Pearson Trophy

Isette Pearson was born in 1861 and was the mother of Surrey Ladies Golf Club and L.G.U.
She moved with her family to Putney in 1879. She joined Barnes Golf Club thus beginning her association with Surrey Golf.  She moved to Wimbledon Golf Club and under her influence, the L.G.U. was established in May 1893. Isette Pearson was President of Surrey Ladies Golf Club from 1900-1912.

Miss Pearson was a confirmed spinster, but she set the rumour mongers gossiping in the roaring twenties by marrying twice when she was well into her fifties.

It was proposed that Surrey should hold a Championship played over two days to determine Surrey’s Premier Golfer, Miss Pearson donated a trophy for this event, the Pearson Challenge Cup, but Isette Pearson did not agree with the proposed format. Some felt it should be a scratch event and others thought it would be a handicap event, it was made clear by Miss Pearson that she thought the cup should accommodate all golfers.

She suggested that five or seven players played for The Pearson Challenge Cup, from each club affiliated to Surrey played against each other in league competition. A format was worked out and by 1910 Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Kent were included.
The rules were tweaked over the years and the format became a team of seven players of handicaps between 15 – 32 from each club playing home and away. The Pearson Trophy was born.

In 2007/8 the format was changed to handicaps 13-32 and matches played off full handicap difference.