This article delves into the history of the golf association sometimes known as the Chitlin Circuit.
Despite considerable barriers presented by racial segregation and inequality, a small group of middle-class African Americans played the sport in the 1920s.
The United Golfers Association (UGA), formed in 1926, helped to promote and provide opportunities for African American golfers through the 1960s. The UGA also sponsored events for women.
The United Golfers Association (UGA) was a group of African-American professional golfers who operated a separate series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks during the era of racial segregation in the United States.
Women were allowed to participate from the group's inception, but only in 1939 did the first women's golfing organization seek affiliation when the Chicago Women's Golf Club, organized by Anna Robinson, applied to join.
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Ann Gregory was among its most celebrated players, winning the UGA championship four times and becoming the first black woman to participate in the United States Golf Association championship in 1956.
Just as municipal courses were being opened to blacks in the North, a small number of private courses were built by African American elites.
While financial limitations meant the 9-hole course was not always well-maintained, Lincoln was home to several famous African Americans including the sociologist and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois who appeared on the 1934 membership roster.
The course was located next to the Lincoln Cemetery, where many notable African Americans are buried, including Tup Holmes and his father, Hamilton M.
From 1934 through November 1961, the Professional Golfers Association of America maintained a "Caucasian-only" membership clause in its bylaws.
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In 1961, the PGA removed its Caucasian-only clause, which had existed in its bylaws since 1943. This change opened up PGA tournaments to African American golfers allowing extremely talented black professional players like Charles Sifford and Lee Elder to compete at the highest level.
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Key Figures in the UGA
| Name | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Ann Gregory | UGA Champion (4 times), First Black woman in USGA Championship (1956) |
| Charles Sifford | PGA Tour Pioneer after the removal of the "Caucasian-only" clause |
| Lee Elder | PGA Tour Pioneer after the removal of the "Caucasian-only" clause |
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