Benn Sledge, one of a hand-full of African American members of the invite-only Secession Golf Club, Beaufort, SC. The course was ranked as one of the Top 100 courses in America by Golf Digest.
April 23, 2020
Benn “Benny” Sledge was first introduced to the game when a golf course was being developed just about 200 yards away from his Reden, Georgia, home. As he observed the incessant activities going on, the comings-and-goings of cars, spectators, and the sounds of golf balls being hit, his curiosity got the best of him. Benny became intrigued by the game and soon, was a devoted fan himself.
Sledge currently resides in Overland Park, Kansas. He earned his B.A. Degree from St. Bernard College, a Catholic Benedictine college which operated in Cullman, Alabama, and is the owner of two thriving businesses: Aztec Specialties and Sledge Solutions Group. His Aztec Specialties is a promotional products distribution company is a proud member of the Advertising Specialty Institute while Sledge Solutions Group is a Supply Chain Consulting Company. Running both operations fuels his passion for helping businesses grow. He has been a thought leader for many organizations and served on numerous boards as a Director and Advisor.
Benn Sledge playing at Brandy Wine Country Club, Toledo, Ohio (1980)
Sledge has been a member of the prestigious, private, Secession Golf Club in Beaufort (SC) for 15 years. Married, he enjoys playing golf with his adult daughter Melissa and spends a lot of his time traveling and playing with golfing buddies all over the country. Over the many decades, since he has been playing, he admits to having faced a tremendous amount of adversity on private and public courses as an African American. However, he did not let this discourage him from playing the game he loves. Saying, “perseverance” is what kept him going.
Benn Sledge at Kansas City Masters Championship (KCGA), Kansas City Country Club, Kansas City, Missouri (2005)
His Biggest Challenge
The avid golfer, 66, plays at a 0.5 handicap and stays busy competing in competitions— and stays inspired by watching PGA Tour Sunday contentions on TV. Mr. Sledge explains that his biggest challenge with the game is keeping a less than par handicap. So, he practices daily to stay on track, and, even started an organization for golfers who play at an 8 handicap and under, as well as those who play at a 20 handicap and under. Mr. Sledge doesn’t anticipate slowing down his active schedule anytime soon. He loves to play and teach the game and plans to continue to motivate higher handicap golfers to practice and get better.
Among the amazing statistics for Sledge is that his 9 City Championships are tied for the most in Kansas City Golf history, according to Sun Sports (The Morning Sun) Correspondent Alan Haskins. Just take a look at Sledge’s long list of wins shown below:
Written by By Tiffany Pippins and Debert Cook
