Established in 1991, The LPGA Foundation 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. Since its inception, The LPGA Foundation has created and supported a number of programs to achieve those objectives.

LPGA-USGA Girls Golf
The LPGA Foundation supports the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program, which is the leading junior golf program for girls in the country.

LPGA-USGA Girls Golf (Girls Golf) was formed to provide an opportunity for girls, ages 7 to 17, to learn to play golf, build lasting friendships, and experience competition in a fun, supportive environment, preparing them for a lifetime of enjoyment with the game. The only national initiative of its kind, Girls Golf is administered through a partnership between The LPGA Foundation and the United States Golf Association (USGA), both non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.

Nearly 5,000 girls participate in Girls Golf at more than 180 sites around the United States. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf was originally established in Phoenix in 1989 by LPGA Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) member Sandy LaBauve and became a national initiative of the LPGA in 1994.

Scholarships
The LPGA Foundation currently administers several scholarship programs for young women. The Foundation's structure allows for the establishment of endowed scholarships in honor or in 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 new Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship.

Due to the large number of scholarship applications received this year, notification of the recipients for the Phyllis G. Meekins, Dinah Shore, and Marilynn Smith Scholarships has been postponed until July 31, 2008.

The Dinah Shore Scholarship was established in 1994 by The LPGA Foundation to honor the late Dinah Shore, a graduate of Vanderbilt University, a Hollywood entertainer, and an honorary member of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. 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. The Dinah Shore Scholarship receives tremendous support from Kraft Foods, Inc., the Fund's largest corporate donor, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of the LGPA Tour's four major championships. Click here to download the application.>>


The Marilynn Smith Scholarship is granted annually through The LPGA Foundation and the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund. Established in 1999 by Marilynn with the proceeds of a golf tournament she organized, the objective of the Marilynn Smith Scholarship is to provide 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. Click here to download the application.>>


The Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship is granted annually through The LPGA Foundation and the Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship Fund. Established in 2006, the objective of the Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship is to provide a need-based scholarship to a female high school senior from a recognized minority background (see Scholarship Criteria), who will be pursuing a full-time course of study and playing collegiate golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. Click here to download the application.>>

For more information on how to apply for scholarships through The LPGA Foundation, please visit www.LPGA.com, write to The LPGA Foundation, 100 International Golf Drive, Daytona Beach, FL 32124, or call 386.274.6200.

Dolores Hope LPGA Financial Assistance Initiative
The Dolores Hope LPGA Financial Assistance Initiative was initially established in 1991 as the Financial Assistance Fund. In May 2007, honorary LPGA member Dolores Hope directed $1 million—the largest single gift bestowed to The LPGA Foundation—to the fund, which assists the members of the LPGA and others within the golf industry who need financial assistance because of serious illness, injury, loss of income or other significant hardship. The Dolores Hope LPGA Financial Assistance Initiative is supported through annual donations from professional golfers and others who recognize the need for special aid under unusual circumstance.

Golf education and research
In memory of the late Dr. DeDe Owens, The LPGA Foundation established the Dr. DeDe Owens LPGA Golf Education and Research Fund. Owens, who was one of the country's leading teachers, a past national president of the LPGA T&CP membership and a 2001 inductee into the LPGA T&CP Hall of Fame, was actively involved in teacher education and developing teaching guidelines for individuals with disabilities. The fund supports ongoing LPGA golf education and research projects with which Owens was involved, as well as the future development of LPGA golf education, teacher education and golf research initiatives.

The fund also has several ongoing projects, including golf education publications, the development and implementation of the LPGA Teacher Education Program for Accessible Golf and teaching research.


Foundation funding
The LPGA Foundation is funded solely through corporate and private donations, foundation grants and contributions from the LPGA. For more information on how to contribute to The LPGA Foundation, please contact LPGA headquarters, 100 International Golf Drive, Daytona Beach, FL 32124, or by phone, 386.274.6200.