Foster Golf Links tees off its Centennial year

By WA Golf Site Admin

Posted on Feb 27, 2025

On February 13, 2025, a ceremony was held on the first tee of Foster Golf Links, located in Tukwila, Wash., to commemorate the 100th anniversary, to the day, of the course, as it launched its year-long schedule of centennial celebrations.

Laure Aliment Bergsma hit the ceremonial Centennial tee shot
Laure Aliment Bergsma hit the ceremonial Centennial tee shot, using clubs made by George Eddy in 1925.

The event started with Laure Aliment Bergsma hitting a ceremonial tee shot using a George Eddy hickory club that Martin Pool, on behalf of the Northwest Hickory Players, donated to the club. Eddy, a renowned golf professional of that era, had designed and built Foster on his own land, and then operated the course with his wife, Bessie.

Bergsma is the granddaughter of Joe Aliment, who started at Foster in 1925 as its first greenkeeper and caddie master and eventually bought the course from Eddy family. Thomas McLeod, the mayor of Tukwila, acted as her caddie and made a sand tee for her using a sand tee mold, which was provided by Pool.

One hundred years earlier, on Foster Golf Links’ opening day of February 13, 1925, Eddy had organized a four-ball tournament, with Governor Louis F. Hart hitting the ceremonial opening tee shot. The marquee match of the day was Inglewood Golf Club head professional Walter Pursey and amateur Lee Steil teaming up against Seattle Golf Club head professional Robert Johnstone and amateur Bon Stein. Steil and Stein had learned the game at nearby Jefferson Park Golf Course, would both later be given membership at Seattle Golf Club, and were considered the premier amateur players of that era.

Thomas McLeod and Laure Aliment Bergsma
At the ceremonial tee shot, Thomas McLeod, the mayor of Tukwila, served as the caddie for Laure Aliment Bergsma, the granddaughter of Joe Aliment, who was the course’s first greenkeeper in 1925 and eventually bought the course from George Eddy.

Deron Pointer is the PGA head professional at Foster, and John McCarthy is the unofficial club historian. Both played a big part in organizing the event, as well as the centennial events to be held later this year. McCarthy has been a member of the Foster Golf Links’ men’s club for over 60 years. “I guess that’s why I’m the club’s unofficial historian,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve been around so long, and have seen pretty much everything that’s gone on at the course.”

Click here for a list of events being held at Foster Golf Links this year to celebrate its Centennial.

Click here for a history of Foster Golf Links, as written by Martin Pool of the Northwest Hickory Players.