LGA Amateur Championship Trophy to
be on Display at Zurich Classic; Special
Discounts Available to LGA Members
The Louisiana Golf
Association’s
(LGA)
Amateur
Championship
Trophy will be available
for all to see and have their
photograph taken with at
this year’s Zurich Classic at
the TPC Louisiana in New
Orleans. An exact replica of
the Louisiana State Capitol
Building and constructed of
pure sterling silver, the LGA
will display The Trophy for
the first time in over 25 years
in its FanFest booth April
28-May 1, just to the left of
the 18th fairway during the
2016 Zurich Classic at TPC
Louisiana.
What do Huey P. Long
and the LGA’s Trophy have
in common?
It’s an interesting story
that not nearly enough
people are familiar with.
In 1937 a trophy company
in New Orleans was asked
to have a “Showcase
Trophy” built for the LGA.
Governor Long agreed to
pay for The Trophy since it
was to be an exact replica of
the “new” Louisiana State
Capitol Building which
had opened only five years
previous. However, while
The Trophy was being
sculpted, Governor Long
was assassinated and the
trophy company was unable
to pay the Watson Company
of Attleboro, Massachusetts
the $5,000 purchase price.
Frank O. Hunter (Owner
of Schnack’s Jewelers) of
Alexandria was President
of the Louisiana Golf
Association at this time,
and through his personal
guarantee, the Watson
Company allowed the
Louisiana Golf Association
to pay off The Trophy over a
ten year period. The Watson
Company is no longer in
operation, but it is believed
that The Trophy is one of
the last and finest works
done by old-time silversmith
artists.
The Trophy is
completely
handcrafted
down to the most minute
detail of the Louisiana State
Capitol Building. It contains
approximately 1,000 ounces
(62.5 lb.) of pure sterling
silver. It stands 37 inches
tall, including the wooden
base (31.5 inches without
the base), and is 26 inches
long and 8.5 inches wide at
the widest point.
The Trophy is owned
by the Louisiana Golf
Association and is currently
on loan to the State of