USGA Women's State Team Championship Winners, Records, Courses

The USGA Women's State Team Championship was created by the United States Golf Association in 1995, capping off the organization's centennial celebration. It ran for 22 years, last taking place in 2017. What follows is a look back at this former USGA national championship, its format, its winners, its golf courses.

The tournament was played every other year. In its later years, it alternated with the USGA Men's State Team Championship, also created in 1995.

Who could play in the USGA Women's State Team Championship? Amateurs golfers who were not members of a college golf team.

How were teams selected? The teams consisted of three players, and those three golfers were chosen by the state golf associations (the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were also eligible to send teams). The state associations were allowed to use any criteria they wished to chose the players.

What was the competition format? It was standard stroke play, with all three golfers on a team playing 18 holes each for three days (54 holes). Each day, the two best scores among the three teammates were combined for the team's score; the high score among the three teammates each day was thrown out.

Winners of USGA Women's State Team Championship

1995 — Pennsylvania, 442. Team members: Liz Haines, Judy Oliver, Carol Semple Thompson
1997 — Alabama, 429. Team members: Virginia Derby Grimes, Kathy Hartwiger, Beth Williams
1999 — Florida, 286 (shortened to 36 holes due to weather). Team members: Taffy Brower, Marla Jemsek-Weeks, Robin Weiss
2001 — Minnesota, 449. Team members: Julie Kalina-Jensen, Leigh Klasse, Claudia Pilot
2003 — Ohio, 447. Team members: Emily Bastel, Lynn Thompson, Heather Zielinski
2005 — Georgia, 434. Team members: Kyu Ri Ban, Laura Coble, Jean Reynolds
2007 — Arizona, 437. Team members: Judy Miller, Kayla Mortellaro, Thuhashini Selvaratnam
2009 — Georgia, 436. Team members: Dori Carter, Mariah Stackhouse, Laura Coble
2011 — Georgia, 448. Team members: Amira Alexander, Laura Coble, Rachel Dai
2013 — New Jersey, 446. Team members: Alice Chen, Tara Fleming, Cindy Ha
2015 — Georgia, 436. Team members: Lauren Lightfritz, Emilie Meason, Margaret Shirley
2017 — Tennessee, 431. Team members: Jayna Choi, Ashley Gilliam, Riley Rennell

Amateur legend Carol Semple Thompson was on the first winning team (Pennsylvania) in 1995. Other of the most-prominent players on winning teams in the USGA Women's State Team Championship included future LPGA Tour players Emily Bastel, Jean Reynolds, Dori Carter and Mariah Stackhouse.

Team Georgia was the most-frequent champion, winning four times (2005, 2009, 2011, 2015). Alabama set the event scoring record of 429 in 1997, and that score was never bettered.

The 18-hole record for individuals was 67, recorded seven times, first by Brenda Corrie Kuehn (North Carolina) in 1997. Alice Chen (New Jersey), Karthy Hartwiger (Alabama), Rachel Dai (Georgia), Tara Joy-Connelly (Florida), Jennifer Cleary (Delaware) and Ashley Gilliam (Tennessee) later matched the record.

And the 54-hole scoring record for individuals was 210, set by Julia Potter of Indiana in 2017.

Special shoutout to Susan Marchese of Nebraska, the only golfer who played in all 12 of the USGA Women's State Team Championships, 1995 through 2017.

Golf Courses Played

1995 — Lake Buena Vista (Fla.) Club
1997 — Kierland Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona
1999 — Golden Horseshoe Golf Club (Green Course) in Williamsburg, Virginia
2001 — Woodhill Golf Club in Wayzata, Minnesota
2003 — Wellesley Golf Club in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
2005 — Berkeley Hall (North Course) in Bluffton, South Carolina
2007 — The Club at Carlton Woods (Nicklaus Course) in The Woodlands, Texas
2009 — Sycamore Hills Country Club in Ft. Wayne, Indiana
2011 — The Landings Club (Palmetto Course) in Savannah, Georgia
2013 — NCR Country Club (South Course) in Kettering, Ohio
2015 — Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Missouri
2017 — The Club at Las Campanas (Sunrise Course) in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Related articles:

• U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship
• Tiger Woods' USGA championship wins
• Golfers who won the most USGA championships

Sources:
USGA. USGA Women's State Team History, https://www.usga.org/championships/2013/history-21474853681.html.
USGA. USGA Women's State Team Records, https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/usga-women-s-state-team-records.html.