Bakari Bolden is an 18-year old freshman who plays on the University of Southern California (USC) “Trojans” Men’s Golf Team. Bakari is a great student and has a solid golf background with proven records of historical success. Bakari attended Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles and made a notable impact on the school’s golf team. Now USC is privileged to have this gem of a golfer among their collegiate ranks.
Talk about home grown. Even Tiger Woods had to travel a little bit north, to Stanford, in Palo Alto, Calif., to get his name and golfing skills in front of the right people. Bakari is his own man, but one can’t help but draw comparisons—and accolades—between him and the one Eldrick “Tiger” Woods:
-Bakari is from Southern California, born and bred, a Junior golf phenom;
-His father is African American;
-His mother is U. S. born, but her parents are from Thailand;
-He wears eyeglasses;
-He wants to be the greatest professional golfer ever.
Sound familiar? Bakari is one of only a handful of African American males competing in NCAA Division 1 Golf. I don’t know the exact numbers, but, if anyone out there does, please enlighten me. I know of only one other African American who competed at this level, and that’s Cameron Champ, at Texas A&M.
(Photo left: a young Bakari, about 18-months old, with his maternal grandfather Somgiate “Tom” Boodparset)
Bakari played middle school golf at Harvard-Westlake from 7-8 grade and varsity from 9-12. Harvard-Westlake offers a broad array of academics, athletics, and artistic opportunities for its students. Bakari’s first coach was his maternal grandfather Somgiate “Tom” Boodparsett who took a strong interest in his grandson’s success in the game, cut and built clubs for the youngster, and was the first person to put a golf club in his hands.
Bakari has also received structured lessons from PGA Instructor Paula Olson. With Olson, Bakari refined his skills and gained additional confidence in his game. He’s been with his current coach, Brad Sherfy, since he was about 8-years old.
Most of Bakari’s junior golf was played on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) National Tour and on the Toyota Tour Cup which is part of the Southern California PGA (SCPGA) Junior Tour. He played in a Pro-Am at Sherwood Country Club in Westlake Village, Calif., last year and another one at Congressional Country Club, in Bethesda, Md. this year. Both, of which, were Tiger Woods events. Plus the Nature Valley Open at the famed Pebble Beach Golf Club. These events were all made possible through the First Tee of South Los Angeles.
While at Harvard-Westlake, Bakari competed on the middle school and varsity level. The middle school team practices and plays its home matches at Studio City Golf Course and at El Cariso Golf Course in Sylmar, Calif. Both courses were excellent training grounds for Bakari. Harvard-Westlake was started as a military school in 1900. Today it is massive, with two campuses and a golf season that runs from February to May. The varsity team practices and play their home matches at Wilson-Harding Golf Course in Los Angeles and at Lakeside Golf Course in Burbank. Heading it all is Coach Tony Kewalramni.
Now Coach Chris Zambri at USC will get the chance to add his mojo to Bakari’s already well rounded game. Zambri is a former USC All-Pac-10 performer and longtime Nationwide Tour veteran who is in his eighth year as USC’s men’s golf head coach. Zambri has established himself as one of the top coaches in the U.S. and has taken his team to the NCAA Championships final for seven years. Team Trojans and Bakari should be a solid match-up.
At USC, the 5’9″ and 160 lbs Bakari will also be joining last year’s Freshman of The Year, Rico Hoey, who boasts a team best 71.19 stroke average and (14) rounds in the 60’s. Senior Anthony Paolucci would’ve been returning for his final year, but chose to pursue a career as a professional. However, Coach Zambri is still very confident that his Trojan line-up can compete with the best of them. He says, “The key, as always, will be to play as a collective unit, with all six players having more good days than bad days.”
With much success, Bakari has as good a chance as anyone of becoming Freshman of The Year going into the 2015 season. Notable PGA players who attended USC: Al Geiberger, Kevin Stadler, and Dave Stockton.
While at USC, African American golfer Joshua Wooding received the Charlie Sifford Award which gives an exemption to a deserving minority golfer into the Northern Trust Open, held in Los Angeles. And, with his playing ability there’s a good chance that Bakari could be the next recipient.
Just for the record, Bakari’s (single parent) father, Aaron Bolden, says that it cost $31,000 per year for his son to attend Harvard-Westlake and, that he could not have afforded it without financial assistance from various sources. He considers himself extremely fortunate to have had this support. It made a world of difference for Bakari.
Aaron gets a big round of applause for doing what most parents strive to do— and that’s trying to do the very best they can, for their child or children.
About Bakari:
Longtime member of the First Tee of South Los Angeles
Nickname: “B”
Favorite golfers: Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods.
Named Daily News Newcomer of the Year (July 2014)
Lowest round to date: 67
In 2013, captured the Mission League Boys Golf Title to become the second Harvard-Westlake golfer in three years to do so. He shot his career low, 5-under 67, at Harding Golf Course.
He had a 36-hole total of 2-under 142. Jeff Wibawa of Harvard-Westlake won it in 2010.
