The Ebony Ladies Golf League (ELGL) of Chicago, Illinois was founded March 15,1974 at Pipe O’ Peace Golf Course in Riverdale, Illinois by Mrs. Louise B. Horne and a group of fourteen pioneering golfing women representing various golf clubs. The clubs included Chicago Women’s Golf Club, Choisettes, Pipe O’ Peace Men and Women, and Par 17 Ladies.

These dynamic women formed the first African American women’s golf league in the Midwest!

The ELGL colors are pink and black, and the mission was established to “promote good golfing skills among women”, which continues today by offering golfing opportunities for women of all skill levels. Ladies play 18-holes on Saturday based on their golf handicap in four divisions: Championship, A, B, and C; a weekday-play Senior Division (65 and over); a Sunday-play Developmental Division (D); and a weekday-play 9-Hole Club.   

Many members had no golf experience, but the basic lessons offered through the league were advantageous!

The season begins with the Spring Meeting in March followed by the golf season from April to September with ladies playing games for fun and competitively. The culmination of the season is the Fall Meeting in October; whereby, the League Champion, Division Champions, and game winners are awarded prizes and trophies.

The Annual Jack & Jill Golf Outing has hosted as many as 150 participants for the event!

The Outing is held the first Sunday of August and proceeds have allowed ELGL to expand interests beyond golf to charitable giving to organizations such as: United Negro College Fund, American Cancer Society, Sadie Waterford Home for Girls, Family Rescue, Inc., Tabitha House, Bob-O-Links Junior Golf Club, and Sisters Network Inc. – Chicago Chapter of Breast Cancer Survivors.

Special recognition must be given to the following ladies for continuous dedicated support of the league:

Miljan Akin (founding member, 1974, seated, third from right), Lorraine Rice (first year member, 1974), Eleanor Fox (1975), Dorothy Davis (1977), Patricia Crenshaw (1978), Cassandra Curry (1980), Charlotte Mays (1982), and Alice Mitchell (1981). Congratulations Ladies for more than 40 years of playing golf!

Since ELGL’s inception until now, more than 400 women have held membership in the league!

Now, 50 years later, the ELGL Board of Directors and its members have remained committed to the mission – to promote good golfing skills among women – and has transformed the organization into a well-recognized and philanthropic non-profit organization playing golf at some of the finest golf courses and country clubs in and around the Chicago area.