Coming onto the golf scene, Tiger Woods emerged with an international applause. His keenly honed golf skills brought the world to its feet in golf arenas everywhere. Tiger’s persence also gained attention to the issue of the experience of African American in golf. However, there was plenty of action on the greens of golf courses before Tiger arrived, phenominal Black golfers like Ted Rhodes, Bill Spiller, Ann Gregory, and so many others had awesome golfing skills, yet, because they were Black golfers, they remained in relative obscurity without being given the chance to compete.
Forbidden Fairways uncover this history of Blacks in golf and examines their participation for over 200 years. It focuses on the missed tributes, non-incusive inductions into golf Halls of Fame, declined membership acceptances in professional golf and at ritzy golf country clubs. From the unnamed South Carolina enslaved young man who first dared to hit a golf ball when his master wasn’t looking . . . to another young man named Tiger who dared to win the Masters while the whole world watched.
Sinnette’s book is a sad story in places, uplifting in others. He uncovers the cruelty faced by Black golfers, and the courage and determination of these players to continue playing the game they loved so much in spite of it all. It’s about pettiness, but it’s also about perseverance. It’s about golf, but it’s about life, too. Descriptive and intuitive, Forbidden Fairways lets you in on the real story.
Included in this edition is a new Introduction by Sinnette, as well as remarks he delivered at the African American Golf History Symposium at the United States Gold Association Museum in Far Hills, NJ.
