On February 1, 1922, James D. Standish, Jr., of Detroit, persuaded the USGA Executive Committee to establish an Amateur Public Links Championship and offered to donate a perpetual trophy. The event was awarded to the Ottawa Park Course, in Toledo, Ohio, August 28-31, 1922, at the Toledo District Golf Association. A USGA Committee on Public and Municipal Golf Courses, with Mr. Standish as chairman, was organized to conduct it.

The Committee had no way of anticipating what to expect, and it was a matter of great satisfaction when 140 entries were received and 136 players started in the 36-hole qualifying round for 32 places in match play. The medalist by nine strokes was George Aulbach, a 19-year-old Boston University student, who scored 70-69-139. His score set a record which stood for 18 years. Scores up to 160 qualified. In the first round, R. A. Wimmer, of Toledom defeated A. B. Hadden, also of Toledo, at the 24th hole. A distance not surpassed in 18-hole cometition until a 25-hole match in 1963. The winner eventually proved to be Edmund R. Held, 19, of St. Louis, who defeated Richard J. Walsh, 18, of New York, 6 and 5, in the 36-hole final, after eliminating Aulbach on the 20th green in a semi-final.

A most unusual incident occurred during match play. Two players had made their approaches on a hole near the finish when a pistol shot sounded in the rear of the gallery; a thoroughly uninterested spectator had chosen to commit suicide.