A place of their own.

Long before a PGA Tour card became a gold carrot and platinum passport to prosperity, those who aspired to play golf professionally were considered foolhardy souls with an aversion to dirty fingernails and sweaty brows. Amateurs held a higher place in golf's pecking order than the vagabonds organized loosely in 1916 under the Professional Golfers Association banner. They were considered gentlemen and held in esteem reserved for true sportsmen. African-Americans were persona non grata. It wasn't until they decided to form the United Golfers Association (UGA) and, later, the North American Golfers Association, that they began to alter the game's landscape in this country.

On a late summer day in 1925, a group of black businessmen met in the 12th Street branch of the Washington, D.C., YMCA to galvanize the game into parallel if not equal access and opportunity. The official press release defined their purpose simply: "The object of the national organization is to gather all colored golfers and golf associations into one body." Some historians credit Robert H. Hawkins, owner of Mapledale GC in Stow, Mass., with the vision for a united front. Others suggest his role was more supportive than one of leadership. Regardless of who spearheaded the effort, it is beyond debate that the UGA was born from that meeting. Shady Rest G&CC president B.C. Gordon was elected to preside over the new organization and a spate of recognized competitions under the auspices of a single ruling body was discussed.

Most of the early black-run tournaments generally showcased the host club and fostered more of a social than a competitive atmosphere. Once a year, though, a national champion was crowned. The first National Colored Golf Championship was held at Shady Rest over the Fourth of July weekend in 1925. The tournament attracted large galleries from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Long Island and the District of Columbia. The final-round pairing of John Shippen and Harry Jackson of Washington, D.C., produced a dramatic finish. Jackson, much younger than his more heralded opponent, shot a 72-hole total of 299 to edge Shippen by three strokes and top the 30-player field. He won $25 and instant fame from the detailed reports in black-owned newspapers such as the New York Amsterdam News, Baltimore Afro-American and Chicago Defender.

The UGA spawned the most prolific talent among African-Americans, including Teddy Rhodes, who won more than 150 tournaments in his career, Charlie Sifford, Pete Brown, Lee Elder, Jim Dent and Jim Thorpe (all shown below). The organization was as much sanctuary as proving ground. It still exists, although its competitive arm is a mere collection of interclub tournaments and social gatherings.