The LPGA

The Ladies Professional Golf Association, or LPGA, was founded in 1950 under the name of the Women’s Professional Golf Association. Among its founders were Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg and Louise Suggs. The WPGA lasted only 6 years, but it laid the groundwork for the modern LPGA. Besides playing for the association, the 13 founding members organized events, supervised membership, and established its by-laws. They were dedicated to the sport as a game and as a career.

With the financial backing of Wilson Sporting Goods, the Association would soon become a success. The first season saw 14 events with a total purse of 50,000 dollars. Participation grew, and many talented athletes were drawn to the group. In 1959, to ensure future growth, they established the LPGA Teaching Membership.

They rapidly became a respected organization in the 60s, with a lot of television coverage and finance stabilization. It is during this time that the LPGA would establish the Tour Hall of Fame and see their prize money grow to nearly 600,000 dollars. During the next decade, they continued to see growth, and the group named their first commissioner. It was also during the 1970s that Judy Rankin became their first single-season 100,000 dollar earner. Nancy Lopez came on in 1978, and set records with five consecutive wins and nine titles.

In the 1980s, with Title IX high school and college play, the LPGA boosted membership among younger athletes. They established the first retirement system for a non-team sport, and had their first 1 million dollar earning player, Kathy Whitworth. By the end of the decade, the organization had grown to 36 tournaments, with prizes totaling nearly 14 million dollars. Stellar growth and charitable venues came with the 90s and on into the 21st century. Currently, there is over 60 million in purse money per season.