History of the Women's Memorial Golf Tournament

The first all-women's charitable golf tournament in the Richmond area took place in the summer of 1987 with 8 foursomes of mostly-new golfers. It was held at the old Pine Lake Golf Course (formerly Pocoshock and now newly rebuilt as Providence Golf Course) which was adjacent to the home of the organizer, Sharon Talarico. For those who were there, it will be remembered for the 6 long hours it took to play and that there were more fans for the potluck picnic than there were to play golf!

The tournament was conceived as a tribute to Barbara Edwards, a proficient local golfer, teacher, and golf coach, who died in an auto accident the summer before. She often held golf outings at her home on the 14th hole at The Brookwoods Golf Course and was known to invite and encourage even the newest golfer to participate in these "Bloody Mary's and Brunch" fun events. The tournament continues to honor her by welcoming new women golfers to join more experienced players in a "captain's choice" format, followed by a picnic and prizes. Today many of the original teams are still in the tournament due to the invitational aspect of the event, and it is usually sold out with 30 teams participating.

The group decided to expand the tribute to a Women's Memorial in 1992 and was the first official financial contributor to VBCF when it was still working out of Mary Jo Kahn's attic! In keeping with the advocacy and education missions of the organization, many relationships have formed with volunteers and players, many of whom have served on the board and other committees (Cindy Barnett, Nancy Golden, Sharon Talarico). The grass-roots style fundraising has been accomplished with dedicated volunteers and small business owners doing the important part to sponsor holes, donate prizes, and discount services. Though golf outings are now approaching a saturation point for many people, this tournament is the oldest continuous women's charitable event in Richmond and is a priority on the summer calendar for women who have traveled from Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas to play!

Anyone wishing to make a contribution to this event is welcomed to sponsor a hole (and can be in memory of or in honor of) or donate something for your business. Contributions of any items can be picked up by the volunteers. For more information . . . contact VBCF or the tournament director, Sharon Talarico, at 804-282-0305.

Click here to view photos from past tournaments.