Womens Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania

Perched 200 feet above the Allegheny river on a beautiful 370 acre tract of land in Penn Hills is Longue Vue Country Club, the site of the 2013 WGAWP Championship.

The club was established in 1925 by a group of prominent Pittsburgh businessmen whose collective wealth led it to be known as "The Millionaires Club". The founders sought out the best in architecture and landscape design to complete their vision for the property: clubhouse, equestrian and golf.

Benno Janssen's Norman-inspired design was built of stone quarried less than two miles from the site.  His trademark style of high-pitched gables, slate roof, and carved stone detail were well-known at the time.  The clubhouse features a prominent covered vehicular entrance in the English country home style.  Beautiful decor has been a staple of the clubhouse and the view from the patio overlooking the Allegheny is hard to match.  The structure is on the List of Pittsburgh Historical Landmarks and in 2005 was named to the National Register of Historic Places.

The landscape design was awarded to Albert D. Taylor who created the beautiful grounds that we enjoy today.  The erection of the riding stables and six miles of bridle paths reflected the main recreational activity at the club: horseback riding.  Interest in riding, however, diminished in the '40s and all things equestrian were eliminated.

With his commission to design the golf course, Scotsman Robert White, took full advantage of the terrain to develop this picturesque and challenging layout. (his fee: $25.00)  The initial layout was upgraded upon some recommendations by course designer A.W. Tillinghast in 1935.  

The inaugural round of golf was played in May of 1925.  The foursome included two men and two women, each famous in some regard.  Glenna Collett Vare was a 6-time USGA amateur champion (1922-1935), originator of the Curtis Cup on which she both played and captained and was selected in 1975 to the first class in the Golf Hall of Fame.  Playing alongside her was the equally talented Edith Cummings, also a USGA amateur champion and with the distinction of becoming the first woman to ever grace the cover of TIME magazine.

We continue this rich history of women's golf in western Pennsylvania when the 89th annual WGAWP Championship convenes on July 15, 2013.  For more information on this event, click the "Tournaments" tab in the top navigation bar of the website.