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Blake Conant

  • Total Karma: 2
African American Country Clubs
« on: September 30, 2012, 08:29:02 PM »
Does anyone know of a country club that has/had an exclusive African American membership?  I'm particularly interested in anything directly following WWII. 

Also, if anyone knows of a country club with an all women membership, I'd be interested in that, too.

Thanks for any help you history buffs may lend.

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Total Karma: -1
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2012, 08:43:49 PM »
« Last Edit: September 30, 2012, 08:51:11 PM by Steve_ Shaffer »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

hhuffines

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2012, 08:58:49 PM »
Meadowbrook CC was/is an AA club east of Raleigh in Garner, NC.  I haven't heard it mentioned lately but I have a friend who had a membership there.  Hope this helps.

Dale Jackson

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2012, 09:13:58 PM »
Women Only

Ladies Golf Club of Toronto
I've seen an architecture, something new, that has been in my mind for years and I am glad to see a man with A.V. Macan's ability to bring it out. - Gene Sarazen

Sam Morrow

Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2012, 11:00:12 PM »
http://lsgahoustongolf.com/about_us

Great group of folks in this organization, for several years I was one of the token white guys in the club.

Scott Sander

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2012, 04:46:36 AM »
Blake-

This is probably not exactly what you are looking for, but Douglass Park Golf Course in Indianapolis was built by and for African American golfers.  I would not think it was ever a private club - it's in a city park, and the longtime regulars say it was always a public course.  But there's no question that it was segregated.

It was a regular stop on the UGA.  The walls are filled with great old photos of visiting celebs over the years - from Joe Louis to Tiger Woods.  Was a popular spot for Negro League baseball players, too.  A favorite story among the regulars is that Satchel Paige would frequently play catch with kids in the parking lot.

I'd imagine several cities have/had similar facilites.  Again, you may know all that already...

 

Blake Conant

  • Total Karma: 2
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2012, 08:57:39 AM »
Thanks for the help, fellas.  Some good stuff in here. 

This all pertains to research for thesis, and one chapter is written on the social history of golf, with emphasis on non-WASP groups. 

Mike Hendren

  • Total Karma: -1
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2012, 01:33:29 PM »
T. O. Fuller State Park in Memphis was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938.  When opened it was the first state park east of the Mississippi (2nd nationwide) open to African Americans.  An 18 hole golf course was constructed around 1950.  Sadly, it closed in the fall of 2011 when there were no bidders to operate it.
Two Corinthians walk into a bar ....

Tommy Williamsen

  • Total Karma: 1
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2012, 03:55:15 PM »
« Last Edit: October 01, 2012, 11:41:59 PM by Tommy Williamsen »
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Ben Kodadek

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2012, 04:38:02 PM »
Another course of interest:

http://www.rogersparkgc.com/home/history

Alex Lagowitz

Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2012, 09:43:36 PM »
Morris County CC was built for women only originally

Will Lozier

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2012, 12:52:27 PM »
Although not private, Langston GC in DC has a place in the history of African-American golf perhaps unparalleled.  Rather than me tell you about it, I'll post the informative links below:

http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/things-do-see/langston-golf-course-and-driving-range-african-american-heritage-trail

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2009/06/golf_icons_celebrate_langstons.html

This was essentially my home course for 3 years when I lived in the national capital and it is a great place in terms of atmosphere, a couple of great holes, minimal conditioning which works well to provide F&F conditions and a wonderful short-game practice area created with The First Tee in mind.  Check it out!

Cheers

Andy Stamm

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2012, 01:35:41 PM »
Blake-

This is probably not exactly what you are looking for, but Douglass Park Golf Course in Indianapolis was built by and for African American golfers.  I would not think it was ever a private club - it's in a city park, and the longtime regulars say it was always a public course.  But there's no question that it was segregated.

It was a regular stop on the UGA.  The walls are filled with great old photos of visiting celebs over the years - from Joe Louis to Tiger Woods.  Was a popular spot for Negro League baseball players, too.  A favorite story among the regulars is that Satchel Paige would frequently play catch with kids in the parking lot.

I'd imagine several cities have/had similar facilites.  Again, you may know all that already...

Scott,

When you say "by and for" what do you mean? Douglass has been as long as I've been aware a municipal course operated by the city. I always assumed that the city "built" it. Is that not the case? As you mention it's in a city park like a lot of the other munis.

Many cities had a "black" public course (e.g. Langston) but that's (typically) not because that course was segregated but rather that it was desegregated. The other courses may have been white only, but the desegregated course would have allowed anyone, which in this context would have resulted in a predominantly black/minority user base. What was the status of the other Indy munis, were they ever segregated?

And also, did Coffin have a largely black user group? That was where the UGA (aka "chitterlings tours") played when in Indy. But Coffin's history is less talked about than Douglass, so I'm not sure (but I think it did).

And in a related Indy muni golf note, it was Chip Essig (of South Grove fame) who was involved in the Furyk/McIlroy/McDowel free drop "controversy" on the first day four ball session at the Ryder Cup. He got a nice little mention on tv, and while he called in the head official, it looked like his initial read on the situation is what prevailed.

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Total Karma: -1
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2012, 02:17:39 PM »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Scott Sander

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2012, 02:45:05 PM »
Andy-

A lot of what I know about Douglass comes from Johnny Green, Jr., a former pro at Coffin.  His dad was the longtime pro at Douglass, and Jr. grew up in a house next to the pro shop there.  He tells me that the property was donated specifically for a  park "for negroes", and that the couse was originally laid -and- maintained by local black loopers at other courses who wanted a place of their own to play.  He says it started with three tin cans buried in the ground, and then grew to a proper 9 hole course in an overhaul from an architect whose name escapes me (I'll call him in the next couple of days to get the name again).  That design work was in the 30's.

I can't say -and probably shouldn't have implied- without specifically checking that Douglass was segregated by rule or law, but you probably well know that the culture of Indianapolis in the 1920's would have been an extremely strong disincentive for whites who might have been interested in playing there then; de facto segregation worked in two directions at that time.

Green tells me that the other munis were "whites only", at least for the early years of Douglass.  In fact, he specifically mentioned Coffin, which was interesting because it -absoluetly- had a largely black user group by the time I started playing it in the 80's.  And as you mention, it was a UGA stop.  It was also the locarion of some -very- big money games between black golfers in the region for many years.  I don't know when it was desegregated, but the richness of the African-American history there suggests it had to have happened fairly early.

I don't know the circumstances behind many of the other munis - South Grove is really, really old - 1900ish, and Riverside used to be Highland CC before it moved to Its current location.  I'd be stunned if both didn't begin segregated.

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Total Karma: -1
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2012, 02:59:34 PM »
While not segregated, the Cobbs Creek muni in Philly has a place in the annals of African American golf in the USA. It was the home course  of Charlie Sifford before he joined the PGAT and Joe Louis frequently played there. There was a large contingent of AA golfers who called Cobbs home. It is mentioned in McDaniel's book.

"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Andy Stamm

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2012, 03:28:09 PM »
Scott,

Great info, thanks. I always assumed (dangerously!) that Douglass was created by the city. It very well may have been created independently and then put in city hands much later. I'd love to hear what you find out.

I'd also love to hear on the history of Coffin. It seems less talked about.

I think South Grove goes back to 1902 and Riverside 1901. So you're saying that South Grove was the first Indy public course. And that while older Riverside was private until much later? I didn't know that either, although it makes me happy as I much prefer South Grove.

Scott Sander

  • Total Karma: 0
Re: African American Country Clubs
« Reply #17 on: October 05, 2012, 11:39:56 AM »
Scott,

Great info, thanks. I always assumed (dangerously!) that Douglass was created by the city. It very well may have been created independently and then put in city hands much later. I'd love to hear what you find out.

I'd also love to hear on the history of Coffin. It seems less talked about.

I think South Grove goes back to 1902 and Riverside 1901. So you're saying that South Grove was the first Indy public course. And that while older Riverside was private until much later? I didn't know that either, although it makes me happy as I much prefer South Grove.

regarding Douglass' "designer" - Beard Whitehead was the man's name.  Turns out that he was a local black businessman of note and not an architect (which may explain the cross-fire tee shot on 3 that flies over #2 fairway!).  Green says the city first allowed and eventually paid Whitehead to maintain the course. 

I don't know that South Grove was the first public course in Indy - have no idea about possible NLEs from those days or the circumstances of South Grove's early years other than the age.  So I can't say it didn't start private.