Joel,
The first African-American architect was a protege of Seth Raynor named Joe Bartholemew.
Here's some info from the Lexington Swingers Golf Club;
http://www.lsgolfclub.org/about.htmlPrevious Roots and Heritage tournament honorees have been African Americans such as Ted Rhodes, Charlie Sifford, Pete Brown and others who excelled at playing the game in spite of racial and economic barriers. Others such as George Grant, the inventor of the first wooded tee, contributed to the evolution of the game by way of creative genius and inventions. Such is the case for Joseph M. Bartholomew, player extraordinaire, architect, and entrepreneur. We are proud to tell his story.
Joseph Bartholomew was born August 1, 1881, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like many other African Americans, Bartholomew began his golfing journey at the early age of 7 as a caddie at nearby Audubon Golf Course. Through caddying, he developed a growing interest in the game and began copying the swings of those for whom he caddied. His reputation as a hard worker and one who did not make waves, landed him other positions at the exclusive club. He worked on the course maintenance crew, repaired golf clubs, and became an excellent player and reportedly once shot a 62 at Audubon. Club members recognized his playing ability and responded by backed him and arranging matches. Joe played against golfing legends such as Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Audubon Head Pro, Fred McLeod who won the 1908 U.S. Open.
Bartholomew’s talents in greens keeping became very noticeable to other wealthy club members. One such member, H.T. Cottam, extended a helping hand across racial lines and persuaded the club to send Bartholomew to New York to obtain knowledge and experience in golf course architecture. Bartholomew studied under the tutelage of architect extraordinaire, Seth Raynor and returned to New Orleans in 1922 where he began construction of Metairie’s new course. Many times, he would work through the night to protect his project from those who might attempt to steal his ideas. When the course was complete, the members were so impressed that they raised his salary. The payment for his work however, was limited to only monetary value and not human equality. After months of physical labor and mental anguish to see the project to fruition, he was not allowed to hit one golf ball on the course that his mind and hands had shaped.
Despite this kind of treatment, Joe remained at Metairie for a time, worked in various capacities and plotted his strategy. After a few years, he moved on to New Orleans Country Club, where he served as head greens keeper. Over the next decade he built a number of courses in Louisiana, including City Park No1, City Park No.2, and Ponchartrain Park in New Orleans. He also designed and constructed courses in Covington, Hammond, Abita, Algiers Springs and Baton Rouge, among other cities. Unfortunately, the public courses, like the city park playgrounds, were segregated. Though he built the courses, he could not play them.
Joe stopped playing competitively at age 40 and devoted his energies to building golf courses. He started a construction company and expanded his business into other areas, including landscaping. As the years went by his wealth grew, derived from successful real estate investments and diversified assets. He owned insurance and ice cream companies and gave generously to many New Orleans civic organizations. He was active in his church and contributed to educational institutions such as Dillard and Xavier University. He became the first African to be inducted into the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. Seven years later, Pontchartrain Park Golf Course, now integrated, was renamed in his honor.
The Lexington Swingers Golf Club is proud to honor the memory of Joseph M. Bartholomew, golfer, Architect, entrepreneur. His creative genius enabled him to create a paradox that makes us all proud. He tore down while building up. Stated another way, his pioneering excellence in designing and building golf courses at a time that most African Americans could not play on them uplifts our spirits and makes us proud. At the same time, it is one more stone removed from the negative perceptive foundation in the minds of those who’d rather believe that African Americans were only caddies in the early years. Not only did we possess the strength and endurance to carry the bags of others, but also the knowledge and expertise to create the designs and blueprints for building the very courses on which they caddied.