Kendall and Jeff Dunovant
(December 1, 2019) I’m grateful to have been intimately engaged in golf, in one way or another, since I was 12-years-old. Over the years, I’ve seen the good, bad, and ugly sides of the game and its industry. Today’s article is about the good of the game! It’s a story about Kendall Dunovant, an inspiring young woman dedicated to continuing a family legacy through the game of golf.
Golf has always been part of Kendall’s life. She is the daughter of Jeff Dunovant, PGA member, Director of Instructions for The First Tee of Metro Atlanta, and Head Golf Professional at Charlie Yates Golf Course.
That makes her the granddaughter of Harold Dunovant, Jeff’s father, and the first Black to graduate from the PGA Business School. Harold Dunovant is also the founder of the National Black Golf Hall of Fame; established in 1986.
Kendall attended and graduated from Whitman College, a small private Liberal Arts school in Walla Walla, Washington. There, she majored in History and Environmental Studies. She played on the golf team, too, and always aspired to work in the golf industry.
Well, on September 30, 2019 she was hired by the USGA, as the Coordinator for Rules Inquiries. Her office is at the USGA headquarters, in Far Hills, NJ. She is part of a team that will travel to USGA championships throughout 2020 to sharpen their skills on the rules of the game and help assure contestants abide by them at sanctioned events. I asked Kendall if one of her goals was to be a certified Rules Official, and she responded, “not really, but it would be kind of cool to be one on tour.”
Here’s a bit of irony, or perhaps something bigger to us people of faith. Jeff Dunovant, her father, once studied and served an apprenticeship to be a Rules Official on the PGA Tour. But he never got his chance. Jeff came close to reaching the PGA Tour, having served on the Nike Tour rules team for a year and a half. The Nike Tour is now known as the Korn Ferry Tour, the player development and feeder system to the PGA Tour.
That opportunity was provided to Jeff by Deane Beman, then Commissioner of the PGA Tour. At the time, Jeff was Assistant Golf Professional at the esteemed TPC Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra, FL. Orlando Pope, also African American, worked alongside Jeff as an Assistant Pro at the same location. Commissioner Beman took a liking to both and paved the way for them to attend workshops geared towards developing qualified and certified tour rules officials.
Throughout the process, Jeff got transferred within the TPC network to Phoenix. Pope remained at Sawgrass, near PGA Tour headquarters. When one spot for a Rules Official became available, Orlando Pope got the call. Jeff was happy for Orlando, of course, and still is today. Yet he admits that he wanted the same opportunity then, and he still would welcome it now!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: PGA of America Announces Open Registration for Newly Re-Branded 33rd PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, formerly known as the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship
Today, over 20 years later, Orlando Pope remains the lone African American rules official on tour. But, as I wrote earlier, this story is about the good side of golf, so let’s get back to Kendall…
Kendall told me that family legacy has been the largest influencer on her life thus far. She said it’s important to her to carry on the family traditions in golf, and equally important to help the sport attract non-traditional markets. She mentioned being inspired by the positive environment and vibes at the annual PGA minority collegiate championship each May (now the PGA Works Collegiate Championship), which she competed in throughout her college career.
Here’s a bit more irony…father Jeff played in the first three minority championships as a member of the Fayetteville State University golf team. Follow this link for a short video featuring Kendall and Jeff at the annual championship: https://vimeo.com/226202541?ref=fb-share&1.
Kendall has been inspired and motivated from many, including Sandy Cross, former Diversity & Inclusion specialist for the PGA of America. Sandy is now their Chief People Officer. According to Kendall, Sandy “has been a wonderful resource for me.”
Good luck Kendall Dunovant! I am proud to know you and the Dunovant family. I’m sure others join me in wishing you greatness in your new role with the USGA. Your family has promoted golf for decades. It’s heartwarming to know you will continue the family legacy!
Michael Cooper, Ph.D.
Chairman
We Are Golf Diversity Task Force
mcooper2@springfieldcollege.edu
