Professional Golf Pioneer. She is remembered as one of the 13 founding members of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. Born Betty Jane Mims (she added the "e" to her first name for reasons of her own) she was raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, and learned the game at her family's driving range and golf course. In high school Bettye was a cheerleader and the golf team's first girl member then spent a year at the North Texas State Teacher's College before concentrating on golf. In the late 1940s she won four straight Dallas Women's Golf Association titles, captured the Texas Women's Amateur in 1947 and 1948, won the women's division of the Texas PGA Championship in 1945 and 1946, and gave exhibitions with the legendary Byron Nelson. In 1947 Bettye bested Babe Zaharias in the finals of the Texas Women's Open ending the great champion's streak of 17 consecutive tournament victories. She turned professional in 1949 and in 1950 helped found the LPGA Tour where she was called 'Mighty Mite' because of her short stature. The girls had a difficult time in the early days, having to convoy to sites where they played for little money on courses inferior to those offered their male counterparts. Bettye won the 1953 Hardscrabble Open, often had to take her kids along with her, and became the first grandmother on the Tour. Following her husband's death in 1961 she competed little but in later years was a respected teacher. She lived out her days in North Texas and in 2000 received the LPGA Commissioner's Award.
Professional Golf Pioneer. She is remembered as one of the 13 founding members of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. Born Betty Jane Mims (she added the "e" to her first name for reasons of her own) she was raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, and learned the game at her family's driving range and golf course. In high school Bettye was a cheerleader and the golf team's first girl member then spent a year at the North Texas State Teacher's College before concentrating on golf. In the late 1940s she won four straight Dallas Women's Golf Association titles, captured the Texas Women's Amateur in 1947 and 1948, won the women's division of the Texas PGA Championship in 1945 and 1946, and gave exhibitions with the legendary Byron Nelson. In 1947 Bettye bested Babe Zaharias in the finals of the Texas Women's Open ending the great champion's streak of 17 consecutive tournament victories. She turned professional in 1949 and in 1950 helped found the LPGA Tour where she was called 'Mighty Mite' because of her short stature. The girls had a difficult time in the early days, having to convoy to sites where they played for little money on courses inferior to those offered their male counterparts. Bettye won the 1953 Hardscrabble Open, often had to take her kids along with her, and became the first grandmother on the Tour. Following her husband's death in 1961 she competed little but in later years was a respected teacher. She lived out her days in North Texas and in 2000 received the LPGA Commissioner's Award.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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