Betty Abernethy
Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame
Class of 2025
Betty Abernethy
Inducted Thursday, October 16, 2025 at Fox Chapel Golf Club
Regarded as one of the most accomplished female golfers that Western Pennsylvania has ever known, Betty Abernethy was a dominant player for three decades.
She was a three-time champion of the Women’s Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania, claiming the titles in 1935, 1937 and 1938. Abernethy was a four-time runner-up for the same honor. She was a five-time champion with Oakmont Country Club in the WGAWP’s Team Championship, was named the WGAWP Player of the Decade for the 1930s and is in the WGAWP Hall of Fame.
Abernethy claimed two Pennsylvania Women’s Amateur Championships and participated in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship twice.
The prestigious Abernethy Cup, contested at Longue Vue Club between women from four local clubs, is named in her honor.
“Betty Abernethy is truly one of the pioneering women of golf in our region,” said Dave Moore, Golf Historian and Curator. “She was one of the finest players Western Pennsylvania produced in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and her legacy is remembered annually with the playing of the Abernethy Cup.
“A beautiful swing coupled with a remarkable track record, Betty earned her place among the icons of our game in our region and is not rightfully joining them in the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.”
A Sarah Lawrence College graduate, Abernethy went on to chair the WGAWP’s Course Rating Committee for two decades while following another passion, constructing a bird-watching lookout at Powdermill Bird Banding Station in Stahlstown, Pennsylvania.
Abernethy, who played out of Oakmont Country Club during her competitive days, was also a member at both Fox Chapel Golf Club and Rolling Rock Club.
She passed away in 2005, but her impact on the game — particularly in women’s golf — can still be felt and is celebrated today.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and over 43,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund.