Louise Suggs, one of the original 13 founders of the LPGA, passed away Friday at the age of 91. She was still very involved with the LPGA players and will be missed by many. I decided to gather some of the tributes that have been done, and add a few thoughts of my own about her swing.
Here's the tribute done by the LGPA:
The LPGA also did this short video that's just music and pictures from her life:
GC also did one on Golf Central:
And Judy Rankin called in to add her thoughts:
Perhaps the coolest part of the GC tribute (the 3rd video above) is that you get to see a little of Louise Suggs swinging a golf club. (No, I couldn't find a YouTube video that focuses on her. That's a shame.) What amazes me is that she patterned her swing on Bobby Jones -- no small feat, given that Jones was using soft hickory shafts and Suggs was using much stiffer steel shafts. To create the smooth rhythm she had with stiff shafts is nothing short of astonishing!
Her swing doesn't look particularly powerful but don't forget that she was the first and only woman to compete with the men from their tees AND WIN. You have to love what she said to Sam Snead when he complained about losing to a woman: "I don't know what you're complaining about. You didn't even finish second."
The LPGA's Rookie of the Year Award is named after Louise Suggs. And any rookie who manages to have a career as great as that of Louise Suggs will certainly have reason to be proud. The golf world will miss her.
0 comments