Judy Bell, the first woman to become the President of the U.S. Golf Association, sadly passed away at her Colorado home on Nov. 3. She was eighty-nine years old. She had spent the last 15 months in hospice care, as per USGA.

In 1996, Bell became the first woman president of the United States Golf Association. She championed inclusion and access for women when it wasn’t fashionable. She started the USGA “For the Good of the Game” grants, which have given over $65 million to community golf projects.

She was a successful amateur golfer as well, with three Kansas Women’s Amateurs amongst her accomplishments. But her legacy was not just about scorecards. She also became a rules expert, cracked the gender barrier at Augusta National, and, later, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.

Bell, a gifted golfer and visionary leader, was born in Kansas. She played in 38 USGA championships and twice represented her country in the Curtis Cup. Later, she captained a third team. In 1952, she lost to Mickey Wright in the U.S. Girls’ Junior semifinals. It was her best U.S. Girls’ finish. Then in 1964, she registered a six-under 67 at the U.S. Women’s Open. The figure stood for 14 years as the Open record for a round of golf.

As her influence reached beyond the course, she volunteered to serve as a rules official at the Masters, becoming the first woman ever to fill that position. Later, as president of the USGA, she created a new program called “For the Good of the Game”. Over sixty-three million dollars were invested through it into communities. It helped organizations that used golf to provide their members with access and opportunity.

“Judy Bell was more than a leader; she was a force of nature whose vision and compassion shaped the very soul of the game,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said. “She broke barriers not for the sake of recognition, but to make the game better and more welcoming for everyone. All of us at the USGA mourn her passing and celebrate the extraordinary life of a woman whose impact will continue to be felt for generations. ”

Her message was always returned with service. In Breaking the Mold, she wrote, “I grew up around people who volunteered, and it was something I felt strongly about, even as a child.” She believed that every opportunity came with a responsibility to give back. “We all believed that if you’re asked and you have an opportunity to give back, you just step up to the plate and do what you can.”

Her friends shared that spirit. “Judy is a towering presence in golf,” former USGA president Tom O’Toole Jr. said. “Her contributions to shaping the USGA can be seen to this day… always delivered with her unique kindness and infectious personality.”

“When I first started at seven years old, I never could have imagined it would lead to all of this,” Bell said.  Today, her legacy can be found amongst the golfers and volunteers to whom she gave “a chance”. Her story tells us how much stronger the game becomes when someone decides to serve rather than be served.

But Judy Bell wasn’t the only one championing the rise of women’s golf.

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Judy Bell wasn’t the only pioneer of women’s golf

She overcame intestinal cancer to win the U.S. Women’s Open by 12 strokes in 1954. Peggy Kirk Bell, meanwhile, was an amateur golf champion and teacher. She won the 1949 Titleholders Championship as well as being one of the foremost instructors of golf for women.

Today’s female golfers stand on the shoulders of these pioneers. Babe, Peggy, and Bell built tournaments, teaching institutions, and a new culture for women golfers to thrive in. Their inheritance is that excellence must accompany access. The next generation will reap not only fairways and greens but also an open door.