HOWARD BANKHEAD
Blog: April 2014
“Jazz Appreciation Month and
National Black Golf Month”
Howard Bankhead is director of two non-profits. This is a special blog for me for several reasons:
- The legacy of black golf in Huntsville, Alabama
- April is Jazz Appreciation Month
- April is National Black Golf Month
For a few years now, I have wanted to write about the golfers that came before me in this community. I always give credit that, I was able to develop my youth golf program because of the brave men that endured the Jim Crow system in society, especially in the golfing world. Oscar Heulett Jr. is a native Huntsvillian that grew up in the days of segregation and his experience is invaluable. I asked him to share his experience with me in order to let the world know how and who made it possible for blacks in this community to come into the golfing world. Below is his recapitulation.
“Golf the way I knew It”
by: Oscar Heulett Jr.:
“Well, I guess it all started in Binford Court (HHA), the older guys, were A. C. Jack Binford, Smokey, Dead Butt and Mr. William Dillard Sr. All of these guys caddied at the Huntsville Country Club at the corner of Pulaski Pike and Oakwood Ave, in Huntsville, AL.
I would hear them talk about the money they made carrying a golf bag. I finally got up enough courage and nerve to see for myself. I went to the golf course (walked from Binford Court to the golf course), I believed it was a Wednesday because I later learned that all the better players were businessman and they only worked half a day on Wednesday.
Photo left:
Oscar Heulett, Jr.
Mr. Rubin. was the caddy master, he would come to the window of the caddy house and call out, “hey caddy come and get this bag”, and of course the best bag went to the older caddies. My first bag was a local attorney, I do not remember much about the round of golf, but I do remember having a sore shoulder from carrying the bag for 18 holes. I think I made 75 cents for that day, plus a soft drink and a pack of cookies.
As time passed on I moved up in the caddy ranks, I then caddied for the better golfers. The older caddies like Mr. Dillard, Smokey and Dead Butt, played on Mondays so they could learn the course plus read the greens. They were allowed to use the club of the person they caddied for, as we called it ‘their regular’.
Photo left:
Oscar Heulett, Jr.
Wednesday at the Country Club was like being at the Masters. Most businessmen in Huntsville played golf…the bets were heavy in each foursome. And believe me there were some golfers there that could have competed on the pro tour. Most of the caddies when they first arrived at the country club to caddy did not know the first thing about caddying. The older caddies would tell them, be quiet, watch the ball, and do not stand in the golfer’s sight. Keep the clubs clean, if you did these things and not lose a ball, could mean 50 cent more for 18 holes.
If you were guilty of any of the infractions listed above, the golfer reported it to Mr. Rubin who would point toward the street, which meant go home and come back later. Sometime it could be as long as 2-3 weekends before you caddy again…man, that was rough because that was the only money we could count on.
Some of the regular caddies that played on Monday only had a 5 or 6 iron, they used that one club to drive, approach, chip and putt. With this one club, they would shoot in the mid 80’s. We did not have clubs and could not afford to buy any so we made our own clubs. We shaped iron rods to the shape of a 1 or 2 iron, we took tree branches and used broken pop bottles to shape the branch to use as a wood. We used army green tape for a grip. We moved the golf ball pretty good with those homemade clubs.
This article would not be complete without this. One of the top players at the Huntsville Country Club was not driving the ball well, and this caddy, Mr. Dillard Sr., was known to be a hell of a driver of the golf ball.
One afternoon before dark, this golfer parked his brand new Dynaflow Buick behind hole # 1 to the driving range. Then he sent for Mr. Dillard Sr., also known as (Heavy) and told him if you can show or teach me how to hit this driver the way you do, I will give you the keys to this ‘damn car!’
Of course, there was another businessman that was a true friend to the caddies. He gave us rides to the club and sometimes if some of the caddies did not get a bag, he would tell the caddy master to give them at least 50 cents and put it on his tab.
This businessman also sent Mr. Dillard and Mr. Dead Butt to Detroit to play in the Joe Louis Golf Tournament. I could give a list as long as my arm about the talent among the caddies at the Huntsville Country Club in the early years. Had some of them been allowed to play as pro’s they would have been up there with the best! Now that the golf chart has replaced the caddy, part of the tradition of the game has vanished. Most individuals look at the role of a caddy as being a black ordeal, but a lot of white golfers got their start as caddies for example the (King) Arnold Palmer. So we must encourage both black and white kids to participate in golf programs. From this game, come future leaders and gentlemen.
Some of the caddies who tolled at the Huntsville Country Club included: Mr. William Dillard, Sr. one of the first caddies in the North Alabama area, Dead Butt; Smokey; Elmer; Tuffy; Bro Sims; Lee “Q” Ike Williams; James Hall; Elijah Walker (B.K.A. Crow); Emanuel (little Red) Robinson; William Dillard Jr. & Paul Dillard; G. R. (Duck) Jones; Alvin Dozier; Bubba Parks; Curley & Lowe Parks; Albert (Stack) Kelly; Charles (Shot) Hyder; White Brothers Jimmie & Raymond; Finnell Langford; Houry Langford Jr.; William (June Bug) Lewis; Erin McCrary; Charles Sales; Lewis (Bo) Elliott; Charles Folks; Eligra (jr.) Holden; Bradley McDonald; Harold Smith; Todd Love; Joe Jordan; Bo Peete and me Oscar Heulett Jr. If I missed someone, I apologize.
From the caddie ranks at the Huntsville Country Club, two of the above caddies have professional golf cards, Elijah (Crow) Walker and William (June bug) Lewis. Both reside in Atlanta.
We must give our support to individuals like “Howard Bankhead”, for the dedication he shows for the kids and all of the sacrifices he has made to keep his program going. If you need to know more about how much Howard has given “ask me”!
–from the vivid recollections of Mr. Oscar Heulett Jr.
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Jazz Appreciation Month
April is Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), an initiative introduced by the Smithsonian Institution. The purpose is to draw greater public attention to the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz and its importance as an American cultural heritage. The first year for JAM was 2001.
National Black Golf Month
New York, NY, August 1, 2010— Both the African American Golfer’s Digest, the nation’s leading print publication and online portal for avid black golfers and AABoomers.com, an online website serving African American Baby Boomers, were excited in April 2011 to announce the proclaimation of April as National Black Golf Month. National Black Golf Month presents promotes programs and events centered on learning the game while increasing the participation in golf on a national scale for all families and individuals.
“Anything positive is possible”
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In order to grow and continue the success of TVYGD and TVJS, we ask for your love, support and donations!
Howard Bankhead
Executive Director
Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development
604 Jordan Lane
Huntsville, AL 35816 USA
256-604-8172
