History

On a cold foggy day in September, 1928, the final round of the Senior Championship tournament conducted by the Northern California Golf Association took place at the Presidio Club, San Francisco.

There were sixty-three participants in the competition and upon completion of play all departed at once for their respective homes. This was during the period of Prohibition and alcoholic beverages were not available at the club.

A group of four convened in the locker room over a bottle of Scotch, and discussed the situation. The four included John G. Sutton, Horace Guittard, J.E. (Jack French, and Brace Carter, then Secretary of the Northern California Golf Association.

The concensus of opinion was that something should be done at once to introduce a spirit of friendly congeniality among those golfers of senior age. It was then decided to form an association comprised of senior golfers and at once a committee comprised of a dozen senior members of different clubs in Northern California was appointed to contact members of their clubs who were eligible in age-originally fifty years minimum.

The enthusiastic reception was unbelievable and in less than three months three hundred applicants were on the roster.

The initial tournament and organization dinner took place in August, 1929 at the Burlingame Country Club. Two hundred and thirty competed in the tournament and attended the dinner at which time a constitution and by-laws were adopted.. John G. Sutton was unanimously elected to the office of President and the organization was on its way with flying colors!

More history to come!