Bettye Danoff

Who was Bettye Danoff?

Bettye Danoff was an American professional golfer. She was one of the 13 founding members of the LPGA tour in 1950.

Born Bettye Jane Mims, she began playing golf at age 6. Her parents had opened a driving range and nine-hole golf course in Grand Prairie Texas. She also played under the names Bettye Mims White and Bettye Mims Danoff.

The LPGA Tour wasn't founded until 1950. Before then, she four straight Dallas Women's Golf Association Championships in addition to two Texas Women's Amateur Championship. In 1947, she defeated Babe Zaharias, 1 up, in the Texas Women's Open. Zaharias had won 17 consecutive tournaments before losing to Danoff. Also before her LPGA days, Danoff played exhibitions with PGA Tour stars.

Danoff was a mother to three daughters who traveled with her as she played off the LPGA Tour. After the death of her husband in 1961, Danoff played in a limited amount of tournaments. She was the LPGA Tour's first grandmother.