Barbara Angela Douglas, the first minority chairman of the United States Golf Association’s Women’s Committee succumbed to cancer at the age of 69 on January 27, 2012, in Glendale, AZ.
Barbara’s appointment to lead the Women’s Committee was a dream come true after 16 years of service as a committee member. Despite the debilitating effects of chemotherapy, she displayed tremendous courage and endurance as a proactive chairman who seldom missed a USGA women’s championship. In addition, last year the Golf Writer’s Association of America honored Barbara with the prestigious Ben Hogan Award, which has been presented annually since 1954 to an individual who continues to be active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness. The award was presented during the 2011 Master’s Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Barbara called it one of the highlights of her life. “Getting up every day wasn’t easy,” she said, “but my focus on the positives kept me going. It fueled my fire and gave me the energy to get up and get going.”
As an African American growing up in Chicago, Barbara was accustomed to challenges. In a 2009 interview, she said, “I’ve endured some discrimination, both from being a female and a minority. But it’s never the first thing that comes to my mind.” An accomplished golfer herself, Barbara competed in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links championship several times. She was then also on a fast career track as an executive with IBM and later was president of the National Minority Golf Foundation for five years.
While she was soft-spoken and quietly pleasant, Barbara was a tireless supporter of the game and women’s golf in particular. She worked hard to further involve state and regional golf associations as grass-roots supporters of the game and focused on growing the LPGA-USGA Girl’s Golf Program.
In 2011, she was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. She also served on Boards of the Arizona Golf Association (AGA), the Arizona Women’s Golf Association, the Arizona Jr. Golf Association, the Executive Women’s Golf Association, and served on an LPGA advisory committee.
After her term as Women’s Committee chairman ended in February, 2011, she devoted more time to her real estate career and, despite chemotherapy, played the game she loved three to four times per week.
Ms. Douglas is survived by her closest friend, Dr. Bob Tomisak of Glendale, Arizona, and a host of devoted friends from around the nation. Donations in her memory may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Arizona. A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held at Arrowhead Country Club.
