Betty Burfeindt - Part 2 (The 1976 LPGA Championship)

Music playing  00:00

Devlin, Bruce  00:15

73, 74 and 75. No, no victories there. But still playing fairly well, right?

Burfeindt, Betty  00:22

Yeah, it was I was making good money and there was more money available. So I think both those years I increased a little bit, my earnings.

Devlin, Bruce  00:30

Right. And then we get to the big one. Yeah. The one that, that, Boy, what a change. You know, you win. Win three tournaments and then you win the 1976 LPGA Championship at Pine Ridge Golf Course in Baltimore. Beat Judy Rankin by one.

Burfeindt, Betty  00:51

Yes, I did. I always wanted to win that tournament. I watched Kathy Whitworth win it when I was in high school, and walked around watched her. I want to win that tournament someday, because I knew at that time, I'm going on tour, and I'm gonna win that tournament. So it was always in the back of my mind. That was the one I really wanted the most. And that's probably why you want it you know, maybe you know it was in there. Sometimes you think of giving something for so long and then narratives. But it was one of those days where you just know it's going your way I hit it into the woods, it popped out into the fairway. I'd miss it apart and it still go in. I play with a lot of people that you can tell they're going to win this way because everything's going your way. You know, Bruce know that you can sense that right?

Devlin, Bruce  01:43

Yeah, you get a feeling for it. Yeah, you were you were Miss Consistency that week too you shot  71-72-73-71

Burfeindt, Betty  01:53

In The Rain. It was a miserable week. The last day it was raining. Pretty good.

Devlin, Bruce  02:00

Cool. Cloudy, Misty, final round.

Burfeindt, Betty  02:03

Exactly. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  02:06

You were three back to someone we mentioned earlier. Laura Buagh and also Hollis Stacy, after the first round and then you were one back after 36 after you'd missed a birdie opportunity at the last hole to finish one back. And then as you mentioned, not the best of weather for that final round. But you were three up at the turn of the final round. And then next thing you know, Rankin's even with you.

Burfeindt, Betty  02:31

Here comes Judy. 

Mike Gonzalez  02:32

When she birdied 12 and 13. Yeah. Yeah, easy. come easy. Go. All right.  Well, she was a player that I mean, it's hard to beat Judy when she wants something. But I do remember this. She played behind me. She was in the group behind me. And on 16 I had about a 10 footer and I mis-read it. But I mis-hit it. And it went in.

Devlin, Bruce  02:59

That's the one you were talking about?

Burfeindt, Betty  03:01

Yeah. Well, so there you go. You're almost your time. 17 I parred. 18 I parred. And she didn't birdie coming in the last three holes. So that was it. And I know it really upset Judy. I think she really wanted that.

Mike Gonzalez  03:16

Yeah. That puty on 16th was for birdie.

Burfeindt, Betty  03:19

Yes. And that was the one that put me over the top. Right.

Mike Gonzalez  03:24

So what did that do for you? I mean, did your life change? Did your schedule change? Did your outlook change? What happened?

Burfeindt, Betty  03:33

Well, I hate to admit this, but since that was my suppressed desire. I achieved it. And that night, you know, everyone left town. I had to stay there. It was late and I stayed over. I'm going well is that all there is? Is that it? Oh, you know, I won  it but it felt different. And oddly enough, what I failed to do was set new goals. And the LPGA was my goal when I first joined. Afterwards, I didn't reset my goals. You know, I just started playing, playing playing and then gradually I didn't play well. And then I had to retire.

Mike Gonzalez  04:20

That's interesting. Bruce, we've heard this from other guests too, where at least one aspect of what you're sharing here, buddy and that's that because the nature of your life where it's just week to week different town different tournament, you'd win a tournament. You wouldn't necessarily have much time to celebrate anyway, you're on to the next event, aren't you?

Burfeindt, Betty  04:39

Yes. And that was my problem. I didn't enjoy the when I was looking to the next week. What else could I do? I hope I can play better. Hell no, I I didn't enjoy it. At the time I should have. But I was going in the future. You know kept in the future. None at the end of the year, I thought why may never win again. And my game was really good. So, during the offseason, I had doubts of whether I even play well again, which is crazy. So that's the way I was I was very hard on myself.

Mike Gonzalez  05:18

probably hard to win with that sort of mindset to.

Burfeindt, Betty  05:22

Yeah, you say, Well, I've got it right here within my grasp, and you don't want to lose it. Keep plugging along. So the LPGA was such a desire to win that. I don't think I could have lost it actually.

Mike Gonzalez  05:40

Did you play a relatively full schedule from 76 to 81? Or was it kind of a gradual wind down?

Burfeindt, Betty  05:46

I did probably up until at 81. I started backing off, had money problems, and I think that's why I ended up retiring. I ran out of money. And my grandmother wasn't around anymore.

Mike Gonzalez  06:05

No, no more $500 checks from grandma. No. Let's have you look back a little bit and share with our listeners some of your memories of some of the early pioneers on tour, whether those be legends, founders, perhaps that you got to know or had a chance to even play with, or some of the, you know, some of the stars in the 60s in the 70s that really changed the game as well.

Burfeindt, Betty  06:30

Well, Marlene Hagge, I played with a lot in the winter because she was out here also. And we had you know, Marlene and  Pam Higgins and myself, we go out and play a lot of a lot of rounds together. Who else will see? Well, Carol Mann was a good friend.

Devlin, Bruce  06:50

Also say for our listeners too Betty, we, we lost. Marlene Hagge last week. So that's a relevant point of talking with you. She was the last of the 13 original ladies that started the LPGA

Burfeindt, Betty  07:09

Yeah. She had a rough life in the last few years.

Devlin, Bruce  07:15

That's what we understood. So

Burfeindt, Betty  07:19

they say it's a blessing, but she didn't recognize anyone. That's a shame. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  07:24

What about some of the other founders like? Like a Patty Berg. Did you have much interaction with Patty Berg??

Burfeindt, Betty  07:31

I've got a story about Patty Berg. We were in a hotel. Holiday Inn or something and she she was rooming next to me. And one night I hear this clunk, bang, clunk, bang. What? What is it sound? So I knocked on her door this went on forever. Clunk, bang. I said, "Patty, what are you doing? She's Oh, come in. I'm chipping into the toilet No, thank you.

Mike Gonzalez  08:05

Yeah, I don't wanna go shag those balls. 

Burfeindt, Betty  08:07

Oh, yeah, she's come on we're gonna flop one up on the bed.

Devlin, Bruce  08:12

Oh, that's funny. 

Mike Gonzalez  08:13

She was famous for her clinics, wouldn't she? 

Burfeindt, Betty  08:15

They were a riot. So good. And here's a woman that was afraid to even speak in the beginning, and then she became such a comedian and a wonderful speaker. I did happen to have the good fortune to be in one of her clinics. And we're all sitting on the bench and she called one of us up and say hit the shot. Hit that shot. Okay, Betty, get up here and let's let's hit a draw. I could not turn the ball left for the life of me. Never could. I was a fader. Yeah. So I get up and hit the ball straight. Come on, Betty. Hit a draw Betty. Get your hands over there. Do this do that. Hit the ball straight. She said Betty, sit down. I got benched by Patty Berg.

Devlin, Bruce  09:09

You also mentioned Kathy Whitworth earlier, Betty. Yeah, yes. I loved him. I had the fortune to be able to spend a lot of time with her and talk about her fabulous career. Yeah, she had to be quite quite the lady her. Oh, she was

Burfeindt, Betty  09:24

wonderful funny. And she's had these little funny little things. Even in on TV or watch her when she's in the tower sometimes as a guest. With Judy Rankin she should make some comments. Just you just laugh. You know, she was great. Now, when you played with her, you wouldn't believe this maybe. She would scold herself as she hit a putt that weny in  she says Oh, I didn't deserve to make that. That shouldn't have gone in. I said, Kathy, you're a great player. What are you doing? Oh, I thought she she was hard on herself that way. But I guess it didn't matter because she won a lot of tournaments. Oh, she did didn't She She sure did 88 of them to be precise to go along with a few seconds. A few. And over the years. Yeah, but

Devlin, Bruce  10:17

Like 95 That's just unbelievable. 

Burfeindt, Betty  10:21

95 seconds. 

Devlin, Bruce  10:23

She had more seconds than wins. 

Burfeindt, Betty  10:25

I did not know that.

Devlin, Bruce  10:27

88 wins and 95 seconds. Yeah,

Burfeindt, Betty  10:29

Can you imagineif she had won half of those? Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  10:33

Playoff record was eight and 20

Burfeindt, Betty  10:37

Woah

Devlin, Bruce  10:40

Don't feel so bad now.

Mike Gonzalez  10:44

Who was the greatest women ball striker you ever saw?

Burfeindt, Betty  10:47

Mickey Wright. No question. I'd watch her hit balls. And  the sound she made when she struck it was like none other.  Solid. Oh, she was very good talent. Even one arm she played in a tournament with one arm. In Philadelphia. I think she had hurt her shoulder or something. And she'd have both hands on the club and at impact to the finish. she pulled her hand off. Yeah. I think she was in the 70's that day. She's still played well.

Mike Gonzalez  11:22

So anybody, anybody who would you put second place? Anybody close to her ball striking wise?

Burfeindt, Betty  11:27

No. I mean, obviously, the Katy Whitworth, when she won, they were all good. But they didn't have the sound that Mickey did. Was just so solid. And the divots were perfect.

Mike Gonzalez  11:42

Somebody said that if if she'd been a really good putter, she'd have won a lot of tournaments.

Burfeindt, Betty  11:48

Yeah, imagine and if she didn't have foot problems she would have to. She had some problems. I remember wearing sneakers at the Dinah Shore. The year she won. I think it was 73. Sneakers were Oh, how can she play in the sneakers?

Devlin, Bruce  12:10

Now they're all playing in them. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  12:14

She won 73 Because you finish second to her? Yes. That year, right. Yes.

Burfeindt, Betty  12:20

Yeah, that was a tough week. I remember the when the wind blew one of the towers over one of the cameras over on our tower. And they called it and never happens. But the wind stopped and we went back out. Yeah, it was simply there weren't any homes around that time and not much grass. So the sound was kicking off. It was hard to figure out your yardage.

Mike Gonzalez  12:47

You had another close call at The Dinah Shore both of these of course, before it became a major in 1983. You were second to Judy Rankin in 1976. Correct.

Burfeindt, Betty  12:57

Yeah. That that was a year it was very, very windy. And on holes where we take mid irons to we were hitting woods. And it was just awful. It was just hanging on who could hang on. It's not who was going to do great. You're just hanging on for dear life.

Mike Gonzalez  13:16

Yeah. Did you? Did you travel the world much golfing? I didn't really notice in your record, whether there were trips to Japan or South Africa or anywhere else that you might have played?

Burfeindt, Betty  13:26

Yeah, London, Japan, Australia for an exhibition that wasn't a tournament. Singapore. And most of those tournaments were were put on by a lot of them were put on by Colgate. Yep. They sponsored a lot and flew us. When we went to London, they flew us on the SST.

Mike Gonzalez  13:53

Is that right? Well, the Concorde 

Burfeindt, Betty  13:55

We had plane problems when we took off and we had to turn around. And we had to get there. So two planes were going and we were in the second one turned around and he said okay, well gotta get him on the Concorde then, he sprung for it. We got there no time. Well speak. First plane.

Mike Gonzalez  14:18

Yeah, yeah. Well, Colgate Palmolive's involvement in The Dinah Shore and David Foster's in particular, was really a transformative time for the LPGA wasn't it?

Burfeindt, Betty  14:31

It was he he was the reason our purses started to go up. Corporate started getting, noticing us. And following what Colgate did was it started to grow and thanks to David he had a vision for the tour to become something and the money he just he just put it out there until his board said no more. We're not gonna and that was years later, but he um I went on to contract with Ram. Colgate owned RAM golf clubs. And he offered me a contract that was triple what I was making from PowerBilt. Now I'm still under contract with PowerBilt. And I have a loyalty factor. I said, I can't just, you know, I got a contract with PowerBilt, you know, helping me continue my golf because it was money. So I call PowerBilt. Talk to the guy. Can you match it? And he said, No. I did. I did. I did break the contract, which was not very nice, but it was based on money only. And the Ram company. We had good clubs. There were good clubs. Tom Watson played Rams. 

Mike Gonzalez  15:52

Yes, he sure did. Yeah. So I want to come back to Japan a little bit because we've talked a lot about Japan with the other ladies we've spoken with, particularly as it relates to the bus rides to and from the Golf Course.

Devlin, Bruce  16:06

That got a smile out of her

16:09

Oh, I remember, they were long

Mike Gonzalez  16:10

I gotta know whether you were on bus number one or bus number two.

Burfeindt, Betty  16:16

I wasn't on the bus with Amy singing. 

Mike Gonzalez  16:18

Oh, you weren't? 

Burfeindt, Betty  16:19

No, I wasn't on that one. No. But we're in Osaka, I think. And if you look out the hotel room, which wasn't big enough to have your luggage on the floor, and you too. It looked like downtown Detroit. Where's the Golf Course? I had no idea. It was so far away. Yeah. That was a good, good bus ride. I don't know a good hour. Maybe more.

Mike Gonzalez  16:49

We have heard a lot of stories about those bus rides. 

Burfeindt, Betty  16:53

I wish I had been on that bus 

Mike Gonzalez  16:55

What happens in Japan, I guess. Days in Japan kind of like the Desert Inn in Vegas. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, you had some other you had some other good finishes and majors. We talked about the Chevron and a couple of close calls before it was a major course. Winning the LPGA in 1976. You finished fifth in the US Open in 1972. So you must have been playing pretty well that week.

Burfeindt, Betty  17:22

Oh, yeah. Same store I was behind around the league. And I do remember. Remember 

Mike Gonzalez  17:29

It was at Winged Foot by the way? 

Burfeindt, Betty  17:31

Yes. I was on this top of the screen. It was elevated green with lots of trees around it. And I missed the green and went down into the woods. So I'm down there comes a USGA official. He's making sure I don't move the ball. So I start pulling leaves out. So I had a chance to hit the ball sticks that were in the way. And he looked at me and he said I think you've moved quite enough. Oh, really? Okay. Okay, so I hit it up on the screen and made

Devlin, Bruce  18:10

quite enough. Yeah. You imagine? I can't imagine that.

Mike Gonzalez  18:17

Well, 1972 was the year I think Susie Berning Maxwell won her second U.S. Open. Of course, we would recognize that name as the last class of inductees. She went in with Tim Finchem and Tiger Woods, among others in the World Golf Hall of Fame. You played in the du Maurier and its predecessor. Of course the du Maurier was a major only starting in 1979. You played I think, in the first two years of that being a major but before that, I'm sure you played that event several times as well.

Burfeindt, Betty  18:47

Yeah. Yeah. Another story. You want to hear it?

Mike Gonzalez  18:51

Oh, sure. That's why we're here.

Burfeindt, Betty  18:55

Were playing in Toronto. And we got to Toronto and some of the girls had guns, pistols. Kathy Ahern, bless her heart. She had a gun and put it on a shelf in her hotel room. And housekeeping found it and turned it in somehow told someone the next day Kathy got arrested on the Golf Course. So they take her to jail and she says I walk in are all these women of the night. thieves and criminals. And she sat down next to this lady she in the lady said what are you in for? She said I had a gun. She was oh armed robbery huh? No, just I had a gun.

Devlin, Bruce  19:48

In my hotel room.

Burfeindt, Betty  19:50

I believe we collected bail and Lenny Wirtz who was the commissioner then got her out. And the next day it was Pistol Packing Mama headlines. Got her arrested. On the way back now we had across the border. Yeah. All the girls that had Guns. Got word, hey, you better be careful because they're they're looking for it now. So they were hiding it in all kinds of places and no one got stopped. It was scary for a moment for them.

Mike Gonzalez  20:21

You've given us a new question to ask our future. Yeah. This is the first time we've heard about these firearms.

Burfeindt, Betty  20:31

There was another one in Ohio like that this this guy who was mentally ill had a gun. And it was an old, rundown Hotel near the Golf Course. No, they had a switchboard, but it closed at nine turned off at nine o'clock. And this guy was knocking on the doors. I gotta go on, I want to come in, you're gonna you're dead. Well, who are we going to call the phones were dead. I mean, he couldn't get out. So Linda Kraft, got out with her gun and went around the hotel. And this guy happened to come out. And he said, she she stopped them and said, Now you can get the hell out of here. And she was cornering him. And the police came by and they said, Oh, that's whoever he's crazy. Don't eat harmless. Don't worry about him. He doesn't the bullets in his gun.

Devlin, Bruce  21:20

Yeah, because you wouldn't know that.

Mike Gonzalez  21:22

No, certainly not. You wouldn't. But every town had one.

Burfeindt, Betty  21:26

Probably no, no doubt. Yeah. Well, why don't you bring

Mike Gonzalez  21:29

us up current? you round it down to 1981. Professionally and was first of all, easy decision. Tough decision.

Burfeindt, Betty  21:38

I always say my banker made the decision. Yeah, I did run out of money. So.

Mike Gonzalez  21:46

So he made it, he made it for you. So bring us up to speed then what sort of kept me occupied from the time you left the tour until today. You of course, Bruce mentioned your teaching that you've done for a long time. But what are the things did you get into back then?

Burfeindt, Betty  22:00

It was all teaching. No, I didn't. I didn't have any other source of income. And that was a little bit kept me going. I was at Palm Desert Country Club, Santa Rosa Country Club for a year. That was my first job. The range was very narrow. And the owner said, tell your students to keep them in the range. Nice. Well, I'm trying to show how am I gonna do that? Oh, then I went to the springs, I was asked to come to the springs to teach. And at that time, that was an honor because they were in the top five in the desert. And there weren't as many courses that are beautiful courses that they have now. So over the years, of course, the springs has gone down the list a little bit. Everyone builds them bigger and better. And then the last one. It was an honor to go to the spring. I love the spring. I love the Golf Course practice there in the offseason. Members were great. And I just felt no need to look someplace out. So I was there. 39 years.

Devlin, Bruce  23:12

Did a little photography as well along the way, right?

Burfeindt, Betty  23:15

Ah, yeah. I was on tour I take pictures. landscape pictures, mainly. I didn't do much photography on the road was more video. But yeah, I'd go around locally and take some pictures and join but now now with the equipment they have and Photoshop, the iPhone, the iPhones, I mean, you can take a picture and delete it. And it's no cost to it at all. There's no film.

Devlin, Bruce  23:44

It's amazing. So obviously,

Burfeindt, Betty  23:48

I got into more of that with the memory cards and no more film, digital and then worked into pets people's pets. I took a picture of a cat, which was one of my favorite girls at the club. She had a calico cat or Siamese cat named Jake. And I took his picture and she wanted it framed there at the tiles do some framing for myself. So okay, and I framed a picture and she told someone and then they asked for one and then they told someone else. Yeah, I got a lot of pictures from the

Devlin, Bruce  24:32

member ends up being in business.

Burfeindt, Betty  24:34

Yeah. Mostly dogs, some cats, a horse. My first shoot was with an English Sheepdog. And they're very big dog. Sure, and when I clicked the camera, there was a beep and he thought it was a toy. So he came charging at me and knocked me flat. Just wonderful. It was a big old goof, ya know, a lot of experience with them.

Mike Gonzalez  25:06

But that was your business , Petography. Petography. Yes.

Burfeindt, Betty  25:15

Yeah, that was yeah, that was way way back and I'm gonna say 86 Yeah. 86.

Mike Gonzalez  25:26

Well, I noticed too, that you were the first female inductee into the SUNY Cortland Hall of Fame.

Burfeindt, Betty  25:35

Yeah, that was a wonderful honor. I guess because of my wins on tour. It became known, and they did on our tour player, athletes, graduates, and it was a lot on their scholarship and what they're doing in the community, and if they're professional or not. So that's, that's how I got in. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  26:01

You know, for somebody out in the desert, it was probably sad for you to see the Chevron leave Mission Hills.

Burfeindt, Betty  26:10

Oh, yeah. Everyone in the valley as it was, like homecoming. over many, many years, that was the longest running tournament, and I believe that, you know, again, it's corporate money. Yeah. That speaks louder than anything. So

Mike Gonzalez  26:28

did you participate in that last event last year out there?

Burfeindt, Betty  26:32

Yes, I did. Well, no, I did. My last year was 86. I was eligible for finishing winning a tournament in the last 10 years. So

Mike Gonzalez  26:44

yeah, I was just thinking about what you came out to. Last year. The last year it was there with you came out because I know the girls and the ladies came back and

Burfeindt, Betty  26:54

Oh, right. Yeah. You know, we did. Yeah, it was old home week. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  27:01

We're going to ask Sandra Palmer about her attempted leap into the pond last year. Oh, I don't know if you remember seeing that. She had a little bit of a mishap. You may recall

Burfeindt, Betty  27:14

this year. I mean, last year.

Mike Gonzalez  27:16

Yeah. Last year, the final leap into puppies pond.

Burfeindt, Betty  27:21

She wasn't planning though. She was a scorekeeper.

Mike Gonzalez  27:23

Oh, no, no, no. She was just just part of the all the ladies that used to play that came back for that last playing of the you know, the of the of the tournament there at Mission Hills. She was I think she was hand in hand with several the other players maybe Amy some of the other girls and shuffling around? Probably. Yes. She she kind of took a misstep and ended up rolling into the pond, I think

Burfeindt, Betty  27:46

Oh, no. Didn't show that on TV.

Mike Gonzalez  27:51

Well, it's it's out there. So let's just put it that way. Sorry. Yeah. Well, anyway, Bruce, before we wind down, I guess we've got three questions we like to ask our guests

Devlin, Bruce  28:03

we do. So I'll ask the first one. Okay. If you knew what you know, now, when you first started to play on the tour, what would you do differently

Burfeindt, Betty  28:25

I would find what they have now and they didn't then a sports psychologist. Because I was very hard on myself. And I think I had an easier time mentally. And emotionally I might have done better. So definitely. 

Devlin, Bruce  28:43

Great answer.

Burfeindt, Betty  28:45

Now they have everything out there so.

Mike Gonzalez  28:48

yeah, one of our first guest, Lanny Wadkins, his sports psychologist was whoever the bartender was in the city he was playing in

Burfeindt, Betty  28:59

Good answer?

Mike Gonzalez  29:01

Yeah, that was his team. Right. It was his caddy and his bartender. Yeah, it was that. Yeah. All right. Next question. You get one career Mulligan? Where do you take it? 

Devlin, Bruce  29:10

I know where she's gonna take it. 

Mike Gonzalez  29:12

I think I do too.

Burfeindt, Betty  29:16

My second shot at Pompano Beach on the playoff. Was that it?

Devlin, Bruce  29:21

Yeah, we figured you were probably gonna take it because you thought you sort of gave that away early. Yeah, I think today but now last question, Betty is how would you like to be remembered? 

Burfeindt, Betty  29:36

Oh, wow. I think I'd like to be remembered as a fairly good player on tour. But a very good teacher of the tour. I was very analytical all throughout my career. So it served me when I taught it And it wasn't complicated. I gave maybe one thing to each student, maybe to keep it simple and they enjoyed it, then I'd give them a lot of examples, homework. That was fun. I felt like I learned a lot from my teachers like Hank Haney. And Jim Hardy. I watched them teach so I became a better teacher as a result of that.

Devlin, Bruce  30:30

We want to thank you for your time today. It's been a distinct pleasure to have you with us on Fore the Good of the Game. And, Mike, and I thank you for all your time today.

Burfeindt, Betty  30:41

Well, I thank you both. I think what you're doing is wonderful. And we needed this for a long time and good for you for doing it. Appreciate it.

Mike Gonzalez  30:50

Betty, thanks for joining us. It's been a real pleasure to add your story to all these great stories we're collecting Fore the Good of the Game. Okay, thank you.  Thank you for listening to another episode of FORE the Good of the Game.  And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe. Spread the word and tell your friends until we tee it up again. FORE the good of the game. So long everybody

Music playing  31:18