History of the Westwood Club

Westwood began in the late 1920’s  as Westwood Golf Club. The golf course stretched from Horsepen to Libbie Avenue between Broad Street and Monument Avenue. In the 1930’s the club became well known as the “Westwood Supper Club.” The Westwood Supper Club featured dinner and dancing under the stars and flourished until WWII.

In the mid-1940’s, the club took on a new name, yet again, becoming “The Officer’s Club of Virginia.” The club was incorporated on October 5, 1949, as the Officers Club of Virginia but since November 9, 1967, has traded as The Westwood Racquet Club. Due to the diversification of member interest and expansion of facilities, the Board of Directors voted as of September 20, 1994, that the club name be changed to the Westwood Club.

In November 1970, a group of professional tennis ladies known as the “Original Nine” played in a historical tournament at Westwood. This distinguished group of players, Billie Jean King, Kristy Pigeon, Val Ziegenfuss, Nancy Richie, Stephanie Johnson, Mary Ann Curtis, Denise Cater, Rosie Casals, Darlene Hard and Ceci Martinez launched the first all-women’s tennis event known as the “Virginia Slims Invitational Tour”. Philip Morris, Inc. became the event sponsor and Westwood became the event host. Westwood continued to play a tangential role in hosting top named tennis professionals for competitive play including Bobby Riggs, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman, Hugh Stewart and Vic Seixas.