World Golf Hall of Fame
Encyclopedia
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village
near St. Augustine, Florida
, in the United States
, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame
in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.
The Hall of Fame Museum Building is designed by the museum architecture
specialist firm of E. Verner Johnson and Associates of Boston
, Massachusetts
. They also produced the museum master plan that established the overall size, mission and qualities of the overall museum and the surrounding facilities and site.
The Hall of Fame Museum features a permanent exhibition and a rolling program of temporary exhibitions. Designed by museum design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates
, the Hall of Fame and exhibition area contains exhibits on the game's history, heritage, and techniques; major players and organizations; golf course design, equipment, and dress; and new directions, such as ecological concerns in course management.
, and was privately operated by Diamondhead Corp., then owners of the Pinehurst Resort
. It opened in September 1974 with an initial class of 13 members. To start with it was a local project, but the PGA of America took over management in 1983 and acquired full ownership in 1986.
Two other halls of fame have been merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The PGA of America established one in 1940, which was merged into the Pinehurst Hall in the 1980s. The Hall of Fame of Women's Golf was established by the LPGA
in 1951, with four charter members: Patty Berg
, Betty Jameson
, Louise Suggs
, and Babe Zaharias
. It was inactive for some years, but in 1967 it moved into its first physical premises, which were in Augusta, Georgia
and was renamed the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. In 1998 it merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
In 1994 the global golf industry established a non-profit making body called the World Golf Foundation to promote the sport, with the creation of an enhanced Hall of Fame as one of its main objectives. Construction at the new site in St. Augustine began in 1996 and the new facility opened on May 19, 1998.
and Champions Tour
players are eligible for this ballot if they meet the following requirements (beginning with 1996 election):
Election requirements:
Voters may vote for up to 30% of the players on the ballot. If a player is named on less than 5% of the ballots for two consecutive years, they are dropped from the ballot. Players not elected can remain on the ballot indefinitely (prior to 2007 the limit was 10 years, from 2007 to 2009 the limit was 15 years).
Before 1999, players had to win 30 tournaments, including two majors; 35 tournaments with one major; or 40 tournaments in all to automatically qualify. At one time, players had to win two different majors to qualify with 30 wins, but this was changed earlier in the 1990s.
Election requirements: same as PGA Tour ballot.
. These members are chosen by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors. Naturally they all played golf, in some cases with some competitive success, but it was not their play alone which won them a place in the Hall of Fame.
(previous to 2010 in October or November), and by November 2009 there were 130 members. Beginning in 2010, the ballots are due in July with the results announced later in the year. New entrants in the Lifetime Achievement and Veteran's categories are announced at irregular intervals. For example, Frank Chirkinian
was elected in the Lifetime Achievement category in an emergency election in February 2011, with the vote presumably held because he was then terminally ill with lung cancer
; when it became clear he would not live to attend his induction, he videotaped his acceptance speech in late February, less than two weeks before his death.
was notable as a player but was inducted for lifetime achievement.
Future inductees
Tour Hall of Fame, which was inaugurated in 1967. The list shows the years when they were originally inducted into the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf. Unless stated otherwise the women on the list were inducted primarily for their on-course achievements.
Future inductees
Possible future inductees Lorena Ochoa
World Golf Village
The World Golf Village is a golf resort located midway between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida, built to showcase the World Golf Hall of Fame and intended to be the ultimate golf destination for players and fans of the game.-Development:...
near St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.
The Hall of Fame Museum Building is designed by the museum architecture
Museum architecture
Museum architecture has been of increasing importance over the centuries, especially more recently.A challenge for museum architecture is the differing purposes of the building. The museum collection must be preserved, but it also needs to be made accessible to the public...
specialist firm of E. Verner Johnson and Associates of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. They also produced the museum master plan that established the overall size, mission and qualities of the overall museum and the surrounding facilities and site.
The Hall of Fame Museum features a permanent exhibition and a rolling program of temporary exhibitions. Designed by museum design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates
Ralph Appelbaum
Ralph Appelbaum Associates is the world's largest museum exhibition design firm. It has offices in New York City, London and Beijing.- Overview :...
, the Hall of Fame and exhibition area contains exhibits on the game's history, heritage, and techniques; major players and organizations; golf course design, equipment, and dress; and new directions, such as ecological concerns in course management.
History
The World Golf Hall of Fame was originally located in Pinehurst, North CarolinaPinehurst, North Carolina
Pinehurst is a village in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,706 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the Pinehurst Resort, venue of the 1936 PGA Championship, the 1951 Ryder Cup. The host site for the 1999, 2005,& 2014 U.S. Open Golf Championships, the 2008 U.S....
, and was privately operated by Diamondhead Corp., then owners of the Pinehurst Resort
Pinehurst Resort
Pinehurst Resort is a historic upmarket golf resort at Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA. It has hosted a number of prestigious golf tournaments.-History:...
. It opened in September 1974 with an initial class of 13 members. To start with it was a local project, but the PGA of America took over management in 1983 and acquired full ownership in 1986.
Two other halls of fame have been merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The PGA of America established one in 1940, which was merged into the Pinehurst Hall in the 1980s. The Hall of Fame of Women's Golf was established by the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
in 1951, with four charter members: Patty Berg
Patty Berg
Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer...
, Betty Jameson
Betty Jameson
Elizabeth May "Betty" Jameson was an American professional golfer and one of the founders of the LPGA.-Biography:...
, Louise Suggs
Louise Suggs
Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager...
, and Babe Zaharias
Babe Zaharias
Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field...
. It was inactive for some years, but in 1967 it moved into its first physical premises, which were in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and was renamed the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. In 1998 it merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
In 1994 the global golf industry established a non-profit making body called the World Golf Foundation to promote the sport, with the creation of an enhanced Hall of Fame as one of its main objectives. Construction at the new site in St. Augustine began in 1996 and the new facility opened on May 19, 1998.
Membership categories
Members are inducted into the Hall of Fame in one of five categories: PGA Tour/Champions Tour, LPGA Tour, International, Lifetime Achievement, and Veterans.PGA Tour/Champions Tour ballot
Current and former PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
and Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
players are eligible for this ballot if they meet the following requirements (beginning with 1996 election):
- PGA Tour
- Minimum of 40 years old
- PGA Tour member for 10 years
- 10 PGA Tour wins or two wins in the majorsMen's major golf championshipsThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
or Players ChampionshipThe Players ChampionshipThe Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
- Champions Tour
- Champions Tour member for five years
- 20 wins between PGA Tour and Champions Tour or five wins in the majors (regularMen's major golf championshipsThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
or seniorSenior major golf championshipsMen's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S. based Champions Tour, which was established in 1980 . It has established a roster of five major championships...
) or Players Championship
Election requirements:
| Years | % of returned ballots needed for election |
|---|---|
| 1996–2000 | 75% |
| 2001–2003 | 65% |
| 2004–present | 65%, in the event that no candidate receives 65%, the nominee receiving the most votes with at least 50% is elected |
Voters may vote for up to 30% of the players on the ballot. If a player is named on less than 5% of the ballots for two consecutive years, they are dropped from the ballot. Players not elected can remain on the ballot indefinitely (prior to 2007 the limit was 10 years, from 2007 to 2009 the limit was 15 years).
LPGA point system
LPGA Tour golfers are eligible through a point system. Since 1999, LPGA members automatically qualify for World Golf Hall of Fame membership when they meet these three criteria:- Must be/have been an "active" LPGA Tour member for 10 years.
- Must have won/been awarded at least one of the following - an LPGA majorWomen's major golf championshipsWomen's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the...
championship, the Vare Trophy or Player of the Year honors; and - Must have accumulated a total of 27 points, which are awarded as follows - one point for each LPGA official tournament win, two points for each LPGA major tournament win and one point for each Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honor earned.
Before 1999, players had to win 30 tournaments, including two majors; 35 tournaments with one major; or 40 tournaments in all to automatically qualify. At one time, players had to win two different majors to qualify with 30 wins, but this was changed earlier in the 1990s.
International ballot
Men and women golfers not fully eligible for PGA/Champions Tour ballot or the LPGA Tour point system are eligible for the International ballot if they meet the following requirements (beginning with the 1996 election):- Minimum of 40 years old
- Cumulative 50 points earned as follows:
- Men
- 6 points – Major victories
- 4 points – Players Championship win
- 3 points – Other PGA Tour win, European Tour win
- 2 points – Japan Golf TourJapan Golf TourThe Japan Golf Tour is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with...
, Sunshine TourSunshine TourThe Sunshine Tour is a men's professional golf tour based in Southern Africa. For much of its history it was known either as the South African Tour or the FNB Tour, but it rebranded itself in an attempt to broaden its appeal...
, PGA Tour of AustralasiaPGA Tour of AustralasiaThe PGA Tour of Australasia is a professional golf tour for men. Official events on the tour count for World Golf Ranking points. The tour was formed in 1973 as the PGA Tour of Australia and adopted its current name in 1991....
, Champions TourChampions TourThe Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
win - 1 point – Other national championship win; Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
, Presidents CupPresidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
participation
- Women
- 6 points – Major victories
- 4 points – Other LPGA Tour win, Women's British OpenWomen's British OpenThe Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
win prior to 2001 - 2 points – LPGA of Japan TourLPGA of Japan TourThe Japan LPGA Tour is a professional golf tour for women organised by the Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan. It is the second richest women's golf tour in the world. The U.S.-based LPGA Tour is the most important women's tour, but the prize money gap has closed markedly since the...
win, Ladies European TourLadies European TourThe Ladies European Tour is a professional golf tour for women which was founded in 1979. It is based in England. Like many UK-based sports organisations it is a company limited by guarantee, a legal structure which enables it to focus on maximising returns to its members through prize money,...
win - 1 point – Other national championship win, Solheim CupSolheim CupThe Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers contested by teams representing Europe and the United States. It is named after the Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation.The inaugural Cup was held in 1990,...
participation
- Men
Election requirements: same as PGA Tour ballot.
Lifetime Achievement category
There is also a "lifetime achievement" category through which anyone who has made a major contribution to the organization or promotion of the sport may be selected, for example, Bob HopeBob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
. These members are chosen by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors. Naturally they all played golf, in some cases with some competitive success, but it was not their play alone which won them a place in the Hall of Fame.
Veteran's category
The last category was created to honor professional or amateur players whose career concluded at least 30 years ago. These members are also chosen by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors.Membership
New members are inducted each year on the Monday before The Players ChampionshipThe Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
(previous to 2010 in October or November), and by November 2009 there were 130 members. Beginning in 2010, the ballots are due in July with the results announced later in the year. New entrants in the Lifetime Achievement and Veteran's categories are announced at irregular intervals. For example, Frank Chirkinian
Frank Chirkinian
Frank Chirkinian was an Armenian-American CBS Sports producer and director. He is most notable for his work on golf coverage, though he also directed coverage of the Winter Olympics, the United States Open Tennis Championships, college and professional American football, auto racing and the Triple...
was elected in the Lifetime Achievement category in an emergency election in February 2011, with the vote presumably held because he was then terminally ill with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
; when it became clear he would not live to attend his induction, he videotaped his acceptance speech in late February, less than two weeks before his death.
Men
Unless stated otherwise these men were inducted mainly for their on-course success. The exceptions mostly correspond with the lifetime achievement category, but not quite. For example, Charlie SiffordCharlie Sifford
Charles Sifford is an African American former professional golfer who helped to desegregate the PGA of America.Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He began work as a caddy at the age of thirteen...
was notable as a player but was inducted for lifetime achievement.
- 1974
Walter HagenWalter HagenWalter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on... - 1974 Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
- 1974 Bobby JonesBobby Jones (golfer)Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
- 1974 Byron NelsonByron NelsonJohn Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...
- 1974 Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
- 1974 Francis OuimetFrancis OuimetFrancis DeSales Ouimet was an American golfer, who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the 1913 U.S. Open, and was the first American elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews...
- 1974 Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
- 1974
Gary PlayerGary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six... - 1974 Gene SarazenGene SarazenGene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
- 1974 Sam SneadSam SneadSamuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
- 1974
Harry VardonHarry VardonHarry Vardon was a Jersey professional golfer and member of the fabled Great Triumvirate of the sport in his day, along with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. He won The Open Championship a record six times and also won the U.S. Open.-Biography:Vardon was born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands... - 1975
Willie AndersonWillie Anderson (golfer)William Law Anderson was a Scottish immigrant to the United States who became the first golfer to win four U.S. Opens, with victories in 1901, 1903, 1904, and 1905. He is still the only man to win three consecutive titles, and only Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus have equalled his total... - 1975 Fred CorcoranFred CorcoranFred Corcoran was an American sports promoter, agent, administrator and amateur golfer, who had a diverse career in the world of golf, baseball, boxing, ice hockey and other sports. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1975, as one of the first honorees who had not had a career in...
- many-faceted promoter and administrator - 1975 Joseph DeyJoseph DeyJoseph C. "Joe" Dey, Jr. was an American golf administrator. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.Dey was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...
- executive director of the USGA and the first commissioner of the PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America... - 1975 Chick EvansChick EvansCharles E. "Chick" Evans, Jr. was a leading amateur golfer of the 1910s and 1920s. Evans was the first amateur to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in one year, a feat he achieved in 1916. Evans went on to win the U.S. Amateur in 1920, while finishing runner-up three times...
- 1975 Young Tom MorrisTom Morris, Jr.Tom Morris, Jr. , known as "Young Tom Morris", was one of the pioneers of professional golf, and was the first young prodigy in golf history...
- 1975
John Henry TaylorJohn Henry TaylorJohn Henry "J.H." Taylor was an English professional golfer and one of the pioneers of the modern game of golf. He was also a significant golf course architect.... - 1976 Tommy ArmourTommy ArmourThomas Dickson Armour was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot.Armour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College and the University of Edinburgh....
- 1976 James BraidJames Braid (golfer)James Braid was a Scottish professional golfer and a member of the Great Triumvirate of the sport alongside Harry Vardon and John Henry Taylor. He won The Open Championship five times...
- 1976 Old Tom MorrisTom Morris, Sr.Thomas Mitchell Morris, Sr. , otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, was a pioneer of professional golf. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links and died there as well. His son was Tom Morris, Jr...
- 1976 Jerome TraversJerome TraversJerome Dunstan "Jerry" Travers was one of the leading amateur golfers of the early 20th century. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1907, 1908, 1912 and 1913, the New Jersey Amateur three times, and the Metropolitan Amateur five times. He was regarded as one of the finest match play golfers of his time...
- 1977 Bobby LockeBobby LockeArthur D'Arcy "Bobby" Locke was the first internationally successful South African professional golfer. He won four Open Championships.-Early years:...
- 1977 John BallJohn Ball (golfer)John Ball, Jr. was a prominent English amateur golfer of the late 19th and early 20th century.Ball was born in Hoylake, Merseyside. His father was the prosperous owner of the Royal Hotel, located near the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, in Hoylake...
- 1977 Herb GraffisHerb GraffisHerb Graffis was an American golf writer and administrator. In recognition of his efforts to promote the sport, he was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977....
- golf writer and founder of the U.S. National Golf FoundationNational Golf FoundationThe National Golf Foundation provides golf-business research and consulting services. Founded in 1936 by golf writer Herb Graffis and his brother Joe, who nearly went bankrupt in the process, its original mission was to publish authoritative research useful to investors developing the game of... - 1977 Donald Ross - golf course architect
- 1978 Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...
- 1978 Harold HiltonHarold HiltonHarold Horsfall Hilton was an English amateur golfer.-Biography:Hilton was born in West Kirby. In 1892, he won The Open Championship at Muirfield, becoming the second amateur to do so. He won again in 1897 at his home club, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake...
- 1978 Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
- celebrity friend of golf who founded his own PGA Tour event - 1978 Clifford RobertsClifford RobertsClifford Roberts was an American investment dealer and golf administrator.-Biography:Born in Morning Sun, Iowa, Roberts had a troubled family life as a boy, and left school in the ninth grade. He worked at a great variety of jobs all around the United States, and eventually chose the investment...
- co-founder of the Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
and the Masters Tournament - 1979 Walter TravisWalter TravisWalter J. Travis was the most successful amateur golfer in the U.S. during the early 1900s, a noted golf journalist and publisher, an innovator in all aspects of golf, a teacher, and a respected golf course architect...
- 1980 Henry Cotton
- 1980 Lawson LittleLawson LittleWilliam Lawson Little, Jr. was an American professional golfer who also had a distinguished amateur career....
- 1981 Ralph GuldahlRalph GuldahlRalph J. Guldahl was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the sport for three years in the late 1930s.-Early life until 1939:Guldahl was born in Dallas, Texas...
- 1981 Lee TrevinoLee TrevinoLee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
- 1982 Julius BorosJulius BorosJulius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut...
- 1983 Jimmy DemaretJimmy DemaretJames Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters....
- 1983 Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
- celebrity friend of golf who founded his own PGA Tour event - 1986 Cary MiddlecoffCary MiddlecoffEmmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s....
- 1987 Robert Trent JonesRobert Trent JonesRobert Trent Jones, Sr. was a golf course architect who designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world...
- golf course architect - 1988 Bob HarlowBob HarlowBob Harlow was an important figure in the development of professional golf in the United States.Harlow was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He began his working life as a journalist, before becoming manager of Walter Hagen, then the biggest draw in golf, in 1921...
- promoter who played a key role in the early development of the PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America... - 1988
Peter Thomson - 1988 Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
- 1989 Jim Barnes
- 1989
Roberto De Vicenzo - 1989 Raymond FloydRaymond FloydRaymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
- 1990 William C. CampbellWilliam C. CampbellWilliam Cammack Campbell , often known as Bill Campbell or William C. Campbell, is an American amateur golfer and two-time President of the United States Golf Association . He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1990.Campbell was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He served in the U.S...
- two-time President of the USGA - 1990 Gene LittlerGene LittlerGene Alec Littler is an American professional golfer. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth rhythmical swing, he once said that, "Golf is not a game of great shots. It's a game of the best misses. The people who win make the smallest mistakes."-Early years...
- 1990 Paul RunyanPaul RunyanPaul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor....
- 1990 Horton SmithHorton SmithHorton Smith was an American professional golfer, who is best known as the first man to win the Masters Tournament.- Tournament career :...
- 1992 Harry CooperHarry Cooper (golfer)Harry E. Cooper was a prominent PGA Tour golfer of the 1920s and 1930s. After he retired from competitive golf, he became a well-regarded instructor, into his 90s....
- 1992 Hale IrwinHale IrwinHale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
- 1992
Chi Chi Rodriguez - 1992 Richard TuftsRichard TuftsRichard Tufts was a notable figure in American golf in the mid-20th century.Born in Medford, Massachusetts, he was a grandson of James Walker Tufts, the founder of Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, which was long America's preeminent golf resort. Richard Tufts grew up in Massachusetts and...
- ran PinehurstPinehurst ResortPinehurst Resort is a historic upmarket golf resort at Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA. It has hosted a number of prestigious golf tournaments.-History:...
and served as President of the USGA - 1996 Johnny MillerJohnny MillerJohn Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...
- 1997
Seve Ballesteros - 1997 Nick FaldoNick FaldoSir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
- 1998 Lloyd MangrumLloyd MangrumLloyd Eugene Mangrum was an American professional golfer. He was known for his smooth swing and his relaxed demeanour on the course, which earned him the nickname "Mr. Icicle".Mangrum was born in Trenton, Texas...
- 2000 Jack Burke, Jr.
- 2000 Deane BemanDeane BemanDeane R. Beman is an American professional golfer, golf administrator, and golf course architect.Beman was born in Washington, D.C. and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he played for the varsity golf team. Following graduation, Beman had a career in the insurance...
- Commissioner of the PGA Tour 1974-1994 - 2000 Michael BonallackMichael BonallackSir Michael Francis Bonallack, OBE is an English amateur golfer who was one of the leading administrators in world golf in the late 20th century.Bonallack was born in Chigwell, Essex. He won the British Boys Championship in 1952...
- British golf administrator - 2000 Neil ColesNeil ColesNeil Chapman Coles, MBE is an English professional golfer. As of 2005, Coles is only the second man to win a professional golf tournament in six different decades, starting in the 1950s and extending into the 21st century.Coles was born in England...
- first Chairman of the PGA European TourPGA European TourThe PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England... - 2000 John JacobsJohn Jacobs (English golfer)John R.M. Jacobs OBE is an English professional golfer, coach, entrepreneur, writer and administrator. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000....
- first Tournament Director of the European Tour - 2001
Bernhard LangerBernhard LangerBernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986...
(inducted with 2002 class) - 2001 Greg NormanGreg NormanGregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
- 2001 Payne StewartPayne StewartWilliam Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who won three majors in his career, the last of which occurred only months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42....
- 2001 Allan RobertsonAllan RobertsonAllan Robertson was a golf player, considered one of the first professional golfers. He was born in St Andrews, Scotland, the "home of golf"....
- 2001 Karsten SolheimKarsten SolheimKarsten Solheim was a Norwegian-born American golf club designer and businessman. He founded Karsten Manufacturing, a leading golf club maker better known by its brand name of PING, and the Solheim Cup, the premier international team competition in women's golf.-Early life:Solheim was born in...
- golf equipment manufacturer and founder of the Solheim CupSolheim CupThe Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers contested by teams representing Europe and the United States. It is named after the Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation.The inaugural Cup was held in 1990,... - 2002 Ben CrenshawBen CrenshawBen Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973...
- 2002 Tony JacklinTony JacklinAnthony Jacklin CBE is an English golfer, who was the most successful British player of his generation. He was also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever.-Early life and education:...
- 2002 Tommy BoltTommy BoltThomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana...
- 2002 Harvey PenickHarvey PenickHarvey Morrison Penick was an American golf professional and coach, who coached many Hall of Fame players. Late in life, he became a best-selling writer. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002, seven years after his death.-Golf career:Penick was born in Austin, Texas...
- golf instructor - 2003
Nick PriceNick PriceNicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... - 2003 Leo Diegel
- 2004 Charlie SiffordCharlie SiffordCharles Sifford is an African American former professional golfer who helped to desegregate the PGA of America.Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He began work as a caddy at the age of thirteen...
- 2004
Isao AokiIsao Aokiis one of Japan's most successful golfers. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.Aoki was born in Abiko, Chiba, Japan. He was introduced to golf while caddying at the Abiko Golf Club as a schoolboy. He turned professional in 1964... - 2004 Tom KiteTom KiteThomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
- 2005 Bernard DarwinBernard DarwinBernard Richard Meirion Darwin CBE JP a grandson of the British naturalist Charles Darwin, was a golf writer and high-standard amateur golfer. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
- golf writer - 2005 Alister MacKenzieAlister MacKenzieDr. Alister MacKenzie was an internationally renowned, British golf course architect whose course designs, on three different continents, are consistently ranked among the finest golf courses in the world...
- golf course architect - 2005 Willie Park, Sr.
- 2005
Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
(inducted with 2006 class) - 2006 Larry NelsonLarry NelsonLarry Gene Nelson is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Nelson was born in Fort Payne, Alabama and grew up in Acworth, Georgia, northwest of Atlanta...
- 2006 Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
- 2006 Mark McCormackMark McCormackMark Hume McCormack was an American lawyer, sports agent for professional athletes and a prolific writer...
- sports agent who represented many top golfers; the developer of golf's first world ranking system, adapted into today's Official World Golf Ranking - 2007 Joe Carr
- 2007 Hubert GreenHubert GreenHubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
- 2007 Charles B. MacdonaldCharles B. MacdonaldCharles Blair Macdonald was a major figure in early American golf. He built the first 18-hole course in the United States, was a driving force in the founding of the United States Golf Association, won the first U.S...
- inaugural U.S. Amateur champion, founding Vice-President of the USGA and "Father of American Golf Architecture" - 2007 Kel NagleKel NagleKelvin David George Nagle is an Australian professional golfer best known for winning The Open Championship in 1960. He won at least one tournament each year from 1949 to 1975.Nagle was born in North Sydney...
- 2007 Curtis StrangeCurtis StrangeCurtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his...
- 2008
Bob CharlesBob Charles (golfer)Sir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a... - 2008 Pete DyePete DyePaul B. "Pete" Dye is a world-renowned golf course designer and a member of a famous family of course designers. He is married to fellow designer and former amateur champion Alice Dye.-Early life:Pete Dye was born in Urbana, Ohio...
- golf course architect - 2008 Denny ShuteDenny ShuteHerman Densmore "Denny" Shute was an American golfer who won three major championships in the 1930s.Shute was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was born in England. He attended Western Reserve University , and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. He was married on March 20, 1930 to Hettie Marie Potts...
- 2008 Herbert Warren WindHerbert Warren WindHerbert Warren Wind was an American golfer and golf writer, who also wrote on other subjects.-Early years:...
- golf writer - 2008 Craig WoodCraig Wood (golfer)Craig Ralph Wood was an American professional golfer in the 1930s and 1940s, the winner of 21 PGA Tour titles including two major championships and a member of three Ryder Cup teams ....
- 2009
Christy O'Connor SnrChristy O'Connor SnrChristy O'Connor is a former Irish professional golferO'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, Galway. He turned professional in 1946. Throughout the 1960s he won at least one professional event during each year on the British Tour, a level of consistent success matched by very few other players... - 2009 José María OlazábalJosé María OlazábalJosé María Olazábal Manterola is a Spanish professional golfer who has enjoyed success on both the European Tour and the PGA Tour, and has won two major championships.-Career outline:...
- 2009 Lanny WadkinsLanny WadkinsJerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988....
- 2009 Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
- former U.S. President - 2011
Ernie ElsErnie ElsTheodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... - 2011 Masashi "Jumbo" OzakiMasashi Ozakiis a Japanese professional golfer. Ozaki is often known as Jumbo Ozaki on account of his height and length off the tee. He featured in the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings for almost 200 weeks between 1989 and 1998...
- 2011 Doug FordDoug Ford (golfer)Douglas Michael Ford, Sr. born Fortunato is an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion.Ford was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 1949 and won for the first time in 1952 at the Jacksonville Open.The win in Jacksonville was an unusual one...
- 2011 Jock HutchisonJock HutchisonJack Fowler "Jock" Hutchison was a Scottish-American professional golfer.Hutchison was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland but later moved to the United States and became a U.S. citizen in 1920. He won two major championships, the 1920 PGA Championship and the 1921 Open Championship at the St Andrews...
- 2011 Frank ChirkinianFrank ChirkinianFrank Chirkinian was an Armenian-American CBS Sports producer and director. He is most notable for his work on golf coverage, though he also directed coverage of the Winter Olympics, the United States Open Tennis Championships, college and professional American football, auto racing and the Triple...
- Television producer, known as the 'father of televised golf' for the impact he had on golf broadcasting. - 2011 George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
- former U.S. President
Future inductees
- 2012 Phil MickelsonPhil MickelsonPhilip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
Women
The first five women on this list were grandfathered in 1998 from the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf, which was founded in 1951, via the LPGALPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
Tour Hall of Fame, which was inaugurated in 1967. The list shows the years when they were originally inducted into the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf. Unless stated otherwise the women on the list were inducted primarily for their on-course achievements.
- 1951 Betty JamesonBetty JamesonElizabeth May "Betty" Jameson was an American professional golfer and one of the founders of the LPGA.-Biography:...
- 1951 Patty BergPatty BergPatricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer...
- 1951 Louise SuggsLouise SuggsMae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager...
- 1951 Babe ZahariasBabe ZahariasMildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field...
- 1960 Betsy RawlsBetsy RawlsElizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships...
- 1964 Mickey WrightMickey WrightMary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
- 1975 Glenna Collett-VareGlenna Collett-VareGlenna Collett Vare was an American Hall of Fame golfing champion whom the Hall calls the greatest female golfer of her day, and who dominated American women's golf in the 1920s....
- 1975 Joyce WetheredJoyce WetheredJoyce Wethered, Lady Heathcoat-Amory was a golfer widely regarded as the greatest British woman player of all time....
- 1975 Kathy WhitworthKathy WhitworthKathy Whitworth is an American professional golfer. Throughout her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else has won on either the LPGA Tour or the PGA Tour. In 1981 she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour...
- 1977 Sandra HaynieSandra HaynieSandra Jane Haynie is an American professional golfer.Haynie was born in Fort Worth, Texas. She won 42 events on the LPGA Tour, including four major championships. She finished in the top ten on the money list every year from 1963 and 1975 and a 14th and final time in 1982, her best placing being...
- 1977 Carol MannCarol MannCarol Mann is an American professional golfer.Mann was born in Buffalo, New York and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland After attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Mann joined the LPGA Tour in 1961. She won 38 tournaments on the tour, including two major championships, the 1964...
- 1978 Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe
- 1982 JoAnne CarnerJoAnne CarnerJoAnne Gunderson Carner is a former American professional golfer. Her 43 victories on the LPGA Tour led to her induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is the only woman to have won the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open titles, and was the first person ever to...
- 1987 Nancy LopezNancy LopezNancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:...
- 1991 Pat Bradley
- 1993 Patty SheehanPatty SheehanPatty Sheehan is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
- 1994 Dinah ShoreDinah ShoreDinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
- celebrity friend of the LPGA; founded a tournamentKraft Nabisco ChampionshipThe Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983...
that eventually became a majorWomen's major golf championshipsWomen's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the... - 1995 Betsy KingBetsy KingBetsy King is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour victories in all.-Career:...
- 1999 Amy AlcottAmy AlcottAmy Alcott is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1975, and won five major championships and 29 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
- 2000 Beth DanielBeth DanielBeth Daniel is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1979 and won 33 LPGA Tour events, including one major championship, during her career. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
- 2000 Juli InksterJuli InksterJuli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings...
- 2000 Judy RankinJudy RankinJudy Torluemke Rankin is an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1962 and won 26 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Amateur career:...
- 2001 Donna CaponiDonna CaponiDonna Caponi-Byrnes is an American professional golfer.Caponi was born in Detroit, Michigan. The daughter of a club pro, Caponi began playing golf at the age of eight and joined the LPGA Tour at 20. Caponi captured her first win on the Tour four years later in 1970, winning the U.S. Women's Open...
- 2001 Judy BellJudy BellJudy Bell is an American amateur golfer and golf administrator. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001 in the Lifetime Achievement category, which honors people who have made an exceptional contribution to the sport in areas outside of tournament wins.Bell was born in Wichita,...
- administrator; first female President of the USGA - 2002 Marlene Bauer Hagge
- 2003 Hisako "Chako" Higuchi
- 2003
Annika SörenstamAnnika SörenstamAnnika Sörenstam is a Swedish-American professional golfer whose achievements rank her as one of the most successful golfers in history. Before stepping away from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer... - 2004
Marlene Stewart Streit - 2005 Ayako OkamotoAyako Okamotois a Japanese professional golfer. She won 62 tournaments internationally, including 17 on the American LPGA Tour. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early career:...
- 2005 Karrie WebbKarrie WebbKarrie Ann Webb AM is Australia's most successful female professional golfer, and one of the top players in the history of global women's golf. She currently plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and also turns out once or twice a year on the ALPG Tour in her home country. She is a member of...
- 2006 Marilynn SmithMarilynn SmithMarilynn Smith is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA.Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas and joined the LPGA Tour in its inaugural 1950 season. She won 21 events on the tour between 1954 and 1972, including two...
- 2007
Se Ri PakSe Ri PakPak Se Ri is a South Korean professional golfer, playing on the LPGA Tour. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2007.-Career overview:... - 2008 Carol Semple Thompson
Future inductees
- 2012 Hollis StacyHollis StacyHollis Stacy is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974, winning four major championships and 18 LPGA Tour events. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2011 in the veterans category and will be inducted in May 2012.-Amateur career:Stacy...
Possible future inductees Lorena Ochoa
Lorena Ochoa
Lorena Ochoa Reyes is a Mexican professional golfer who played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour from 2003 to 2010, and was the top-ranked female golfer in the world for over three years, from April 2007 to her retirement in May 2010...
-
- She qualified under the LPGA points system in April 2008, but retired in May 2010. At the time, she had only completed seven full seasons of the required 10. Under current rules, assuming she does not return to the tour in the interim, she will not be eligible for induction until the class of 2023. Her 40th birthday is in November 2021, which in turn means that she would not be eligible for consideration on the International ballot until September 2022. Ochoa has 108 points on the International ballot scale, more than double the amount required to qualify for that ballot.