Leading a national organization towards growth, fun, camaraderie, and golf is a mission that Marc A. Metze is accomplishing as president of the National Negro Golf Association (NNGA).
Founded in July 1965 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania by a small group of Black professionals, the original organizers sought to revive the glorious unification of their college days. Situated mid-point between New York (NY), Washington (D.C.), and Cleveland (OH), one of the founders, George Hampton, was stationed in the Army at Indian Town Gap Military Reservation in Gap, Pa., There, the group began inviting friends to their small golf outings.
Dr. Hershel Cochran and several other NNGA members met with Eddie Payton, then Golf Coach of Jackson State, to determine whether the concept of creating a Championship Tournament among HBCU’s would be achievable. Thereafter, The National Minority College Golf Championship became a reality. Clarence Rogers was the organizing chairman and served as the first president of the program. Jimmy Chandler served on the first board of trustees.
“Back in those days, a bunch of us guys had been hanging out together and we decided to set up something at the Hershey Hotel, located in Hershey, PA.,” Says 93-year-old Dr. Hampton, the only living founder of NNGA. “I had sent my driver over, who was white, to make the reservation. The day before the tournament, I went over to make the payment and the staff said they had never heard of me.” So, Dr. Hampton scrambled to find another location for the golf game and ended up with 13 guys playing at a motel in Lebanon, PA. “Afterward, the guys all went back to their hometown and started Chapters: Cleveland, New York and Washington, D.C,” recalls Dr. Hampton. The next year, the very first tournament was organized in Pittsburgh, PA.
Throughout the years, the tournament benefited the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and was supported by several corporate sponsors, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for scholarships. Out of this effort, the National Minority Golf Scholarship Tournament was started and the funds were designated towards Historically Black Colleges and Universities to assist a broader base of Black students.
Beginning in 1987 the scholarship tournaments were held in Cleveland, OH. With the ongoing success on the tournament, the PGA of America became interested and started being involved by donating golf balls and equipment. The PGA of America later assumed management of the tournament, became the primary sponsor and providers of the venue. The tournament grew to became the National Minority College Golf Championship and rebranded a few years ago as the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship.
This year, during the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship the NNGA, originators of the golf tournament, were honored by the PGA of America at the event held May 10-12 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
To this day, distinguished member Dr. George Hampton has never been beaten by any member of the NNGA, or elsewhere, because he does not play golf. Yet, his life is filled with a magnitude of positive contributions to the game and to society and his efforts have shaped the world into a better place for everyone. Held in the highest of esteem, he has been honored to have a Dale City (VA) middle school named after him.
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Today, 56-years later, NNGA has grown to more than 200 members, from Maine to California, with eight chapters: Atlanta, Cleveland, Independent, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Washington (DC) and Omega. The brotherhood of African American golfers has a long list of outstanding members among its ranks including, government officials, distinguished professionals, tradesmen, entrepreneurs, and even a Pulitzer Prize winner, and the NNGA is always willing to open its doors to those that can share in their credo: “Fun, Camaraderie and Golf”.
“Though our mission focuses on the enjoyment of our members, NNGA recognizes the need to play a role in our communities,” says Metze, 52, a Houston, TX-based criminal defense attorney with roots in Brooklyn, NY. He earned a B.S. Degree from Fisk University and J.D. from Texas Southern University.
“The National Negro Golf Association’s interest in youth has inspired us to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the United Negro College Fund through sponsorship of celebrity golf tournaments in chapter cities,” says Metze, and NNGA has proudly come to the aid of several African American professional golfers with funding to assist with their careers and player development.
The NNGA strongly believes in player development and early in its history, in 1987, the Cleveland Chapter, under the direction of Dr. Herschel Cochran, a NNGA founder, started the National Minority Inter-Collegiate Golf Tournament. The success of the effort engaged more than 400 students from 24 minority colleges and universities who received scholarships from the proceeds of the event.
“Today, the NNGA annually supports the National Minority Junior Golf Scholarship Fund through our national administration and individual contributors,” said Metze, who has been a member of the Quail Valley golf course MGA for 10 years. The father of five was introduced to golf by his ex-father-in-law and now plays at a 6 handicap.
NNGA hosts several events throughout the year and continues to be committed to the concept of helping others and bringing people from all walks of life together for fun and golf.
The NNGA is an exclusive African American Men’s golf organization. To learn more about the National Negro Golf Association visit https://nnga.us/