AJ Jones
AJ Jones has a jubilant character and welcoming smile that is hard to forget. But it is his quick wit and gallant sense of style that best reflects his persona, he almost never meets a stranger.
AJ—a nickname he acquired while working as a salesman—is Armstead Jones. AJ got started in golf in the mid-sixties. Through his civic and community network of organizations, he has played many of the public courses in and around Detroit.
He became involved in organized golf after he became a Manager at Michigan Bell in 1969. He played with the Michigan Bell League, became Team Captain and was later elected President of the Michigan Bell Golf League.
1969 was a good year for AJ. He was promoted from Telephone Installer to Telephone Repair Foreman thus becoming the first black person to hold that job in the history of Michigan Bell, this coming after the 1967 riots and other racial and social disturbances during the sixties. During the same year, AJ was selected by Ebony Magazine as one of the Nation’s Most Eligible Bachelors.
AJ’s management career took him from outside repair foreman to staff as District Complaint Manager to cable repair Foreman and to Installation Control Foreman where he managed installation services for over 80,000 customers with over a dozen staff reporting to him.
in 1976, AJ chose to leave Management and started working as a salesman in the Yellow Pages Group. He retired from Ameritech Publishing and ended his 33-year career as a Senior Account Executive in advertising.
As a Union Represented Sales force, AJ became totally active with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and as a result, he represented the Detroit Sales Group as Chief of the Bargaining Unit when the first contract was bargained between the CWA and Ameritech Publishing after the break-up of AT&T in 1984.
AJ is a veteran, having honorably served in the US Army in 1962 and 1963, he was discharged with the rank of Sargent E-5. Throughout AJ’s working career, he played golf with several golf groups including the Detroit Duffers and later with the Renaissance Golf Club. AJ served as Secretary of this group of over three dozen members for ten years.
While still living in Detroit, he traveled with groups to Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and played dozens of the great courses in the upper part of Lower Michigan and most of the private courses in and around Detroit.
When TPC Michigan Club opened in 1990, AJ worked there as a Starter. After moving to Jacksonville, he immediately started working at TPC Sawgrass as the first black Starter at Sawgrass. His career at the PGA Tour spans over 24 years. He is planning to retire at the end of this year with over 25-years of service. “I gave my notice in January 2018, so they have a whole year to find my replacement,” says the 79-year-old. “I certainly will not miss hearing that 3:00 a.m. alarm clock go off, and having to drive 45-minutes into work each day.” AJ was once a scratch golfer but following two shoulder surgeries, on both his right and left rotator cups, put him out of the game for over 5-years. Today, AJ is content with just being able to go out and swing a golf club. “I still have a lot of fun and enjoy my rounds.”
In 2008 AJ was contacted by Golf Digest about his work at TPC Sawgrass. Consequently, an article was published in Golf Digest, followed by a story in African American Golfer’s Digest. As a result of these stories, AJ is still on “Google” — “AJ Jones TPC Sawgrass”.
As you might imagine, his work at the TPC puts him in touch with various managers at the PGA Tour Headquarters. He managed to “rub” shoulders with some of the world’s greatest golfers and his ambitious work has impacted many people on and off of the golf course. “AJ was selected as our 2018 Legend because of his diligent service to the organization,” says current President James Sanders. “He is truly the cart and the wheel or the club and the annual tournament.”
RELATED STORY: A.J. Jones – TPC Sawgrass
AJ has been a member of the Jacksonville Amateur Golfers Guild (JAGG) for over 10 years and has served as Tournament Chairman for five years. The JAGG was established in 1946 and, has continued to keep Jacksonville golfers engaged in the sport through its events and tournaments. Benefitting from the proceeds of the golf tournaments is ACT-SO, the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. This yearlong achievement program is designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students. AJ is heavily involved in the JAGG annual tournament and plays almost every Saturday, where he provides scoring and results each week. To keep people informed, the group’s LinkedIn page includes a schedule of the Saturday golf dates. AJ’s service to this organization is beyond measure, as he also serves as the Complaint Department. It could be said that AJ is the glue that holds the Jacksonville Amateur Golfers Guild together. He has worked incredibly well with three Presidents and with all other club officers and members.
PLAYING THE GAME
AJ plays with the Jacksonville Southside Business Men monthly and with a Tuesday group in and around St. Augustine and the Palm Coast area.
To say that AJ is an avid golfer would be an understatement!! He is on a first-name basis with most of the golf head professionals in the Jacksonville area. This puts him in an enviable position that also keeps JAGG in good standing with the majority of the clubs in Jacksonville. He has a long list of private courses that he has played in Jacksonville, as well as all of the TPC courses in Florida plus Southwind, TPC Las Vegas, and TPC Scottsdale, Kihwa Island, Daniel Island and many others.
AJ is married to Earline and they are active members of Central CME Church where AJ served on the Board of Trustees for over 15 years. He now enjoys his status as Trustee Emeritus. They have lived in Shiloh Creek in South Mandarin for 20 years where AJ serves as HOA Chairman.
His involvement in his church, his community, and in the Jacksonville golfing community keeps him busy 24-7 and he would have it NO OTHER WAY!!!
The Jacksonville Amateur Golfers Guild, along with its President, Officers and members are proud to have AJ Jones receive this honor this year, thanks him for his service, and congratulates him on being a true legend.
