In the rich history of golf, some names stand out not just for their victories, but for their transformative impact on the game. While the men’s side of the sport often dominates headlines, the legacy of female golfers is equally compelling, marked by incredible skill, pioneering spirit, and a fierce competitive drive that has elevated the game for generations.
These women broke barriers, set records, and inspired millions, carving out a place for themselves in the pantheon of athletic greatness. Their stories are a testament to perseverance and passion, proving that excellence knows no gender.
This list is a celebration of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers of all time, a definitive ranking of the players who left an indelible mark on the sport. From the early trailblazers who founded the LPGA to the modern legends who dominated their eras, each of these athletes brought something unique and unforgettable to the course.
Their careers are a chronicle of dedication and triumph, and their influence continues to be felt in every swing and every tournament today. These are the players who defined greatness and set the standard for generations to come, making them the Top 10 Best Female Golfers in history. The competition to be considered among the Top 10 Best Female Golfers is fierce, a testament to the immense talent that has graced the game. Our final selections reflect not only individual achievement but also the lasting cultural impact of these incredible athletes. This is our tribute to the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
10. Betsy Rawls
A highly intelligent and methodical player, Betsy Rawls was one of the founding members of the LPGA Tour and a dominant force in the sport’s early years. A graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in physics, Rawls’s analytical mind was perfectly suited for the strategic demands of golf. She compiled an impressive record of 55 LPGA Tour wins and eight major championships in her career, placing her among the most decorated players in history.
Her consistency and strategic thinking allowed her to compete at the highest level for over two decades. Her place on a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers is undeniable.
Rawls’s major championship prowess was particularly noteworthy. She won the U.S. Women’s Open an incredible four times, a feat only equaled by the legendary Mickey Wright. Rawls won her U.S. Women’s Open titles in 1951, 1953, 1957, and 1960, demonstrating a remarkable ability to perform under the immense pressure of the sport’s most prestigious tournament.
After retiring from competitive play, Rawls continued to serve the game as an LPGA tournament director, further solidifying her legacy. Her consistent dominance and leadership make her a true great and a must-have on any list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers, cementing her legacy in the sport.
| Stat | Betsy Rawls is one of only two women to have won the U.S. Women’s Open a record four times, a feat that highlights her clutch performance on the biggest stage. |
9. Pat Bradley
Pat Bradley was a fierce and consistent competitor who dominated women’s golf in the 1980s. She possessed a textbook swing and a tenacious spirit that allowed her to win six major championships and 31 LPGA Tour events. Bradley’s career peaked in 1986, a season widely regarded as one of the greatest in LPGA history.
In that remarkable year, she won five tournaments, including three major championships, becoming the first player to achieve the “Grand Slam” by winning four different majors over the course of her career. Her mental fortitude and ability to perform under pressure are what secured her a spot on a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Bradley’s influence extended beyond her victories. She was a tireless ambassador for the LPGA Tour and was a key figure in the founding of the Solheim Cup, an event that has become one of the most exciting in all of golf.
Her second-place finish at the 1991 Solheim Cup, where she was an integral part of the team, further solidified her reputation as a formidable competitor. Her longevity and major championship success, combined with her contributions to the game, make her one of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers, a title she earned through decades of hard work and dedication.
| Stat | In 1986, Pat Bradley became the first player to complete a “career grand slam” by winning the du Maurier Classic, the LPGA Championship, and the Nabisco Dinah Shore in the same season. |
8. Karrie Webb
Karrie Webb is an Australian legend whose career bridged the gap between the dominant eras of Annika Sorenstam and the more recent wave of stars. A fiery competitor with a powerful swing, Webb won an incredible 41 LPGA Tour events and seven major championships.
Her most significant accomplishment came in 2001 when she completed the “Super Career Grand Slam,” a feat only achieved by a handful of players in history, by winning all five of the LPGA’s major championships. Her career is a testament to her longevity and incredible talent. Her place on a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers is undisputed.
Webb’s influence was felt far beyond the LPGA Tour. She was an inspiration to a new generation of Australian golfers, including modern-day star Minjee Lee, and her foundation has supported countless young players in their professional pursuits. Webb’s career saw her inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame at the young age of 30, a testament to her early and sustained success.
Her career wins and major championship success, combined with her role as a mentor and ambassador for the game, make her one of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers, a title she earned through her remarkable accomplishments.
| Stat | Karrie Webb is the youngest player ever to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, receiving the honor in 2005 at the age of 30. |
7. Nancy Lopez
Nancy Lopez burst onto the scene in 1978 with a rookie season that is still talked about today as one of the greatest in golf history. With her infectious smile and charismatic personality, Lopez captivated fans and brought a new level of excitement to women’s golf. She won an astonishing nine tournaments in her rookie year, including five in a row, a record that has yet to be broken.
While she only won three major championships, her impact on the LPGA Tour was immense, single-handedly drawing new fans and media attention to the sport. Her charisma is why she is on our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Lopez’s impact extended beyond her victories. She was the first woman to earn over $1 million in career prize money, and her popularity helped secure more endorsements and prize money for the LPGA Tour. She was a role model for countless young girls and her likable personality was a breath of fresh air in a sport that was often seen as staid and traditional.
Lopez was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1987 and her legacy as a player and a pioneer is undeniable. Her contributions to the game, both on and off the course, make her a clear choice for a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
| Stat | Nancy Lopez’s 1978 rookie season is the stuff of legend, where she won nine tournaments including a streak of five consecutive wins. |
6. Se Ri Pak
Se Ri Pak’s arrival on the LPGA Tour in the late 1990s sparked a revolution in women’s golf. Her dramatic victory at the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open, where she famously hit a shot with her feet in the water hazard, captivated an entire nation and inspired a generation of South Korean girls to take up the game. This “Se Ri Pak Effect” led to a flood of talented Korean players who have dominated the LPGA Tour for decades.
Pak’s five major championships and 25 LPGA Tour wins are a testament to her immense talent and clutch performance. Her groundbreaking career is a key reason for her inclusion on our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Pak’s career was a masterclass in clutch performance. She won two major championships in her rookie year, a feat that announced her arrival on the world stage. Her five majors, including three different majors, and her induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007 solidified her legacy as one of the game’s greats. Her impact on the growth of the game globally is arguably her most significant contribution.
She showed an entire nation that success was possible on the world stage, and her legacy continues to inspire to this day, which is why she is on our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
| Stat | Se Ri Pak’s legendary victory at the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open was her second major win in her rookie season, a feat that is a testament to her incredible talent and clutch performance. |
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5. Inbee Park
Inbee Park is a modern-day great whose quiet dominance and incredible putting ability have earned her a place among the best of all time. A winner of seven major championships and an Olympic gold medal, Park is one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport. Her career reached a pinnacle in 2013 when she won three consecutive major championships, a feat that put her in a class of her own.
Her calm demeanor and ability to make crucial putts under pressure have made her a formidable force on the LPGA Tour, and a clear choice for a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Park’s most significant accomplishment came in 2015 when she completed the “Career Grand Slam” at the Women’s British Open, becoming only the seventh female player to win four different major championships. Her ability to close out tournaments, particularly on the putting green, is a testament to her mental toughness and her consistent play.
Her place on a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers is not just about her wins, but about the way she won, with a quiet confidence and a relentless focus on the task at hand. Her record of seven majors and an Olympic gold medal make her a true legend of the game.
| Stat | In 2015, Inbee Park became the seventh female golfer to complete a “Career Grand Slam” by winning the Women’s British Open, a testament to her incredible talent and longevity. |
4. Kathy Whitworth
Kathy Whitworth is a name that every golf fan should know, as she holds the record for the most professional wins in history, male or female, with an incredible 88 victories. A six-time major champion, Whitworth’s career spanned four decades, from the late 1950s to the late 1980s.
Her consistent dominance and relentless work ethic were the hallmarks of her game, and she won a stunning 41 times in a four-year span from 1965 to 1968. Her record is a testament to her longevity and her ability to win against the best players of multiple generations, making her a clear choice for our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Whitworth was a seven-time LPGA Player of the Year and a seven-time Vare Trophy winner for the lowest scoring average on tour. Her quiet demeanor and her focus on her own game allowed her to consistently out-compete her rivals, and her record of 88 wins is a record that may never be broken. She was a tireless ambassador for the LPGA Tour and was a key figure in the growth and development of the women’s game.
Her longevity and her incredible record of victories make her one of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers, a title she earned through her relentless pursuit of excellence.
| Stat | Kathy Whitworth holds the record for the most professional golf wins of any player, male or female, with an incredible 88 career victories. |
3. Babe Zaharias
Babe Zaharias was a multi-sport phenom who was voted the “Greatest Female Athlete of the First Half of the 20th Century.” A track and field Olympian and a pioneer of women’s golf, Zaharias possessed a charismatic personality and a raw athletic talent that made her an instant celebrity. She was one of the co-founders of the LPGA Tour and her on-course dominance was instrumental in building a foundation for the professional women’s game. Her natural talent and her ability to captivate an audience make her a clear choice for a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Zaharias’s golf career included 10 major championships and an incredible 41 LPGA Tour wins. She was known for her long, powerful drives and her aggressive style of play, which was a stark contrast to the more traditional approach of her rivals. She famously won the 1954 U.S. Women’s Open by 12 strokes just a few months after undergoing a colostomy for colon cancer, a feat of sheer will and determination that solidified her legend. Her contributions to the game, both on and off the course, and her incredible athletic talent make her a clear choice for a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
| Stat | In 1954, Babe Zaharias won the U.S. Women’s Open by an astounding 12 strokes, a record margin of victory that still stands today. |
2. Mickey Wright
Mickey Wright is a name that is often cited as the greatest female golfer of all time, and for good reason. With a swing that was so perfect it was compared to Ben Hogan’s, Wright was a dominant force in the 1950s and 1960s. She won an incredible 82 LPGA Tour events and 13 major championships in a career that was cut short by a foot injury. Her incredible consistency and her ability to win on any course, against any competition, make her one of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Wright’s dominance was a sight to behold. She won at least one major championship every year from 1958 to 1966 and she is the only player in LPGA Tour history to hold all four major titles at the same time. Her record of 82 wins is second only to Kathy Whitworth, a testament to her incredible talent and longevity. Wright’s swing was the gold standard for generations, and her influence on the technical aspects of the game is still felt today. Her incredible skill and her relentless pursuit of perfection make her a clear choice for a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
| Stat | Mickey Wright won 13 major championships, a record that is second only to Patty Berg, and she is the only player to have held all four major titles at the same time |
1. Annika Sorenstam
Annika Sorenstam is the greatest female golfer of the modern era and, for many, the greatest of all time. Her career was a masterclass in dominance, consistency, and precision. With 72 LPGA Tour wins and 10 major championships, Sorenstam’s record is one of the most impressive in golf history. She was a tireless worker who set new standards for physical fitness and preparation in women’s golf, and her influence on the professional game is undeniable. Her relentless pursuit of excellence and her incredible record make her a clear choice for our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers.
Sorenstam’s career was defined by a series of iconic moments, including her record-setting round of 59 in 2001, a feat that no other female player has ever accomplished. She also famously became the first woman in 58 years to play in a men’s PGA Tour event at the 2003 Colonial Invitational, a moment that garnered worldwide attention and inspired a new generation of players. Her place on a list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers is not just about her wins, but about the way she changed the game, pushing the boundaries of what was possible and inspiring a new generation of female athletes.
| Stat | In 2001, Annika Sorenstam shot an incredible 59 at the Standard Register PING, a record that has yet to be broken by any other female golfer. |
FAQs
Q1: What criteria were used to select the Top 10 Best Female Golfers?
A1: We considered a combination of major championship victories, total career wins, longevity, and the overall impact a player had on the game. These factors, taken together, help to form a comprehensive ranking of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers in history.
Q2: Who is considered the greatest female golfer of all time by most experts?
A2: While there is some debate, most experts would agree that either Annika Sorenstam, Mickey Wright, or Babe Zaharias holds the title of the greatest female golfer of all time. Our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers reflects this general consensus
Q3: Is it fair to compare players from different eras?
A3: While it’s difficult to make direct comparisons due to changes in equipment, course conditions, and competition, we believe it’s important to recognize the contributions of players from all eras. Our list of the Top 10 Best Female Golfers attempts to honor this by including players who dominated in their respective generations.
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