History Of The LPGA And Women's Golf
- Womens Golf:
The LPGA Tour Hall of Fame was established in 1967. The LPGA Tour Hall of Fame roots are traced to the Hall of Fame of Women’s Golf which had been established in 1950. When the LPGA voted to establish their own Hall of Fame that would be limited to members of the LPGA tour, they inducted the 6 existing members of the Women’s Golf Hall of Fame. Those were Patty Berg, Betty Jameson, Louise Suggs and Babe Zaharias, 1951; Betsy Rawls, 1960; and Mickey Wright, 1964. The year of induction into the Hall of Fame of Women’s Golf was recognized as the year of induction to the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. Since its start the criteria has been changed 3 times, the last change taking place in 1999. Entrance to the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame is limited to LPGA members who meet the following criteria: 1. Must be/have been an "active" LPGA Tour member for 10 years: 2. Must have won/been awarded at least one of the following - an LPGA major championship, the Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honors; and 3. Must have accumulated a total of 27 points, which are awarded as follows - one point for each LPGA official tournaments win, two points for each LPGA major tournament win and one point for each Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honor earned. It should also be noted that in 1999 it was also voted on to have a Veteran’s category. For an inactive member to gain entrance, they must be nominated by a Veteran’s Committee member, receive at least a 75% majority vote of the LPGA Tour membership who respond by ballot and meet these criteria: 1. Have been an "active" member of the LPGA Tour for a minimum of 10 years; 2. Have been an inactive or retired member of the LPGA Tour for a minimum of five consecutive years prior to the year of nomination; 3. Have won/been awarded at least one of the following - an LPGA major championship, the Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honors; and 4. Have had an extraordinary career that significantly impacted the growth of the LPGA Tour. In 1998 the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame became part of the World Golf Hall of Fame. At that time all of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame members were officially inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 2005 Karrie Webb became the most recent inductee.
