Hello Confidants, Constituents and Comrades,
Yes, I love you dearly and it would be very nice to get an award, but my goal and main objective is not to continue collecting awards, but to bring awareness to the many years of work we have put into the industry and to get answer’s to the questions of when is bias, unfair, unethical procedures going to continue to be allowed and practiced at many of the golf courses, and when will these practices cease to be called normal?
In addition to some of the things that continue to concern and puzzle me. I am really interested in seeing how the PGA is going to handle this situation with the PGA Jr. Golf League All Stars. And, if the PGA is going to stand behind the pro’s associated with the league, here in the Dallas Ft. Worth area, who have not done their job and put together an All Star Jr. League Team worthy to represent Texas in the National Championships in Atlanta. And, again I reiterate, when is enough going to be enough with the unfair practices?
I was asked, and after researching what it was all about , I agreed to put together a PGA Jr. Golf League team. I followed the rules, I collected the money to be sent to the Jr. League Headquarters, I put together a real live All Star Team.
Above, L-R: A few of the PGA Jr. League members prepare for their upcoming matches with instruction and strategy from Coach Gladys Lee and Coach Wes Francis.
The team warms up with stretching exercises, chipping and putting in Ft. Worth, TX. (Photo Andrea Smith)
I met the timelines and now some of the pro’s are not willing to play our team because we are, and I quote from an e-mail sent to me”… that they were not going forward with the matches because we were … “too strong and too good???”… the majority of our team is made up of LPGA-USGA Girls, some beginner players to more advanced 8 to 13 year olds. I’ve heard some dumb excuses before, but this one is unacceptable and I’m not buying it !
One team totally dropped out of the league a few day’s prior to when it was our time to play them… A parent watched as we were warming up on the driving range and quit… the man actually took his kid out of the tournament and left the course; he
said our kid’s were too big (or was he was thinking we were too dark):( … a couple of the teams in order to acquire points are playing their own teams against each other, how incestious is that ? 🙁
If our team does not play (Thursday July 18), some of my main players will not have the required number of matches set by the league and will not be eligible for the All Star’s, I have never heard of such fool crockery in all my life.This act is as unjust and unfair to these kid’s as denying them food, water and sleep because they were too strong and too good 🙁
“Life can make you bitter or it can make you better, but this crap has made me MAD…
I won’t stay mad too long it’s not in my DNA, but while I am mad for now, I am going to fight for what is right for these children and their parent’s who have sacrificed and worked very hard striving everyday to reach their goals. They paid their money to play in this league environment, and they have a right to join this team which has been a lot of fun learning and being together as a team …we have become family:)… However it is not fair, and it does not meet the standards of what golf represents by changing the rules to fit or benefit another team or player.
Even the sacred rules set by The Royal and Ancient St. Andrews and the USGA are altered to benefit other teams when we play them, but keep in mind the rules are adamant and strictly enforced if we just think about not following them.
I refuse to continue sticking my head in the sand, pretending I don’t see what is happening, or becoming so complacent until I don’t care. I refuse to abandon my dreams or the dreams expressed by the children. I want to be an example for the children and their parent’s and I will continue to inspire and encourage and motivate them to NEVER GIVE UP!
I sincerely wish LPGA member Wendy Boyd had stayed the course. Life became too bitter for her and she paid the ultimate price for what she thought was peace….she took her life, leaving this earth believing that there was no solution to better the situations, and the circumstances we as African American female folf professionals face everyday somewhere in the ” Wonderful World of Golf .”
Wendy Boyd’s last message, before she took her life was anote written to theAfrican American Golfer’s Digest editor, and I quote one sentence of her letter that included: “…Unfair practices of
W*&%^$ PGA Pros.”
read the complete letter HERE.
….Well the Devil is a lie and Wendy SHOULD NOT have checked out like that….Even though we get so tired and weary, the solution is NEVER to give up. (Above: Cover, Summer 2006)
Keep a passionate fire in your belly for what you believe if it’s honest, morally and spiritually right, for whatever your religious beliefs are, and if it’s within the law–whether it’s playing golf, flying a plane, reading a book, jumping hopscotch or pitching pennies–always trust the truth; and if a crock of crap is thrown your way, dig a very deep hole to bury that mess, wash your hands, shake the dust from your feet, step off and keep on keeping on.
The last thing is snatch the cover’s off of those that hide while doing wrong so that their deeds are exposed for the world to see.
In the words of my dear friend Colonel Richard “Dick” Toliver, 2nd Generation Tuskegee Airmen Fighter Pilot, United States Air Force. These young Players represent true freedom and are worthy to be called “Uncaged Eagles.”
Marilynn Smith, my dearest friend and co-founder of the LPGA, is so proud of these young players and, says: “Have Clubs will Travel,” just stay the course!
Many blessings and please to all who read my blogs. Please share your thoughts on this with me. Send me a message.
Until next time,
Coach Gladys M. Lee
LPGA Professional Teacher & Coach
Founder / Executive Director
Roaring Lambs International Junior Golf Academy
Cell: (214) 212-9475
www.roaringlambsgolf.org
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