September 19, 2020 | BY HOWARD BANKHEAD
Since our country is presenting our national championship, I thought it would be fitting to share this experience.
I am pleased to share that when the USGA awarded grants to youth programs, over five years, my various programs, including Tennessee Valley Jazz Youth Golf Development-Huntsville, and The First Tee of Huntsville, were awarded several grants.
I’m a grant writer for my programs, and at the time when the USGA offered grants, they were some of the most challenging grants to apply for and be awarded. I’m not boasting, just sharing how rare my golfing experience as a Black man is. At the time, the USGA didn’t allow non-USGA officials to use the logo. I suggested for marketing and credit purposes for the USGA to create and approve the use of the USGA logo for programs they funded.
While I’m at it, we were awarded several PGA grants as well.
We were the first program in Alabama to receive the USGA grants. You’ll be surprised by the jealousy I received from Black golfers in the area. Many of the white European Americans hated me too. But I have a few that did, and still, support my program today.
Big thanks to my youth participants and families, Dr. Michael Cooper, Steve Mack, Dr. Lee Gradford, Earnie Ellison, Judy Bell, and Debert Cook for believing in me.
Howard Bankhead is Founder of Par Excellence Youth Development (PEYD), Huntsville, Alabama, a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth development organization.
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