Alexa Stirling

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V I | A L E X A S T I R L I NG

hit.” Although Keeler suffered mightily, and despite her seemingly more obvious membership in the human tribe, Alexa had plenty of good matches left to enjoy. There was plenty of work and pursuits other than golf championships that occupied Alexa’s time in 1924. Dorothy Campbell Hurd won the Women’s Amateur, and Marion Hollins won the Metropolitan. But Alexa could instead vicariously enjoy the successes of her childhood friends. Her East Lake counterpart Bobby Jones won his first U.S. Amateur championship to accompany his 1923 U.S. Open title. The following year Jones and Watts Gunn became the only finalists from the same golf club to compete in any major

championship – the 1925 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont, and she could look to Perry Adair who won the Southern Amateur twice in 1921 and 1923. Alexa would enjoy many private moments reflecting with modest, but genuine pride over the accomplishments of her old East Lake family. Besides which, Alexa’s own interests were about to change in wonderfully dramatic dimensions. By 1925, Alexa’s championship golf schedule had been curtailed considerably and given way to more important personal priorities. While playing in the Canadian Open at the Rivermead Club near Ottawa in 1923, Alexa met an ophthalmologist, Dr. Wilbert Grieve Fraser. Dr. Fraser enjoyed golfing, hunting and fishing, which coincided nicely with Alexa’s interests. Their relationship blossomed over the succeeding two years. Not unlike Bob Jones, golf was not Alexa’s overwhelming priority. She wanted a family, and the time was right. She was 28. She married Dr. Fraser in a spectacular wedding celebration at East Lake on March 26, 1925. Nine days later the newlyweds sailed on the USS Mauretania from New York to Europe for a honeymoon. Thereafter, they established their new home in Ottawa. It was three years before the Frasers had their first daughter, Sandra. A son, Glen, was born in 1933 and another son, Richard, was born in 1939. Both parents were completely devoted to the family. Annual summer vacations were spent at the Fraser family cottage situated on the Ottawa River at Old Fort Williams, Quebec, about 100 miles from Ottawa. Alexa’s sister Nora was a frequent visitor to the cottage. Her sister Janet came less often. The Frasers were not typical social butterflies and preferred the simple home life. Nor did they travel extensively. They belonged to the Royal Ottawa Golf Club, where Alexa was Ladies Club champion 13 straight years. They also belonged to the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. When they wanted to entertain, the couple played bridge and enjoyed the quiet company of close friends. In many respects it was a chapter from a storybook romance. The couple lived “happily ever after,” even though there were a few interesting bumps in the road of their lives. Although she dramatically cut back even further on her golfing ambitions after starting her family, Alexa still tried her luck in the major championships. After returning from her honeymoon in 1925, she entered the Canadian Women’s Amateur under a new club flag. After 15 years playing for Atlanta Athletic Club’s East Lake, now Alexa played for the Royal Ottawa Club of Canada. She played beautiful golf and reached the finals where she was defeated by compatriot Ada Mackenzie of Toronto. There was little to be distressed about the outcome, as Ada won five Canadian Women’s Amateur titles from 1919 to 1935. The year prior to her match with Alexa, Mackenzie had again reached the finals in 1924, only to be turned away by the phenomenal Glenna Collett. Glenna also defeated Ada in her debut at the 1925 U.S. Women’s Amateur. Ada reached the semi-finals of that

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