Jim Dent, a native son of Augusta, Georgia, was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame in 2022 at a special ceremony at The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History in his hometown. Dent is one of golf’s success stories to emerge from segregation and recalled how being a caddie —despite the warning of a clairvoyant aunt— turned his life around.
Born the fourth of six children of Tom and Carrie Dent, young Jim grew up on a family farm in wooded farmland not far from Augusta Country Club. Jim’s father drove a pulpwood truck, and as a little boy Dent’s job on the farm was to make the fire in the morning.
Dent’s parents would each pass by the time he was 12, leaving his aunt, Mary Benton, a housekeeper in town, raising Jim and three of his siblings.
“Word got to Aunt Mary that I was going to the golf course,” said Dent. “I was 14 and wanted to earn money, but Aunt Mary said no. ‘If you learn how to caddie,’ she said, ‘you’re going to learn how to gamble.’
“Well, I ended up caddying, but the second thing I learned was to shoot dice and play cards. She was dead right.”
Dent was allowed to caddie and eventually play golf, and it was likely his Aunt Mary was influenced by a minister, Jimmy Raines, an accomplished golfer who conducted Bible studies in a field that Dent, and his friends had converted into a few golf holes. On Saturdays, the boys played three holes before Bible study.
“Caddying was my great chance to learn from good players,” said Dent, who turns 84 on May 9 and will become an World Caddie HQ-PCA Ambassador to help the governing body of caddies grow the game. and promote the Caddie Hall of Fame. “I started at Augusta Country Club and later caddied at Augusta National during The Masters.”
Dent’s bag assignments in his hometown major included Bob Rosburg, Bob Goalby, Walker Inman, and Frank Stranahan.
Dent never got to play in The Masters, and also caddied at Augusta Country Club. In 1959, he attended Paine College, Augusta’s entry among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), on a football scholarship. The lure of golf took him away from the football field and he quit school after a year to work on his game.
Dent caddied for Patty Berg at the 1961 Titleholders Championship at Augusta Country Club; a tournament that was then considered an LPGA major. Berg finished a stroke behind Mickey Wright, and in a tie for second place.
Dent turned professional in 1966. During his PGA Tour career he was a three-time Florida PGA Champion. He is best known for his success on the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions), where he won 12 times between 1989 and 1998. Known for his prodigious driving ability, Dent was in 1974 the inaugural winner of the World Long Drive Championship and would go on to retain the title in 1975.
“My dad must have been 40 by the time I got really interested in golf and could appreciate his ability,” said James Dent, 47, Jim’s oldest son and in his fifth season as head professional at Augusta Municipal Golf Course, “The Patch.”
Dent could drive a golf ball with a persimmon-headed driver between 315 to 340 yards, according to James, who added, “You know you’re long when you can do that, and think about how my dad did it with a wooden driver!”
Dent said his last best chance to earn a Masters berth came in 1980 at the U.S. Open.
“I needed to get into the top eight to qualify for the following year’s Masters,” said Dent. “I shot 76 in the final round (tying for 38th). But I had fun, my whole life has been fun in golf, and I enjoyed every bit of it.”
For a generation of golf professionals and amateurs who have never heard of Jim Dent, let James Dent offer his perspective on his father’s imprint upon the game.
“I first caddied for my dad when I was 16,” said James, “as he played on the Champions Tour. He has been an easy-going guy, down to earth, who you would never know the success he had. He would always offer to help someone who needed help. Anyone who asked for help in his golf or swing, he would help them.”
Dent played the first on the former United Golfers Association (UGA), a Black golf organization that was founded in 1925 and served as a parallel institution to the all-white Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) that was formed nine years earlier in 1916. Along with many other activities, the UGA operated a national golf tour for professionals, amateurs, and intercollegiate golfers, and it continued to host events well after the desegregation of the PGA in 1961.
At the time, the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) had an article in its bylaws stating that it was “for members of the Caucasian race.” When this bylaw was repealed in 1961, the UGA eventually disbanded.
The UGA also supported a full women’s division, which over time featured gifted stars like Marie Thompson, Lucy Williams, Geneva Wilson, Ann Gregory, Thelma Cowans, Ethel (Powers) Funches, Althea Gibson, and Renee Powell.
Dent earned his PGA Tour card in 1970, and went on to win four Tour and 12 PGA Tour Champions events. His 40-year career earnings were $9,583,989, almost all of it after he turned 50.
“I’ve always believed that you’ve got to keep working hard until you get to the top. You got to set your mind,” said Dent. “It is the way that one can improve in anything, especially golf. I think back to caddying and how that was so important in learning about the game. I hope that young people today can see how it can be of value, and be a way to bigger things after school. Things have changed so fast that caddies today on tour are earning so more in one season than we players did when we were playing full-time.”
Dent joins other PCA world Ambassadors that seek to bring back caddies to the game that include Renee Powell, the most decorated PGA/LPGA Professional for diversity in the game; Madelyn “ Moochie ” Turner, Dr. Michael Cooper of Tampa; and fellow Caddie Hall of Fame founding spiritual advisory inductees renowned caddies Carl Jackson, Alfred ” Rabbit ” Dyer, Mike ” Fluff ” Cowan and Walter “ Cricket ” Pritchett and other ” Friends Of PCA “. Said Dennis Cone, co-founder with his wife, Laura, of the world Professional Caddies Association.“ Jim Dent is one of the great success stories in golf, and a wonderful person who has given back so much to others.
It began with a caddie background that enabled him to learn the game and ultimately play at the highest level. We are delighted Jim will be a PCA Ambassador to help grow the game and sustain a tradition of honoring those who may have previously been overlooked for their dedication and passion for golf.”
The mission of the “Friends of PCA,” said Cone, “is to help PCA grow caddie programs in clubs worldwide with a focus on youth caddies and promote the Caddie Hall of Fame.
About The Professional Caddies Association
The Professional Caddies Association (PCA) was founded in 1997 by Dennis and Laura Cone of Palm Coast, Florida, with the launch of the Caddie Hall of Fame in 1999. Since 2011, the Caddie Hall of Fame (CHOF) has been administered by the Western Golf Association. The CHOF highlights the tradition and importance of caddying by celebrating individuals who have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or by supporting the role of caddies.
In addition to Dent, past inductees include Charles “Chick” Evans, Joe LaCava, Carl Jackson, Jim ” Bones” Mackay, Jack Nicklaus, Frances Ouimet, Charles Schwab, Peter Ueberroth, Tom Watson, and Steve Williams in The Caddie Hall of Fame, visit https://lnkd.in/gJCRF6CG.
While the CHOF includes several women special contributors, Madelyn “Moochie” Turner, and Fanny Sunneson – a longtime caddie for Sir Nick Faldo – are the only female caddies on the elite roster. Madelyn “Moochie” Turner, 1st Black Female Caddie inducted into The Caddie Hall of Fame, visit https://lnkd.in/eJFvkEHt
About the PCA Mission
Introducing caddying back into the Game of Golf, Helping Kids, beating cancer & challenged Veterans Fish & Smile Tour expand worldwide (Blast & Cast Kids https://lnkd.in/dWBhwzW) while growing the Outdoor games, we love. The Caddie Association (dba PCA) http://thecaddieassociation.com) is a membership-driven organization that is open to all Caddies and supporters of Outdoor Games. Join the TCA/PCA ” FRIENDS OF PCA ” Team TODAY & enjoy the Benefits of Supporting Caddies, Kids & Veterans Worldwide.
Caddie HOF OPEN History visit https://lnkd.in/gi47N5t
PCA History visit https://lnkd.in/gpHEXXhy
