The Ladies Section at Greenock Golf Club was founded in 1912, and the Championship was first played for in 1924 when it was won by Mrs J M Galloway. We have had 5 honorary members over the years - 1968Miss E T Caird and Miss J Tennant, 1970 Miss K W McNeil, 1981 Mrs J Wylie, and 1991 Miss I L Stewart.

Our last surviving honorary member Miss Kathleen McNeil sadly passed away in December 2006. Kathleen was born in 1916 and lived all her life in Greenock. She practiced as a solicitor in the firm of W W & J McClure where her father, Charles P McNeil had been a partner and the owner of the family drapery business. From the age of 4 Kathleen took up golf and as well as playing at Greenock played at Kilmacolm, Shiskine, The Ladies Club Troon, St Rule and Renfrewshire Ladies County Golf Association. Kathleen had a lengthy career in golf administration and from 1957 to 1959 was the non playing captain of Renfrewshire County Ladies. She was also chairman of the County from 1965 to 1967 and 1974 to 1975, and president from 1982 to 1985 and honorary vice-president of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association . Also Kathleen was past president of the Ladies Golf Union from 1987 to 1988 and from 1991 she was honorary vice-president of the Ladies Golf Union, and was awarded an MBE for services to golf.

In the last few years of her life Kathleen wrote a very interesting article regarding her memories of Greenock Golf Club. A transcript of this follows.

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The history of my golfing life as a golf member of Greenock Golf Club

My father Charles P McNeil, was elected to the Committee of the Club around 1924 and was Captain about 1927. In those days there was a boy members section but no girls section, which my father thought some what unjust !! So when he joined the Committee or had become Captain, he made a move to have a girls section of 30 girls - the Committee had given way rather reluctantly and asked that the numbers of girl members was to be taken of the numbers allowed of the Ladies Section (which I think (?) had been allowed at 300) and the ladies were very much annoyed to this reduction as there was a flourishing section in these days (more ladies of leisure then!) I don't remember how many girls did join at the beginning.

I may say, I did play golf (?) on holidays since I was 4 years old (at Elie on the children's course.) Then at St Andrew's (on the Jubilee.) But that was all until I was founder junior girl members at Greenock.

I must say, all the lady members at Greenock were very pleased at the time and interested to have the girls playing, and encouraged us no end.

Kathleen McNeil

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To view some photos from the past, click on the picture below. How many faces do you recognise?

Lady Captains
1912 -14 Miss J.D. Carmichael	1953 - 54 Mrs J. Tennant	1983 - 84 Mrs N. Jagger
1919 Miss J.D. Carmichael	1955 - 56 Miss M Nicol	1985 - 86 Mrs R.L. Hutchison
1920 - 22 Mrs R.H. Rowan	1957 - 58 Mrs W.M. Watson	1987 - 88 Miss E.M. Blackmore
1923 - 26 Mrs W. Fyfe	1959 - 60 Mrs J. Stewart	1989 - 90 Mrs E.P. Houston
1927 Mrs R.H. Rowan	1961 - 62 Mrs R.C. Houston	1991 - 92 Mrs M. Neilson
1928-30 Mrs J. Drummond	1963 - 64 Mrs J. Wylie	1993 - 94 Mrs P.K. Sweeney
1931 - 33 Mrs D. Pattison	1965 - 66 Miss J. McArthur	1995 - 96 Mrs M.G. Thompson
1934 - 35 Miss J.M. Campbell	1967 - 68 Miss M. McFadyen	1997 - 98 Miss H.F. Armstrong
1936 - 37 Mrs J. Galloway	1969 - 70 Miss J.C. Tierney	1999 - 00 Miss J.L. McKillop
1938 Mrs W. Temple	1971 - 72 Mrs H.S. Crawford	2001 - 02 Mrs R.A. Brabender
1939 Miss D.Carlyle	1973 - 74 Mrs G. Paton	2003 - 04 Mrs S. Austin
1946 - 47 Miss J. Hughes	1975 - 76 Mrs J.G. Goudie	2005 - 06 Mrs F. Bryant
1948 - 49 Mrs J.M. Watt	1977 - 78 Mrs A. Yeaman	2007 - 08 Mrs S. Cook
1950 Mrs J. Millar	1979 - 80 Mrs R.G. Duthie	2008 - 09 Mrs C. McDougall
1951 - 52 Miss K.W. McNeil	1981 -82 Mrs J. Hall

 

Lady Champions
1934 Mrs J. Galloway	1964 Mrs R.C. Houston	1987 Mrs T. Forbes
1935 Miss D. Carlyle	1965 Miss K.W. McNeil	1988 Miss G.H. Rae
1936 Mrs J. Millar	1966 Mrs R.C. Houston	1989 Mrs T. Forbes
1937 Miss L.M.M. Pollock	1967 Miss K.W. McNeil	1990 Mrs C. McDougall
1938 Mrs J. Galloway	1968 Mrs J. Wylie	1991 Mrs C. McDougall
1939 Miss D. Carlyle	1969 Miss K.W. McNeil	1992 Miss L. Brabender
1947 Miss L.M.M. Pollock	1970 Mrs T. Forbes	1993 Mrs C. McDougall
1948 Miss K.W. McNeil	1971 Mrs R.C. Houston	1994 Mrs C. McDougall
1949 Miss L.M.M. Pollock	1972 Miss K.W. McNeil	1995 Mrs C. McDougall
1950 Miss K.W. McNeil	1973 Miss K.W. McNeil	1996 Miss L. Brabender
1951 Miss K.W. McNeil	1974 Miss M.A.P. Beveridge	1997 Miss D.M. Fisher
1952 Miss K.W. McNeil	1975 Mrs J. Wylie	1998 Mrs C. McDougall
1953 Miss K.W. McNeil	1976 Mrs J. Heron	1999 Mrs C. McDougall
1954 Miss K.W. McNeil	1977 Mrs T. Forbes	2000 Miss L. Brabender
1955 Miss K.W. McNeil	1978 Mrs J. Heron	2001 Mrs C. McDougall
1956 Mrs J. Wylie	1979 Mrs J. Halliday	2002 Miss L. Brabender
1957 Miss K.W. McNeil	1980 Mrs T. Forbes	2003 Miss L. Brabender
1958 Miss K.W. McNeil	1981 Mrs T. Forbes	2004 Miss L. Brabender
1959 Mrs J. Wylie	1982 Mrs T. Forbes	2005 Mrs C. McDougall
1960 Miss K.W. McNeil	1983 Mrs T. Forbes	2006 Mrs C. McDougall
1961 Mrs R.C. Houston	1984 Mrs T. Forbes	2007 Miss D. M. Fisher
1962 Miss K.W. McNeil	1985 Mrs R.L. Hutchison	2008 Mrs C. McDougall
1963 Miss K.W. McNeil	1986 Mrs M. Neilson