August 3, 2020
Golf Digest will sponsor a new event geared toward supporting and growing the African American golf community.
In partnership with organizer Jim Beatty Golf Ventures LLC, Golf Digest announced Wednesday its title sponsorship of the first-ever African American Golf Expo and Forum to be held February 20-23, 2021, in Atlanta, Ga.
The event’s mission is to attract golf industry leaders and stakeholders, avid golfers and new players to promote economic inclusion and diversity throughout golf. It will also serve as a networking opportunity for golf careers and programs for the African American golf community.
In response to the ongoing discussion of racial inequality following the death of George Floyd, Golf Digest editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde acknowledged in a widely-circulated column that the 70-year-old-brand needed to improve its coverage and support of minority golfers. The sponsorship of the EXPO is reflective of that effort.
“Golf is still on the journey from exclusion to inclusion, and we think the African American Golf EXPO and Forum will accelerate understanding and passion for the game among diverse audiences,” said Tarde, who is also Global Head of Strategy & Content for Discovery Golf. “We want to bring together golf and Black communities to champion the opportunities available.
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“Golf Digest has a rich history of advocating for better access and affordability to support the game’s long-term sustainability and growth. We share the same values and ambitions as Jim and his team and the synergies among us will allow Golf Digest to maximize the reach of the EXPO to golfers everywhere.”
The EXPO plans to feature some 20 workshops, learning forums and seminars tailored to help men and women navigate various aspects of the golf industry.
“We’re thrilled to have the support of the world’s No.1 most widely read golf publication and its team, including Jerry Tarde, who will enable us to share the EXPO to more people than we ever could have imagined,” said Jim Beatty, Founder and President of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures, Executive Editor of African American Golfer’s Digest and organizer of the African American Golf EXPO and Forum.
