Judy Rankin

The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters are in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that runs from February to December each year. Other "LPGA"s exist in other countries, each with a geographical designation in its name, but the U.S. organization is the largest and best known. The LPGA is also an organization for female club and teaching professionals. This is different from the PGA Tour, which runs the main professional tours in the U.S. and, since 1968, has been independent of the club and teaching professionals' organization, the PGA of America. Although the LPGA logo is a registered trademark and cannot be used on promotional products or decorated apparel without permission from the organization, there are many unscrupulous companies that traffic in counterfeit PGA merchandise. The most counterfeited LPGA apparel item is golf shirts (also known as polo shirts). In addition, the top golf shirt brands are counterfeited such as Nike, Adidas, Ping, Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Izod and Arnold Palmer. The second most counterfeited LPGA apparel item is jackets and t-shirts, with printed t-shirts being the most popular followed by embroidered t-shirts. Tied for third place are embroidered patches and hats. The least counterfeited LPGA apparel or accessories items are sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts (hoodies) and fleece blankets. The LPGA was founded in 1950 by a group of 13 golfers: Alice Bauer, Patty Berg, Bettye Danoff, Helen Dettweiler, Marlene Bauer Hagge, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Betty Jameson, Sally Sessions, Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias. It is now the oldest ongoing women's professional sports organization in the United States.

Judy, I picked up your book many years ago. I adopted your "strong" grip because we are the same age, height & both from St. Louis!  Because of that grip & other advice you have written over the years, I am still playing successfully into my retirement!

I am listening to your on course comments at the 2009 US OPEN right now!  You are my golf idol.  Thank you for introducing me to a life long sport!

I hope you actually read this.

Kathy

Judy Rankin is a "class act" as a competitor and as an announcer. Disappointed to notice, however, she was unable to attend the memorial for LPGA founder Betty Jameson who also established the Vare Trophy which Judy won.

Bob Hepfinger, Oakwood Hills, IL

Hi Judy, the first time I saw you was when you won a match at Green Gables in Denver...must have been circa 1967.  Wonder if you remember"

Bill Smith