It is with great sadness that Golf Canada, Alberta Golf, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and the entire golf community mourns the peaceful passing of Betty Stanhope-Cole who passed away on January 27, 2017 at the age of 79, after a brief battle with cancer.

Born on September 21, 1937 in Calgary, she is survived by her son Rob and daughter Jackie (Hiebert), along with three grandchildren (Brian, Tyler and Talia).

Stanhope-Cole saw success at every level of her amateur golf career.  As a junior, she won the Alberta Junior Girls championship from 1955-1957 and the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in 1956. She would later win the Alberta Ladies’ Amateur Championship a record 17 times between 1957 and 1984.

Stanhope-Cole also competed on 29 interprovincial teams (25 for Alberta, two for Ontario and two for Saskatchewan) in addition to winning the Saskatchewan Ladies’ Championship in 1966. Her career was capped off by winning the 1957 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, a win she noted as being her biggest golfing achievement.

Internationally, she represented Canada a total five times, three at the World Amateur Team Championship (1964, 1974, 1976) and twice at the Commonwealth Team Championship (1963, 1971).

Her impact on the game was also felt at the administrative level, as National Director of Rules and Handicap from 1980 to 1983 with the former Canadian Ladies Golf Association. She also spent 10 years working with the Alberta Golf Association (now Alberta Golf) serving as Player Development Director, Rules Director, Zone Chair and as a member of the association’s Tournament Committee.

Stanhope-Cole’s successful amateur career was recognized with her induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in 1991, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1980, Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 1993, and the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame in 2005.

A celebration of life will be held at Highlands Golf Club on February 13, 2017. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alberta Kidney Foundation.

Statement from Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Sandra Post:

“Betty came from a tremendous era for female golfers. Even though she was born out west, she played across the country and won championships in Saskatchewan and Ontario. She had a great long game and represented Canada well.”

Photos of Betty Stanhope-Cole are available for download here.