Earl Sims follows his passion for golf and plays at every opportunity. In fact, he’s won a bunch of tournaments on scramble teams and captured an individual low net trophy, about five years ago, at the Rashaan R. Willis golf challenge, an annual outing to Gulf Shores, Alabama where about 40 other devoted golfers competed.
Sims, age 56, is a warm-hearted Philadelphia, Pa., native who was raised in West Philly. There, he played a lot of organized basketball all over the city, including at Cobbs Creek park. “The sport of golf never crossed my mind,” remarks the 6’4”, 260-pound Sims, who ironically grew up just 10 blocks, or so, from the Cobb’s Creek golf course.”
A Park For All People
As a youngster, Sims and his Philadelphia friends enjoyed many happy times at the park’s green space for recreation, barbecues, and more. “But, as a youth, I never remember seeing a course there—or maybe I just didn’t recognize it as one,” he says.
Cobb’s Creek was called “Karakung” by Native Americans and, was the site of the first water mill built within the limits of Pennsylvania. It later gained development into Philadelphia’s first public golf course, back in 1916. Today it sits in a predominately African American neighborhood and two courses occupy the grounds there: The Olde Course and The Karakung Course, “They’re sort of executive courses, where you may not ever hit driver,” says Sims who started playing the golf courses as an adult.
“Funny thing…even though it’s in a predominantly African American neighborhood, I am usually just one of the few African Americans out on the course….Take away from that what you will,” he says.
Sims graduated from Florida A & M University, School of Business & Industry (SBI) with a major in Management/Labor Relations. He holds Property & Casualty insurance licenses and is licensed in about 20 states. Now the Atlanta, Ga., resident is retired from a successful management consulting career and works part-time as a Property and Casualty Sales Representative for State Farm Insurance.
The Sport Came Calling
He recalls that as a youth he idolized (and emulated) mainly basketball and football players. “I never picked up a golf club until I was more than 30-years-old. What prompted me first to consider it, was when I heard that Lawrence (LT) Taylor, the NY Giants football Hall of Famer played golf. I thought, hmmm…maybe it’s not the tired, boring game for the un-athletic that I thought it was.”
A few years later, Sims discovered that NBA basketball legends Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley also played golf, and again, the sport piqued his interest. Long story short, Sims relented, reasoning that maybe golf was worth trying.
With a new set of clubs—presented to him by his father on a special occasion, Sims embarked on a Florida trip (without having taken any golf lessons mind you) and played his very first golf round with a couple of buddies, “Armondo and Cyril, who didn’t play either. One guy, Joe Hunt, from Tampa, could actually play, and kind of showed us everything,” recants Sims. “…Thanks, Joe, for suffering through that round.”
Pressing on to master the game, Sims plays about eight times per month. “I’ve been recovering from an ankle injury so, I’ve played a lot less. But I’m on my way back!”
Golfing Forward; and, Not Looking Back
The devoted player has an official handicap index is a 12. I, which he admits has not been updated in a couple of years. He took a group lesson about 20-years ago, “and I did have one private lesson in Orange County California at the Tustin Ranch golf club, which was a birthday gift. Hence, my handicap is still stuck at 12.”
Photo: Earl Sims (far right, 3rd from the bottom) with golfers at the Rashaan R. Willis Memorial tournament, Gulf Shores, Alabama, 2011, playing Kiva Dunes, Lost Key (also affectionately known as Lost Ball) and the Peninsula courses.
“I did learn the fundamentals, in terms of what the golf swing should look like. I get most of my ‘instruction’ on the course, and by watching the Golf Channel.” He was also a long-standing member of the Canongate G.C. in Atlanta, a multi-course private membership club, and his wife of 11 years, Sherri (a left-hander, who plays right-handed) started out playing early on in their relationship but lost interest. So now, Sims makes tee-times with his golfing fellas, lots of them, too numerous to name.
“Like everyone, consistency is my biggest challenge. Stringing good shots together which result in scoring well….Turns out, I’m a pretty good putter. Most rounds I won’t three putt more than once, or twice.”
Photo: Earl and his golf buddies enjoying golf in Orlando, FL at the Disney Magnolia golf course. (L-R) Earl Sims, Patrick Howard, Frank Taylor, Armondo Burnette and Cyril Prince.
