HOWARD BANKHEAD
Blog: December 2011
My View On The Future For Blacks
In The World of Golf!
Season’s Greetings All,
In order for our children to have a fair chance in the future to compete in the game of golf and have equal access to opportunities in the golf industry, we must impact their live today!
“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today!”
Historical norms prove that history will repeat itself and the status quo will stay in place if no one takes the steps to initiate bold change! I have done this in my community and it wasn’t and still isn’t easy. The change I am talking about is in the future, to see more blacks on the tour and in the industry.
We have had and continue to have players like; Charlie Sifford, Jim Dent, Calvin Peete, Lee Elder, Jim Thorpe and lesser know players, in the game during the era of Jim Crow and at the end of segregation. Ironically, back in the day, when the black players were denied true access to the game, we had more players on the professional tour than we do today with more access…go figure!
But, now that the golf industry is somewhat open to all, we do not have the same fight we once had for full access and opportunities that the game presents. But we still have a fight on our hands in the golf industry and in our communities. We must make our young people aware that there is more to life in sports then football, basketball and tattoos!
I am just as conservative as the so-called political groups call themselves. But I am totally against the norm and status quo. A good friend of mine, Michael Cooper (MC), in the golf industry educated me on the move for more diversity in golf. I know some of the moves the golf industry has made to bring more diversity to the game are good, but do not be deceived.
Some of us see diversity in golf as reaching out to the minorities in America meaning more Blacks, Hispanics and children. The golf industry has invested millions in various forms to increase diversity through programs like The First Tee and the United States Golf Association (USGA) “For the Good of the Game” grants. Other diversity efforts include the Professional Golfers Association (The PGA of America) and their Supplier Diversity Forum, which introduces Women Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) to Procurement Officers of major golf companies. These investments are all well and good.
But like most of us, I want to see more Blacks playing on the professional tours and having major roles in making business decisions in the industry. And my good friend (MC) shared with me, some in the golf industry mean well to bring more American diversity to the game.
But for the powers that be, as Greg Norman recently called them, their view on diversity in golf is more global. With golf being part of the 2016 Olympics, the powers that be see the Asian and South American golf markets as bringing more diversity and money to the game, much more then America Blacks, Hispanics and minority children.
These are a few reasons why I have been involved in the youth development golf business. In the Black community, most of us do not have a clue of the opportunities in the golf industry. We do not understand that in the golf world/environment, decisions are made that effects all aspects of our lives in one way or another, from business to education to politics. I want to see us get more involved the golf world so we can be part of the decision-making that affect the lives of our youth versus hoping to benefit from decisions that we had no part in.
Malcolm X said, “For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” I am working hard to help prepare our kids today, so they will have a say so tomorrow.
Let me know your thoughts on this. Send me a message with your comments.
Howard Bankhead
Executive Director
Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development
604 Jordan Lane
Huntsville, AL 35816 USA
256-604-8172
