Barrenjoey Peninsula Week of Golf – History  

In 1982 a group of forward thinking Mothers from five Northern Beaches Golf Clubs devised the concept of a golf tournament, billed as “a chance to have a holiday after the Christmas school holidays”. This was also a great opportunity for women golfers from outside the Barrenjoey Peninsula to come and enjoy the beautiful Northern Beaches of Sydney. February 1983 was the beginning of Barrenjoey Peninsula Week of Golf with 300 players competing in the first year.

The Tournament, now known as the Barrenjoey Women's Classic, is run by a committee of three representatives from six Northern Beaches golf clubs. They include Bayview, Cromer, Long Reef, Mona Vale, Monash, and Wakehurst. The committee works all year round organising this very popular event. They seek contributions from sponsors for trophies and organise the golf tournament over the three days. In 2005 a new dimension was added to the event – a raffle to raise money for a selected Northern Beaches charity.

The tournament is run over 3 days. Last year there were 544 entries from 60 clubs in Australia and overseas. The week’s events are from the 2nd Monday to Thursday in February each year. Monday is 18 holes Individual Stroke, scratch and net. Team events are Tuesday Foursomes and Thursday Teams. The major presentation night is held on the final night of the Tournament Week and all players are welcome.

Barrenjoey Women's Classic is also a Jean Derrin event. The event was first introduced to Barrenjoey Peninsula Week of Golf in 1997.The Jean Derrin Trophy is open to female amateur golfers who hold a current Australian or overseas equivalent handicap, and who have a handicap of 14 and under. A selected number of nominated events make up the Jean Derrin Trophy – the Barrenjoey Peninsula Week of Golf being one of the nominated events. The winner of the Jean Derrin Trophy will be the player who has the lowest scoring average and has played a minimum of 10 rounds in nominated Jean Derrin events.

Jean Derrin was a Member of Pennant Hills from 1927 to 1951, she went on to become a member of NSWLGU Executive Council in 1963, and in 1965 The Executive Council appointed her to Honorary Member of the LGU. By all accounts Jean was a much-loved and extremely hard-working member of the Executive Council, and it is fitting that the Jean Derrin Trophy was instigated and named in her honour in 1971.

Barrenjoey Women's Classic is open to all ladies with an Australian Women’s Golf Handicap and provides a great opportunity for players to visit the Northern Beaches and play some excellent courses. Apart from the major trophies, there are some wonderful prizes to be won. We also have a raffle raising money for a nominated charity on the Northern Beaches.