“For the sixth year in a row, I am honored to declare April as National Black Golf Month. The 30-days in April offer a tremendous benefit to golfers who wish to get out on the course and play the game, and an opportunity for those who are curious about playing, to learn more” said Debert Cook, CMP, publisher of the 13-year-old, national magazine. The featured event for National Black Golf Month is the New Orleans Jazz and Golf Masters Tournament & Achievement Awards. “We hope that golfers, and non-golfers, will flock to New Orleans for this exciting program that we have been promoting for several months, honoring some of the best in golf and jazz.”
Celebration the sixth year of National Black Golf month, the African American Golfer’s Digest is openly inviting golf clubs, organizations, and industry and community leaders nationwide to join in championing the effort that is geared to raising awareness of the game among African Americans.The designated month has received support from several U.S. mayors, who have declared their patronage by proclaiming a “National Black Golf Month” and “National Black Golf Month Day” in their respective cities including: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (New York, NY); Mayor Mayor Kasim Reed (Atlanta, GA); Mayor William A. Bell, Sr. (Birmingham, AL); Mayor Jim Suttle (Omaha, NE) and Mayor Buddy Dyer (Orlando, FL). Others are also expected to join the campaign throughout the month. A resolution was also introduced into the Louisiana Legislature by Senator Karen Carter Peterson.
We are reaching people this April at the core of Black communities—in inner-city schools, churches and at public courses, referring them to our National Calendar of Golf Events and our list of African American Golf Trainers, all to help Black Americans to become involvement in the game,” says Cook.
According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF) research report, Minority Golf Participation in the U.S, 2015 edition, Twenty years after Tiger Woods stepped before a microphone in Milwaukee on Aug. 28, 1996, and with the words “Hello, World,” touched off the most meaningful golf industry growth since Arnold Palmer and President Eisenhower jump-started it 40 years earlier, there are reasons to be confident about the stability of the game.
While the latest NGF participation numbers show a slight dip in 2015 to 24.1 million (over the age of 6 who played at least once) from 24.7 million the two previous years, numbers remained strong in several crucial areas: among committed golfers, beginning golfers and in the number of people interested in taking up the game. While the total drop in golfers from 2014 to 2015 was within the national study’s statistical margin of error, the results do suggest that a slow leak in overall participation persists. However, NGF analysis continues to show that attrition is confined mainly to those who never really got into the game.
“It has always been the mission of our publication to grow and expose the game to as many Black people in America as we possible could. Golf has so many benefits socially, health-wise and it is a wonderful game that can be played for a lifetime,” said Ms. Cook. “Golf is one of the fastest growing sports among our demographic, and by declaring April as National Black Golf Month, it is our desire to see citizens, young and old, in all of our communities, at all income levels become involved in this game that is filled with influential leaders.”
Previously, Cook has mentioned the fact that Black people are becoming genuinely concerned about what they eat, how much they work out, their overall health, and many are now seeking to engage in activities where they feel accepted and comfortable. “National Black Golf Month is what this is all about.”
“Many people have been surprised to learn that this monthly designation exists; they had no idea there are free golf programs for their youth, scholarships for their students, and more….this is all great news to spread” says Cook.
