SCOT GEORGINA CAMPBELL WAS WORLD'S
FIRST GOLF PROFESSIONAL

According to the Musselburgh Old Course Golf Club Newsletter, the first lady golf professional in the world was a Scot - Georgina Stewart Campbell (1864-1953).
She was born in Musselburgh and married Willie Campbell at Inveresk on December 6, 1886.
She died in New Hampshire, United States in 1953.
The Newsletter (dated December 2002) reads:
"Georgina Campbell, widow of Willie Campbell, a Musselburgh golfer, was appointed golf instructor on the public links at Franklin Park. She had the distinction of being the only female instructor in the United States.
"Mrs Campbell had previously assisted her husband Willie in the (golf) shop and gave some help in coaching ladies. After her husband's death, she followed in his footsteps as the golf professional."

Note: As Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influential of the Founding Fathers of the United States, it is not surprising that many places in North America were named in his honour. So that is why we cannot be specific about the site of "Franklin Park public links" where Georgina Campbell was golf instructor. It could be Franklin Park, Pittsburgh ... it could be Franklin Park, New England ... the list goes on.
If any of our American readers can thrown some light on the subject, please do.

FEEDBACK:
Since the above was published we have received the following communication on the subject:

From Paul Gorry in Ireland:

About Georgina Stewart Campbell, the alleged first woman golf professional, I took a look at the US Census returns for 1900, 1910, 1920 & 1930. She was living in Boston at the time of the first three censuses and in Moultonborough, Carroll County, New Hampshire, in 1930.
In 1900 the family were at (Eric?) Street, Boston, with William Campbell "Golfer Professional," aged 37, as head of household. His wife's name was erroneously given as Virginia [what's available now is the sheet on to which the enumerator copied the details given by the families, so obviously he transcribed Georgina as Virginia], aged 36, housekeeper.
She was stated as having had four children but with only one surviving. That child was Mary Hunter Campbell, aged 12. All three family members were born in Scotland.
In 1910 Georgina Campbell, widow, aged 42 [ages are never really accurate on census returns], occupation "Matron" in "City of Boston," was living in Glenway Street, Boston with her unmarried daughter, Mary H Campbell, aged 22. Both were born in Scotland.
In 1920, Georgina Campbell, widow, aged 56, occupation "At Home", born Scotland, was living in Talbot Avenue, Boston, in the household of her son-in-law, Robert J Lamprey, aged 32, born New Hampshire, along with his wife, Mary H Lamprey, aged 31, born Scotland, and his son Robert J Lamprey, Junior, aged 2, born Massachusetts.
In 1930 in Moultonborough, New Hampshire, Georgina Campbell, widow, aged 64, occupation "None", born Scotland, was living in the household of her son-in-law Robert J Lamprey, aged 42, born New Hampshire, proprietor of inn, along with his wife, Mary H Lamprey, aged 42, born Scotland, and sons Robert J, Junior (12) and George S (8).
So, what this tells us is that William Campbell, professional golfer, was born in Scotland in the 1860s and emigrated with his family to the USA, settling in Boston. He died between 1900 and 1910. He left a widow, Georgina, and an only surviving child, Mary Hunter Campbell. Mary married Robert J Lamprey in the 1910s and they had two sons, Robert Junior and George, before moving to Moultonborough, New Hampshire.
Georgina Campbell moved with them. Georgina was not listed as having an occupation outside the home in 1900, 1920 or 1930. In 1910 her occupation was "Matron" in "City of Boston," but I'm not sure what that actually means. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with golf!
Hope this is of interest.

Comment from Colin Farquharson:
Paul Gorry's research would seem to prove that the Franklin Park public golf course was in New England but it also casts doubt on the Musselburgh Old Course Golf Club Newsletter information that Georgina Campbell was appointed golf instructor at Franklin Park on the death of her husband, Willie.
But why would anybody "invent" a story like that? Rightly or wrongly, I like to think that Georgina did step into the breach on Willie's death.

Golf historian Gillian Kirkwood chips in:

From Robert Browning's book, "A History of Golf, the Royal and Ancient Game:"

Golf as a profession for women dates back to before the First World War, when Mrs Gordon Robertson was for several years professional to the Princes Ladies Golf Club, on Mitcham Common.
In 1911 Mrs Lily Freemantle was appointed professional to the Sunningdale Ladies' Club, and this was quickly followed by the appointment of Mrs D.M. Smyth as a professional to Le Touquet Ladies' club.