Source: BC Sports Hall of Fame
Violet Pooley Sweeny, a B.C. and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member started the Sweeny Cup competition in 1936. Violet organized the best golfers from a variety of clubs to participate in a competitive golf environment.
Mrs. Sweeny donated the actual Sweeny Cup in 1949. The Sweeny Cup trophy is proudly displayed at the B.C. Golf Museum.
Violet Sweeny was one of Canada’s outstanding golfers from 1905-1933. As an amateur who played for more than 30 years on the West Coast, the Victoria native captured nine British Columbia provincial championships and six Pacific Northwest Golf Championship titles. She was the first President of the B.C. CLGA from 1933-1942. Violet Sweeny died in 1965 at aged 79, and was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1998. She had already been inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame.
The Sweeny Cup competition is played by female BCGA members who have a handicap factor of 10.0 or less the week prior to each event. The events are typically played from April to October. The player with the lowest total differentials for a predetermined number of games is crowned Sweeny Cup champion for the season.
Over these many years the Sweeny Cup has inspired lady golfers to improve their game. It has also allowed its members a chance to play on some of the finest golf courses in the Lower Mainland. It is indeed a privilege to be a member of the Sweeny Cup tradition and players look forward to it every year.
In those early years, Violet Pooley Sweeny’s goal was to bring together like minded and talented players into a competitive environment, from different golf clubs. That spirit is still alive today and we are very proud of the history and traditions of the Sweeny Cup. The future of the Sweeny Cup hinges on the continued support of the clubs that host the events and each player’s commitment to golf’s traditions.
The Sweeny Cup has been supported in recent years by Beach Grove, Capilano, Chilliwack, Ledgeview, Marine Drive, Meadow Gardens, Morgan Creek, Peace Portal, Pitt Meadows, Point Grey, Quilchena, Richmond, Seymour, Shaughnessy, Surrey, Swan-e-set, Vancouver Club, and University Golf Club. We cannot thank them enough for supporting women’s golf.
The Sweeny Cup can be viewed at the BC Golf Museum.