USGA Celebrates 111th Anniversary


December 22, 2005

Far Hills, - The U.S. Golf Association celebrated its 111th anniversary Dec. 22. The formation of the Association can be traced to five charter clubs in . In the 1890s a dispute arose over the question of a national amateur champion. In 1894, 's Golf Club (Hudson, N.Y.) and the Newport (R.I.) Country Club each staged invitational tournaments, and each declared its winner to be the national Amateur Champion.

After finished runner-up in both events, the famed golf luminary called for a national body to govern the game. The confusion made it clear that an impartial governing body was needed to administer golf, conduct national championships and oversee the codification and interpretation of the game's rules, as well as the Rules of Amateur Status.

The U.S. Golf Association, which underwent name transformations from the Amateur Golf Association of the United States and American Golf Association before a final constitution was adopted, was the end result of a meeting of delegates from Newport, St. Andrew's, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, The Country Club (Brookline, Mass.) and Chicago Golf Club in New York City on Dec. 22, 1894. was elected as the first president.