Womens Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania

The 1980's is sometimes referred to as "The Greed Decade" as the yuppies from the 1970's turned more conservative and looked to accumulate wealth and stuff.  You might say that some of the WGAWP members also turned greedy in accumulating championships.  See below, in the Player of the Decade,  Carol Semple Thompson, Judy Oliver, Missy Berteotti, and Michelle Michanowicz,  stood out in this period with impressive lists of achievements at the local, regional, national and international levels.

The WGAWP remained strong through the decade.  In 1982 there were 778 members from 40 clubs.  The membership dues in 1980 was $35, then increased to $45 in 1984, then $50 in 1986.  In 1983 the new member, reinstatement, and late fee was increased from $5 to $10.

Team Competition continues to be popular.  In 1982, the WGAWP instituted new scoring for Team competition with 18 points available per match and automatic exchange of teams between the winners of the lower division replacing the losers of the higher division.  In 1985, after having changed the team scoring to 18 points, the WGAWP set the penalty for an incorrect lineup to 90 points.  In 1989 due to an unusually wet May with many matches cancelled, the Team results for that year were declared null and void, so the results from the previous season were carried forward.  In the following year the WGAWP instituted a new rule that 50% of the matches had to be played for the results to be counted. 

Sewickley Heights was the dominant team in the 1980's with Championship Division wins (1980, 1984, 1985, and 1986).  Allegheny collected three/four Championship Division wins in 1982, 1987, 1988 and 1989 (which was a voided season).  Butler (1981) and Pittsburgh Field Club (1983) each had one Team Championship Division win. 

South Hills fielded three teams from 1980-1985 and in some of those years Team III played in Division VII while Team II played in Division VIII.  Valley Brook fielded three teams from 1986-1988.

Handicaps calculations remained somewhat manual through most of the decade with scores needing to be submitted to the WGAWP and handicaps not permitted to rise during the season.  The handicap requirement for new members fluctuated during the decade starting at 22, then 23 in 1981, then back to 22 in 1982, then 20 in 1984, then 21 in 1987.  In 1989, the handicap index was introduced and the entry handicap index for membership was set as 21.4 and handicaps were permitted to rise or fall during the season.

In 1982 the WGAWP issued the first "Map book" that provided directions to member clubs.  In 1983 the WGAWP was performing course ratings for women and set a fee of $250 for rating 18 holes.  In 1984 Mr. & Mrs. Horton Semple were issued life-time honorary entry into the Semple Cup.  In 1987 the organization requested contributions from members for the acquisition of a computer.  In 1988 Susan Austin was hired as Executive Secretary.  

The WGAWP continued to introduce or modify the tournament competitions.  Triple Sixes was introduced in 1985 with two events scheduled, one for lower handicaps (21 or less) and one for higher handicaps (22-30).  In 1988 the Selective Drive Alternate Shot event was replaced by the Stroke Play Chapman. 

The decade ended with the organization strong, continuing to adapt to golf's changing environment, and proud of the achievements of its best players.

• The $35 annual dues in 1980 is equivalent to $122.80 in today's dollars.
• The $50 annual dues in 1986 is equivalent to $131.89 in today's dollars.
• The $250 fee for course rating 18 holes is equivalent to 4725.68 in today's dollars.

• Pleasant Valley

Carol Semple Thompson and Judy Oliver continued their rivalry into the 1980's and two new young players, Missy Berteotti and Michelle Michanowicz, provided additional competition to the veterans.  All four had impressive accomplishments in the 1980's as listed below.

 Missy Berteotti:

• 1980 WGAWP Jr. Champion
• 1982 Tag Hill Winner
• 1982 WGAWP Champion at Nemacolin
• 1982 quarterfinalist North & South
• 1983 WGAWP Champion at Longue Vue
• 1984 WGAWP Champion at Valley Brook
• 1984 Tag Hill Winner
• 1984 Quarter finalist US Amateur
• 1985 Qualifies for LPGA

Michelle  Michanowicz:

• 1980 WGAWP Championship Runner Up
• 1981 WGAWP Jr. Champion
• 1982 WGAWP Championship Runner Up
• 1982 WGAWP Jr. Champion
• 1983 WGAWP Championship Runner Up
• 1986 WGAWP Champion at Butler
• 1987 WGAWP Champion at Allegheny
• 1988 WGAWP Champion at St. Clair

Judy Oliver:

• 1980 Tag Hill
• 1981 WGAWP Champion at South Hills
• 1981 Runner Up PA State
• 1982 Runner Up North & South
• 1984 Runner Up PA State
• 1985 WGAWP Champion at Edgewood
• 1985 Tag Hill Winner
• 1987 PA State Champion at West Shore 
• 1988 Tag Hill Winner
• 1989 Tag Hill Winner
• Member Curtis Cup 1980 (winners), 1982 (winners)

Carol Semple Thompson:

• 1980 PA State Champion at CC of Harrisburg
• 1981 PA State Champion at Sunnehanna
• 1981 WGAWP Runner Up
• 1982 PA State Champion at Saucon Valley
• 1983 PA State Runner Up
• 1984 PA State Champion at Shannopin
• 1985 PA State Champion at Philadelphia Cricket Club
• 1985 Mexico Internation Amateur Champion
• 1986 PA State Champion at Aronimink 
• 1986 Mexico International Amateur Champion
• 1986 Tag Hill Winner
• 1986 Quarterfinalist in US Amateur
• 1987 WGAWP Championship Runner Up
• 1987 North & South Women's Amateur Champion
• 1987 Mexico International Amateur Champion
• 1988 PA State Champion at Sunnehanna
• 1988 WGAWP Championship Runner Up
• 1989 Semifinalist in US Amateur
• Member Curtis Cup 1980 (winners), 1982 (winners), 1988
• Member World Women's Amateur Team 1980 (winners), 1988 (winners)

The achievements of Missy, Michelle, and Judy were impressive, but could not match Carol's record, so Carol Semple Thompson repeats as Player of the Decade for the 1980's.

• In 1980 the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank opens
• In 1981 the David L. Lawrence Convention Center built.
• In 1982 the Three Rivers Film Festival begins
• In 1983 One Mellon Center and Oxford Centre built.
• In 1983 on September 3 the inaugural Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is run.
• In 1984 Pittsburgh Light Rail begins operating.
• In 1984 PPG Place is dedicated.
• In 1984 the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust formed.
• In 1985 the Pittsburgh Marathon and Pittsburgh Great Race begin.
• In 1987 the Benedum Center is restored.
• In 1987 the Head of the Ohio regatta begins.
• In 1987 the Veterans Bridge opens.
• In 1988 on May 6: Mayor Richard Caliguiri dies in office. Sophie Masloff becomes mayor.
• In 1989 Sandcastle Waterpark opens

• 1980  Ronald Reagan is elected as the President of the United States.
• 1981  Lady Diana Spencer and Charles the Prince of Wales are married.
• 1982  "The Computer" is named Time Magazine's Man of the Year. 
• 1983  Microsoft releases "Word" their word processing program.
• 1984  Band Aid records "Do They Know It's Christmas?" a charity single to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
• 1985  Coca-Cola introduced "New Coke" and were forced to return to the old formula only months later due to backlash
• 1986  The Chernobyl nuclear reactor explodes in the USSR..
• 1987  "The Simpsons" make their debut on the Tracy Ullman Show.
• 1988  Two years after the Challenger Disaster, NASA's Space Shuttle program resumes..
• 1989  The Berlin Wall is torn down at the end of the Cold War