The Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship:
Where Tradition Meets the Next Generation​

The Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship has a rich history that dates back to 1971, when LPGA professional Joanne Winter had a vision to create something that simply didn’t exist at the time—a premier golf tournament where young women and college players could compete together. In an era before the Junior Golf Association of Arizona, the AJGA, and even Title IX, opportunities for young female golfers were limited. Joanne’s determination, passion for the game, and belief in the potential of young women turned that vision into reality. The inaugural Silver Belle featured just 23 players, but Joanne’s dream was much bigger than a single tournament. She wanted to give young women the opportunity to compete, grow, build friendships, and pursue their dreams through golf.
More than five decades later, that vision has become one of the premier amateur championships for young women in the country. The Silver Belle has welcomed players from across the United States and around the world, and its list of past participants and champions includes numerous players who have gone on to compete at the highest levels of collegiate and professional golf. Today, the championship is nationally recognized through major amateur ranking systems and provides an important opportunity for the next generation of female golfers to test themselves against some of the best players in their age group. Hosted at Briarwood Country Club in Sun City West, the championship continues to bring together talented junior golfers, college coaches, families, volunteers, and supporters during the holiday season. The tournament may look very different from that first 23-player event in 1971, but the purpose remains remarkably the same: to encourage competition, provide opportunity, and inspire young women to pursue their dreams through the game of golf. That is Joanne Winter’s legacy—and more than 50 years later, the Silver Belle continues to keep that dream alive.