February 12, 2020 | BY AAGD STAFF
Many people do not know about this First African American LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Member. Born in 1929, Carrie Russell
earned her LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Class A Member status in 1974. With the experience she gained in the trade, just two years following Russell became the first President of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Northeast Section (1976) where she served in the leadership role until 1978.
In the collegiate realm, Russell served as the first golf coach at Delaware State University where from 1972 to 1980 she coached the school’s men’s golf team. Russell was active as a golf instructor at the Dover Air Force Base golf course where she taught youth the game while also serving at Garrisons Lake in Kent County, Delaware, as a teaching professional.
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Russell earned a bachelor’s degree from Delaware State University and a master’s degree from West Chester State University. She was the first African American to receive LPGA Master Life Professional Member status, which is the highest honor for LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Membership. Russell died in 2012.
The journey towards Russell’s presidency started in 1976, when Ray Volpe was hired as LPGA Commissioner and the office was moved from Atlanta, Georgia to New York City. At the time, the Teaching Division consisted of a few cardboard boxes and an electric typewriter that were passed down from one National Chairman to another. Volpe decided the Division needed help, so he invited one member from each section to come to New York, where he presented his idea of allowing the Teaching Division to organize and govern itself. The members who were present became the first LPGA Section Presidents and were designated as the “Teaching Committee” They were:
- Central Section: Scherry Allison
- Midwest Section: Goldie Bateson
- Northeast Section: Carrie Russell
- Southeast Section: Marge Burns
- Western Section: Joanne Winter
Among the items on the agenda at this meeting were:
- Write the Constitution and By-Laws for the Teaching Division
- Appont officers for each section
- Begin monthly Sectional newletters to members
- Implement education seminars in each section
- Find all the membres in each section and determine:
a. Correct address/phone number/current employment information
b. Current classification and date of eligibility for next classification
c. Whether members wanted to continue under the new administration and governing laws being put into practice.
