The Wasagaming Ladies Golf Club was formed in 1947 thanks to the vision of Helen Hickling, a practicing Winnipeg lawyer and Clear Lake cottage owner, who decided to compete in the Manitoba Championships tournament in Winnipeg.  Helen approached the first superintendent of Riding Mountain National Park, Mr. Hislop, to ask for permission to join the Manitoba Ladies Golf Association so that she could compete in the tournament.  Permission was granted, Helen competed and subsequently became the first president of the club.  

 

At the 1995 spring meeting, The Wasagaming Ladies Club changed its name to the Clear Lake Ladies Golf Club.  The late 90s also saw the formation of the Fall Classic Tournament which had a very successful run for many years thanks to the efforts of several dedicated members.  One of the most significant decisions made by the membership in 2002 was to discontinue the waiting list as well as the requirement of members having to play ½ of the scheduled July and August games.  A new and improved attitude whereby new members are welcomed to play whenever their schedule allows has attracted several new and active women members.  Our membership currently sits at thirty-five players with one associate member.  We are very fortunate to have a few ladies who are now in their nineties continuing to enjoy coming out to play.  Once a week, members take turns hosting a “social” at their cottage after a scheduled weekly game and for many members, this is a definite perk of belonging to the club.  

 

Competitive golfers within the club included Muriel Clark, Geri Ferris, Betty Hall, Helen Hickling, Joan Kullberg, The Lawrence sisters ( Donna, Heather and Marion), Donna Lawson, Joan Kullberg,  Lynn MacDonald, Bea Matheson, Ann McDiarmid, Mabel Mitchell, and  Marg Patrick.  Notable junior members, Stacey Bieber and Kaitlin Troop, made their mark with impressive tournament play in Manitoba, Canada and the US.

 

So many changes over seventy-five years, however, one thing that has not changed is our proud history of wonderful friendships, continued fun and great golf in this one-of-a-kind setting- a truly special place with truly special women of which I am proud to have been a part of for the past thirty-six years.  Seventy-five years of memorable moments celebrating golf, women and good times that have defined our past and will shape our future.