May 2019
By Dave Wells
Spending some winter months in Arizona led to a friendship with Marilynn Smith, one of the 13 founders of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Marilynn passed away on April 19, 2019. This is my personal tribute to her.
We met at the 2018 Bank of Hope LPGA Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix. As we were walking the Wildfire Golf Course, she was sitting in a golf cart on the 1st tee and we had our first meeting. It was a nice introduction to Marilynn Smith, an excellent lady golfer, who has been enshrined in golf history as a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
After our initial meeting, a photo opportunity ensued, courtesy of her golf cart driver. You will find the picture included as part of this article.
When she learned that I was from Memphis, Tennessee, she immediately mentioned Jack Wenzler, the head pro at Ridgeway Country Club. She said that in the 50s, Jack was a real friend of the founders as the LPGA was getting started. That’s quite a compliment as Marilynn was known as “Miss Personality” in her golfing work. She provided daily input and creative ideas in making the LPGA successful.
Dave Wells, Mrs. Wells, Marilynn Smith (l-r). Courtesy Dave Wells.
A year later in 2019, I was working my way to the 18th green at Wildfire Golf Club when I saw that the remaining three original LPGA founders and a few other LPGA golfing pioneers were near the green. They were there to meet and greet the 2019 tournament participants in the LPGA Founders Cup. Something they had been doing during the entire week via their encouragement and friendship. It was an emotional experience to see the current LPGA players at the completion of their round thank the founders and pioneers.
Marilynn Smith’s golf cart driver this past March for the 2019 Founders Cup Tournament was Laura Baugh, an LPGA golfer, published writer and a golf broadcaster. We waved at Marilynn. Her golf cart stopped and we were able to speak and receive an autograph from Marilynn – a golf treasure for us to share with friends.
Courtesy Dave Wells.
She always talked about how much she had enjoyed the game of golf and all the folks she had met on the golf course in her lifetime – fun times and memories forever. She also mentioned her beautiful retirement years spent in Goodyear, Arizona, and her many friends she communicated with regularly.
Sadly, Smith died April 9, two weeks after her annual appearance at the 2019 LPGA Founders Cup Tournament.
This article serves as my humble tribute to a real lady golfer and historian. The game of golf has been blessed to share time with her.
Marilynn would want you to know there are two surviving LPGA Founders, and when your travels bring you to the LPGA Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix, be sure and say “hello” to her founder friends, Marlene Bauer Hagge and Shirley Spork.
LPGA FOUNDERS – 1950
The Oldest Women’s Professional Sports Organization In The World
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
Babe Didrikson Zaharia
The article is dedicated to Marilynn Louise Smith (April 13, 1929 – April 9, 2019). Dave Wells
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