Halifax/Ashburn) was named the organization’s first Honorary President. Lib was a provincial champion who played on the NS Amateur team nine times. Once ranked among the top five players in Canada, Lib was inducted into the Lib Connor Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. She donated the ASLGA championship trophy, and served as Honorary President until her death in 1998.

  The first president of the ASLGA was Betty Rawding (Liverpool), who had chaired Liverpool’s 50th anniversary tournament in 1983 as well as the steering committee in 1984. Betty was a good golfer who also enjoyed the governance side of golf. A former president of the Nova Scotia Ladies Golf Association, she also served as Honorary President from 1999 until her death in 2010.

Since the 2010-decade, the Wednesday evening entertainment has included line dancing, trivia quizzes, pass-the-gift games, and other social activities.

For the 20th anniversary (2003), Dot Graham wrote a poem celebrating the ASLGA and what it meant to so many women (see end).

Trophies

Crest and Memorabilia

In 1984 the ASLGA adopted a crest designed by Gladys Otterson, Truro. The crest represents the Liverpool Golf and Country Club, with a seagull flying over the ocean and dropping a golf ball. This crest was refreshed in 2022.

1984 Original 2022 Version

The championship trophy (Low Gross of the Field) was donated in 1984 by Lib Connor. It is a lovely mounted fruit bowl with a plastic cover.

The Low Net of the Field trophy was donated in 1993 by Betty Rawding.

The Reddy Fox Trophy was donated in 2004 to recognize the Low Score for Age 75+. This is a Royal Doulton figurine that has been mounted on a wooden base.

Gladys Otterson

ASLGA members often left tournaments with keepsakes – such as ball markers (pictured), tee bags, club head covers, hats, and towels – and over the years there also has been logo clothing (e.g., sweaters, golf shirts).

Recognition of service

Since the outset the ASLGA has recognized its members with special honors.
In its first years the organization had Honorary Presidents, and in 2013 Gladys Otterson was honoured with the title “Honorary Director”. Since then, the ASLGA has used “Honorary Member” was its way of recognizing service and dedication to the association. In 2008 it was decided that Charter members would become Honorary Members, which meant they no longer had to pay dues (but they also lost the right to vote!)

Honorary Presidents
Lib Connor, Ashburn (1983-1999) Betty Rawding, Liverpool (1999-2010)

Honorary Director
Gladys Otterson, Truro (2013 –

Charter/Honorary Members Betty Rawding, Liverpool Joan Mason Carlson, Ashburn Marj Hallett, Ashburn

Shirley Himmelman, Oakfield Marita Morrow, Ashburn Marg Mosher, Liverpool Gladys Otterson, Truro Brenda Phillips, Oakfield

Pat Potts, Digby
Toogie Wilson, Ashburn Anne Risley, Bridgewater

— Compiled by Jill Hemeon Rafuse, Ashburn, in 2023 for the 40th anniversary of the ASLGA.

With thanks to Linda Phillips Weckman, Chester, Shirley Mosher, Ashburn, and our charter member mothers – Jean Hemeon of Liverpool, Brenda Phillips of Oakfield, and Marg Mosher of Liverpool – for their roles in building an enduring social organization that celebrates sorority, fun, and friendly competition among senior women golfers in Nova Scotia.

20th Anniversary ASLGA (2003) By Dorothy (Dot) Graham , ASLGA President 2001-02

At the Truro Field Day, Gladys Otterson approached me Asking could I write a verse for our anniversary
I inquired as to what I should write about
And she said, It doesn’t matter, whatever comes out.

So I began to think how the ASLGA came to be And really the reason never mattered to me. We are just a group of golfing gals
Who, over the years, have become good pals.

Each fall we go to a great resort
To enjoy 27 holes of our favourite sport.
We are wined and dined and lend our ear
To what has occurred during the preceding year.

It is a wonderful way to keep in touch
With our golfing friends, who mean so much.
We golf, drink cocktails, and then socialize
Amazed how scores and bodies have changed in size.

Some of us are retiring from the provincial scene Yet our love for golf is still quite keen,
So we look forward to a few days to get away From the household tasks we face each day.

We store up our jokes all year long
And keep our voices in tune for the odd little song
And the Tournament Chairman and her committee
Give us lots of time in the agenda to make ourselves pretty.

So that when we attend the dinners, we look our best, Anxious to be treated as a pampered guest.
Many plans and details always fall into place
And the pleasure shows in each lady’s face.

It is a classy group of gals that I meet each September,
This is an association of which I am so glad to be a member And the friendships we nurture with each passing year
Will long be remembered and forever held dear.

On Friday we head home more the wise
With lots of fond memories and maybe a prize.
As we leave the resort, we feel really revived Showing all other guests how “Sexy Seniors” survive!