The LPGA: The Ladies Professional Golf Association is the longest-running women's sports association in the world. Founded in 1950, the organization has grown from its roots as a playing tour into a non-profit organization involved in every facet of golf. The LPGA Tour and the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals (T&CP) comprise the backbone of what has become the premier women's sports organization in the world today. The LPGA maintains a strong focus on charity through: its tournaments; its grassroots junior and women's programs; its affiliation with Susan G. Komen For The Cure; and the formation of The LPGA Foundation. The LPGA is under the guidance of Commissioner Carolyn Bivens and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla.

History of the Association: The LPGA has had a long and distinguished history. Click here to view a detailed timeline of the LPGA thru the decades.

The Tour: This year, the LPGA Tour season which will feature 36 events in 10 countries and prize money of more than $62 million, the highest ever in LPGA Tour history.
 
The T&CP Membership: Founded in 1959, the LPGA T&CP Membership has enjoyed an unprecedented rate of growth in recent years and boasts the largest membership of women golf professionals in the world. With more than 1,200 members, the LPGA T&CP are dedicated to the advancement of golf through teaching, coaching and managing golf facilities. Its national member programs include teaching, coaching, business management and leadership skills training programs and conferences; tournaments; employment services; online education and junior golf programs. LPGA T&CP members also teach and support the LPGA's various grassroots programs that are working to increase the involvement of women and youth in golf, as well as contribute to the growth of the sport overall including LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, the RMHC LPGA Tour Junior Clinics and the LPGA Golf Clinics for Women.   Learn more about the LPGA T&CP Membership>>

The LPGA Foundation: The LPGA Foundation was established in 1991. Junior golf programs, scholarships and other financial assistance are among the major programs supported through The LPGA Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The LPGA Founation has four main goals: to develop and maintain junior golf programs across the country; to develop and maintain scholarship programs for junior golfers; to maintain a financial assistance fund for those in the golf industry; and to conduct research and develop educational activities related to golf instruction. The LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, one of the Foundation's programs, has established The LPGA Foundation as a leader in the golf industry in youth initiatives. More>>

Commissioner Carolyn Bivens: Carolyn F. Bivens is the seventh commissioner — and first woman — to lead the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Bivens assumed the role in September 2005, and has established herself as a strong leader in the world of golf and all of professional sports.

With a stronger, more consistent, and more accessible brand, Bivens looks to level the playing field with other professional sports organizations, increase the value for
partners and sponsors, upgrade the fan experience and ensure LPGA members receive the same opportunities and benefits as their professional counterparts around the globe.

Under Bivens' direction, the LPGA continues to make concerted improvements to the LPGA Tour schedule, deepen marketing initiatives to increase LPGA membership,
tournament, and sponsor awareness, and pursue television and new media deals to make tournaments more widely and consistently available to global fans.

Relying on the strength of its product (LPGA members), the LPGA, under Bivens' direction, is strengthening existing relationships and aggressively developing new business partnerships. In 2007, Bivens oversaw the launch of a new LPGA logo designed to reflect the energy, talent, and global nature of today's membership. The new logo marks the organization's first in fifteen years, and was simultaneously launched with a domestic merchandise venture, including the organization's first online pro shop, LPGAproshop.com.Read Commissioner Biven's full biography>>

Duramed FUTURES Tour: Founded in 1981, the Duramed FUTURES Tour is a women's professional developmental tour. In 1999, it became the official developmental tour of the LPGA. Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Barr's proprietary products subsidiary, became title sponsor of the FUTURES Tour in 2006, and in 2007, the LPGA acquired the Duramed FUTURES Tour. Duramed Pharmaceuticals, an innovator in women's healthcare pharmaceutical products, focuses its product development and marketing activities on products for women. The Duramed FUTURES Tour schedule runs from March through October and has more than 300 players competing from around the world. The top-five players from the Duramed FUTURES Tour money list automatically gain exempt status on the LPGA Tour for the following year. In addition, the next 10 eligible players gain entry into the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament. For more information on the the Duramed FUTURES Tour, visit their official Web site>>

Junior Golf Programs: The LPGA has been a leader in developing junior golf programs that introduce kids from all walks of life into this great game. The LPGA-USGA Girls Golf is a developmental junior golf program that encourages girls ages 7-17 to learn to play golf, build friendships and sample competition in a non-threatening environment. The Ronald McDonald House Charities LPGA Tour Junior Golf Clinics are offered at approximately 15 tournament sites throughout the year. These clinics provide junior golfers with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game through junior clinics in a fun and exciting atmosphere. Each clinic follows a "hands-on" two-hour format and has an average of 200 children in attendance. The First Tee Program is a cooperative effort involving the major organizations of golf under the auspices of the World Golf Foundation. Its purpose is to create facilities and programs that make golf more affordable and accessible, with a strong emphasis on introducing children of all races and economic backgrounds to golf. For more information on the First Tee program, visit their official Web site>>

LPGA Board of Directors: The responsibility for management oversight of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) falls under the direction of the LPGA Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is composed of six independent directors, the LPGA Player Executive Committee (player directors) and the national president of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP). In addition, three Tour players serve on the Player Executive Committee as non-voting members. The commissioner of the LPGA serves as an ex-officio Board member.

The Board of Directors' primary responsibilities include the oversight of goals and policies for the operation of the LPGA; long-range planning; guidance in the areas of legal, finance and sponsor relationships; and other responsibilities as mandated by the LPGA Constitution. The Board of Directors appoints the commissioner as the chief executive of the LPGA. LPGA staff, serving under the direction of the commissioner, conducts the operations of the association.

The LPGA independent board members are: Rae Evans, founder and president of Evans Capitol Group; W. Grant Gregory, retired chairman of Touche Ross (now Deloitte & Touche) and founder and chairman of Gregory and Hoenemeyer, Inc.; Leslie Greis, founder, CEO and managing member of Perennial Capital Advisors, LLC; Dawn Hudson, former president and chief executive officer, Pepsi-Cola North America, Pepsico, Inc.; Bill Morton, former chief executive and current chairman of Jack Morton Worldwide; Nancy Wiese, former vice president of worldwide brand marketing/advertising, Xerox Corporation. Hudson is chairwoman of the LPGA Board of Directors. More>>

LPGA International: LPGA International is a premier residential community in Daytona Beach, Fla., that serves as the home of the LPGA. LPGA International features two 18-hole golf courses (the Champions and the Legends), the LPGA Golf Academy and the LPGA's Headquarters office building. The Champions, a Rees Jones-designed course that opened in July 1994, marked the first time in history that a golf course was designed specifically for professional women golfers. With five sets of tee markers, the par-72, Scottish-links style course can be played from 5,131 yards to 7,088 yards. The Legends, designed by Arthur Hills, opened in October 1998 and hosted the 2000 Arch Wireless Championship. Playing from 5,155 yards to 6,984 yards, the Legends incorporates rolling greens, tight fairways and strategic hazard placements, testing the player's skill in course management and shot making. Starting in 2004, the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament was expanded to 90 holes and staged on both Legends and Champions; it had been staged on Champions since 1994. LPGA International features a state-of-the-art teaching academy, which includes three championship practice holes, five putting greens and chipping greens, practice bunkers and a 360-yard double-ended driving range. For information on lessons and tee times, visit their official Web site>>

LPGA Tour Qualifying Schools: Each year, the LPGA Tour holds two sectional qualifiers and one Final Qualifying Tournament. One sectional is held in Florida and one sectional is held in California. The top qualifiers from each of the sectional competitions qualify to compete in the 90-hole Final Qualifying Tournament in October. The number of spots available at each sectional, as well as the Final Qualifying Tournament, vary from year to year and are announced prior to each competition. For more information on how to qualify for the LPGA Tour, or to receive an application for this year's qualifying competitions, contact the LPGA Operations department at 386.274.6200. More information on Qualifying School.>>

LPGA Tournament Owners Association: The Tournament Owners Association (TOA) was formally established in 1990 under the name Tournament Sponsors Association. In 2005, the membership voted to amend the name of the organization to reflect a stronger representation and identity of its core stakeholders. The association is an incorporated non-profit trade association, 501(c)6, comprised of owned and operated LPGA Tour events.

The mission of the TOA is to enhance the ability of its membership to develop formulas for success and long-term sustainability. The mission is supported by the vision statement of being proactive and serving as the primary source of tools and information to assist tournaments with problem solving and achieving their maximum potential for success. This is accomplished through education, networking, engagement and a detailed schedule of work, which addresses annual association initiatives in support
of the strategic plan.

The Annual Meeting continues to be an important member service for the TOA. This meeting provides the best possible forum for sharing information and ideas, intense event-to-event networking and open-discussion sessions aimed at best practices and event issues. The LPGA actively participates in the Annual Meeting with an eye toward sharing new programs and other avenues for growth. The event typically takes place in the last quarter of the year.

The TOA is governed by an elected Board of Directors, which meets every two months and communicates regularly with the LPGA Player Executive Committee, LPGA commissioner and the LPGA staff. The TOA President is former LPGA Player Executive Committee President and veteran LPGA Tour member, Gail Graham. The director of business development is Sharon Hopkins. For 2008, the Board is comprised of: Chairwoman Alice Miller (McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola); Vice Chairman Terry Wilcox (Kraft Nabisco Championship); Secretary/Treasurer Linda Hampton (Wegmans LPGA); Ex-Officio Jack Benjamin (LPGA Corning Classic); and Directors: Jacques Bungert (Evian Masters); Tim Erensen (Sybase Classic presented by ShopRite, SemGroup Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons, LPGA NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons); Rob Neal (Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola, Safeway Classic Presented by Pepsi); Wayne Nooe (Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill); and Judd Silverman (Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger).

The TOA's headquarters are located at 900 Old Roswell Lakes Parkway, Suite 150, Roswell, Georgia 30076; Ph: 770.587.9486; Fax: 770.587.9489; Web: www.lpgatoa.org; E-mail: gail@lpgatoa.org, sharon@lpgatoa.org

Scholarships: The LPGA Foundation currently administers several scholarship programs for young women, as well as one for both young men and women. The Foundation's structure allows for the establishment of endowed scholarships in honor or memory of individuals who made a significant difference in the world of golf. Three of the existing scholarships are the Dinah Shore Scholarship, the Marilynn Smith Scholarship and the Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship.

The Dinah Shore Scholarship is granted annually to a female high school senior who is pursuing a college education, but will not be playing collegiate golf. One scholarship in the amount of $5,000.00 will be awarded annually.

Click here to download a Dinah Shore Scholarship application.


The Marilynn Smith Scholarship provides a scholarship to a female high school senior who has played golf in high school or in her community, and is planning to play golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. Two scholarships in the amount of $3,000.00 each, will be awarded in annually.

Click here to download a Marilynn Smith Scholarship application. 


The Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship provides a need-based scholarship to a female high school senior from a recognized minority background, who will be pursuing a full-time course of study and playing collegiate golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. One scholarship in the amount of $1,250.00 will be awarded in annually.

Click here to download a Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship application.


Susan G. Komen For The Cure:
In April 1992, the LPGA named the Susan G. Komen For The Cure as its official national charity. Members of the LPGA family have embraced the Komen For The Cure and its mission. For example, several LPGA Tour events and the LPGA Golf Clinics for Women have named the Komen For The Cure as their charity. Additionally, several LPGA sponsors and tournaments, as well as Titleist And FootJoy Worldwide and the Val Skinner Foundation have incorporated the Komen For The Cure and the fight against breast cancer into their LPGA and sports marketing programs, helping to both educate consumers about the importance of early detection and to raise funds for research and community programs. The Susan G. Komen For The Cure was founded in 1982 by Nancy Brinker in memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who succumbed to breast cancer in 1980 at the age of 36. The Foundation's mission is to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment. Since 1982, the Komen For The Cure and its affiliate network have raised more than $300 million for the fight against breast cancer, and the Foundation is now the largest source of non-profit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

The First Tee: The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, Fla., at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. For more information on The First Tee, visit their official Web site>>

Women's Initiatives:
In 1991, the LPGA saw a need to bring more women to the game of golf. The result was the development of the LPGA Golf Clinics for Women: a program designed specifically to introduce more business women to the game. The purpose of these clinics is to teach women what their male counterparts have known for years; that serious business discussions and decisions take place daily on golf courses across the country. The LPGA Golf Clinics for Women offer a one-day curriculum that includes golf instruction on the practice range and putting green; playing a round of golf; and a business luncheon with guest speakers. Thanks to the efforts of the LPGA's Teaching and Club Professionals Division instructors, this program has been extremely successful and consistently draws upwards of 150 women/clinic. The LPGA is continuing to try to find new ways to not only bring women to the game of golf, but keep them involved in the game for years to come. View this year's LPGA Golf Clinics for Women schedule>>

World Golf Village: Located in St. Augustine, Fla., the World Golf Village is one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken in golf. At the center of the World Golf Village is the 75,000 square-foot World Golf Hall of Fame. The World Golf Hall of Fame includes interactive exhibits, one of the world's largest collections of memorabilia and an IMAX Theater. In addition, the LPGA Tour - which has its own set of criteria for entrance - is now housed as part of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The World Golf Village also includes The Slammer & The Squire golf course, built by Bobby Weed with design consultants Sam Snead and Gene Sarazan, and the King & the Bear golf course, the first-ever collaborative effort by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. For more information on the World Golf Village, visit their official Web site>>