Golf It Forward drives the future of professional women, spirited by the history of women’s golf.
Celebrating 75 years of the LPGA with our new video!
Celebrate the remarkable journey of women in golf with us as we honor the 75th Anniversary of the LPGA and the inspiring efforts of Golf It Forward. We are thrilled to present a video that celebrates the legacy of the 13 pioneering founders of the LPGA and the extraordinary women who have shaped the game throughout the years.
This video showcases the spirit of empowerment and opportunity, featuring memorable moments from events like the annual Marilynn Smith Scholarship Pro-Am, Sunday Tea, and the Arizona Senior Women's Open. These gatherings are more than just tournaments; they are a chance for people to come together, to "Golf It Forward," and to create a ripple of positive change within the community.
WELCOME TO GOLF IT FORWARD®
Today GOLF IT FORWARD® is the public face of the Marilynn Smith and Founders’ Legacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation embodies the ingenuity, drive and passion of 13 women who had the foresight to see that there was a future for women in golf and golf in the future of women. Over the past seven decades, events such as the Marilynn Smith Pro-Am and Shirley Spork Golf Tournament provided funds to promote opportunities for women in golf. The spirit of the Founders lives on in the special events presented by Golf It Forward. Events include the annual Silent Auction, Sunday Tea, Marilynn Smith Scholarship Pro-Am and Arizona Senior Women’s Open. With these ever growing fundraising events, we are able to grant twenty-five high school female golfers looking to attend college with $5,000 scholarships. To date, we have served nearly 300 young women with close to $1.4 million.
Your support of the foundation helps us secure a brighter future for the young women who will follow in the footsteps of the 13 trailblazing women who founded the LPGA, including Shirley Spork and Marilynn Smith, pictured below.
Alice Bauer
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Marlene Bauer Hagge
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Patty Berg
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Bettye Mims Danoff
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Helen Dettweiler
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Helen Hicks
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Opal Hill
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Betty Jameson
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Sally Sessions
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Marilynn Smith
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Shirley Spork
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Louise Suggs
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Babe Didrikson Zaharias
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Alice Bauer 〰️ Marlene Bauer Hagge 〰️ Patty Berg 〰️ Bettye Mims Danoff 〰️ Helen Dettweiler 〰️ Helen Hicks 〰️ Opal Hill 〰️ Betty Jameson 〰️ Sally Sessions 〰️ Marilynn Smith 〰️ Shirley Spork 〰️ Louise Suggs 〰️ Babe Didrikson Zaharias 〰️
DID YOU KNOW?
Many have heard of or played in a pro-am. Most do not realize the first LPGA Pro-Am took place in 1959, during Marilynn’s presidency of the LPGA. In her book HAVE CLUBS WILL TRAVEL Marilynn mentions that by 1965 a pro-am was part of almost every tour stop.
In 1999, the same year Marilynn was inducted into the Kansas University Sports Hall of Fame, she launched the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund followed years later by the Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Golf Classic pro-am to raise money for scholarships. This annual event continues to take place in Arizona, and brings together LPGA Players and LPGA Professionals from around the world.
You can help make a difference in the lives of female athletes by participating in or partnering with our events.
For more information, visit the PROGRAMS tab at the top of the page.