For those who knew Kathy Whitworth, it’s easy to picture her sitting down across the table telling all of the stories recorded in her “Little Book of Golf Wisdom.” First published in 2007 with Jay Golden, this little green book isn’t much bigger than a cell phone, yet it’s jam-packed with gems for golfers of all abilities.
Whitworth died suddenly on Christmas Eve at the age of 83, and flipping through the pages of her book now feels like a long conversation with the winningest professional golfer in history. One we’d give anything to have one last time.
Whitworth won 88 times on the LPGA from 1962 to 1985. She won the LPGA Player of the Year seven times, the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average seven times and the money title on eight occasions.
Broken down into a series of small vignettes, Whitworth’s book is a breeze to read and gives valuable insight from a player who nearly quit the game after a rookie year that saw her average at 80.30.
Here are five nuggets from Whitworth’s “Little Book of Wisdom” that are sure to inspire and shed light on the legendary player: