1956 - Women (All)
The winners in the category "1956 - Women (All)" are shown in the table below, which also includes relevant information on venues, scores and prize money.
Majors
x
Played as the Titleholders Championship (17th). Defending champion and second-placed Patty Berg (USA) finished 1 shot behind Suggs (USA). [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].
Majors
USGA
The US Women's Open (11th) (July 26-29). Cornelius (USA) beat Barbara McIntire (USA, amateur) in an 18-hole playoff: Cornelius 75 (+1), McIntire 82 (+8). This was Cornelius's first and only major championship win. [Northland CC, Duluth, Minn.].
Majors
LPGA
The LPGA Championship (2nd) (June 21-24). 22-year-old Marlene Hagge (USA, née Bauer) beat Patty Berg (USA) with a par at the first sudden-death playoff hole. Hagge recorded her first and only major championship win. [Forest Lake CC, Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, Mich.].
Majors
x
The Women's Western Open (27th). Second-placed Louise Suggs (USA) finished 4 shots behind Hanson (USA). [Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa].
Amateur
LGU
Played as the Girls' British Open Amateur Championship. Porter (Eng) beat Annette Nicholson 5 and 4 in the final. [Seaton Carew GC, Hartlepool, Co.Durham].
Amateur
LGU
The Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship (53rd). Margaret "Wiffi" Smith (USA) beat Mary Patton Janssen (USA) 8 and 7 in the final. [Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].
Amateur
USGA
Played as the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. JoAnne Gunderson (USA, married name Carner) beat Clifford Ann Creed (USA) 4 and 3 in the final. [Heather Downs CC, Toledo, Ohio].
Amateur
USGA
The US Women's Amateur Championship (56th). Stewart (Can) beat JoAnne Gunderson (USA, later JoAnne Carner) 2 and 1 in the final. [Meridian Hills CC, Indianapolis, Ind.].
America
George S. May
Played as the All American Open. Second-placed Joyze Ziske (USA) finished 2 shots behind Suggs (USA). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL; now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].
Played as the All-American Open. Joyce Ziske finished in second place behind Suggs.
Played as the Arkansas Open. Louise Suggs finished in second place behind Berg.
Played as the Babe Zaharias Open. Louise Suggs finished in second place behind Marlene Bauer (Hagge).
Played as the Clock Open. Joyce Zinske finished in second place behind Marlene Bauer (Hagge).
America
x
Played as the inaugural Dallas Open. Berg (USA) beat Betsy Rawls (USA) and Marlene Hagge (USA, née Bauer) in a sudden-death playoff. [Glen Lakes CC, Dallas, TX; club/course no longer exists].
Played as the Denver Open. Fay Crocker finished in second place behind Marlene Bauer (Hagge).
Played as the Havana Open. Mary Lena Faulk and Fay Crocker finished in second place behind Suggs.
Played as the Hot Springs Four-Ball. Winning Team : Marilynn Smith & Fay Crocker. Second-placed team : Louise Suggs & Mickey Wright.
Played as the Hot Springs Four-Ball. Winning Team : Beverly Hanson & Kathy Cornelius. Second-placed team : Marlene Bauer (Hagge) & Mickey Wright.
Played as the Jacksonville Open. Joyce Ziske finished in second place behind Wright.
Played as the Kansas City Open. Betsy Rawls finished in second place behind Faulk.
America
x
Played as the Lawton Open. Patty Berg finished in second place behind Dodd.
Played as the Peach Blossom Open. Fay Crocker finished in second place behind Rawls.
Played as the Pittsburgh Open. Alice Bauer finished in second place behind Marlene Bauer (Hagge).
Played as the Sarasota Open. Betty Dodd finished in second place behind Rawls.
Played as the Sea Island Open. Mary Lena Faulk and Joyce Ziske finished in second place behind Marlene Bauer (Hagge).
Played as the Serbin Open. Patty Berg finished in second place behind Crocker.
Played as the St Louis Open. Joyce Ziske finished in second place behind Crocker.
America
x
Played as the St Petersburg Open. Marilynn Smith (USA) finished in second place behind first-time LPGA Tour winner Cornelius (USA). [Sunset G&CC, St Petersburg, Florida; now called Vinoy GC].
Played as the Syracuse Open. Louise Suggs finished in second place behind Ziske.
Played as the Tampa Open. Patty Berg finished in second place behind Rawls.
Played as the Triangle Round Robin. Joyce Ziske finished in second place behind Marlene Bauer (Hagge).
America
George S. May
Played as the World Championship of Women's Golf. Betty Jameson (USA) finished 1 shot behind 22-year-old Marlene Hagge (USA; née Bauer). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL. Now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].
Berg (USA) won her third (and second straight) Vare Trophy, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the LPGA Tour.
Awards
LPGA Tr
Hagge (USA) won the LPGA Tour 1956 Money List, with earnings of $20,235 on the Tour. Patty Berg (USA) was second on the money list.
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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