United Golf Association
Encyclopedia
The United Golf Association (UGA) was a group of African-American professional golf
ers who operated a separate series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks
during the era of racial segregation
. Many talented golfers played on this tour, including Ted Rhodes
, Bill Spiller
, Pete Brown, Lee Elder, Willie Brown Jr. and Charlie Sifford
. At the time of the UGA's operation, the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) still had an article in its bylaws stating that it was "for members of the Caucasian race." Once this bylaw was repealed in the early 1960s and Black golfers were allowed to enter the PGA, the United Golf Association ceased to exist. It was formed in 1925 by a group of black businessmen on 12th Street branch of the Washington, D.C. The goal was to make the game an equal access and opportunity for all, to gather all black golfers golf association in to one body.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
ers who operated a separate series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
during the era of racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
. Many talented golfers played on this tour, including Ted Rhodes
Ted Rhodes
Theodore "Ted" Rhodes was a trailblazing African-American professional golfer.Rhodes was born in Nashville, Tennessee and attended the city's public schools. He learned the game of golf in his teenage years while working as a caddie at Nashville's Belle Meade and Richland golf courses...
, Bill Spiller
Bill Spiller
Bill Spiller was one of the pioneers in the efforts to desegregate sports in the twentieth century. After being denied entry in the 1948 Richmond Open held in Richmond, California by the PGA of America, Spiller spent many years challenging the segregation policy of the PGA of America...
, Pete Brown, Lee Elder, Willie Brown Jr. and Charlie Sifford
Charlie Sifford
Charles Sifford is an African American former professional golfer who helped to desegregate the PGA of America.Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He began work as a caddy at the age of thirteen...
. At the time of the UGA's operation, the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) still had an article in its bylaws stating that it was "for members of the Caucasian race." Once this bylaw was repealed in the early 1960s and Black golfers were allowed to enter the PGA, the United Golf Association ceased to exist. It was formed in 1925 by a group of black businessmen on 12th Street branch of the Washington, D.C. The goal was to make the game an equal access and opportunity for all, to gather all black golfers golf association in to one body.