Richard Brown III  (left) is First African American PGA Master Professional in Teaching & Coaching; Anthony G. Stepney (right) become the First African American PGA Master Professional in Player Development;
Both Earned the PGA’s Highest Educational Achievement

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (June 5, 2019) – The PGA of America has announced that Richard Brown III, PGA Director of Instruction at Quail Valley Golf Course in Missouri City, Texas; and Anthony G. Stepney, Executive Director of APEX Development Partners in Orlando, Florida, are the first two African-Americans to earn PGA Master Professional status, the highest educational designation that can be obtained by a PGA Member.

Brown III, a 14-year PGA Member; and Stepney, a 12-year PGA Member, joined an esteemed group of just 428 PGA Professionals in the history of the PGA of America to have earned PGA Master Professional status. Currently, just one percent of the nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals have achieved the PGA Master Professional designation. Brown III is the first-ever African-American to achieve PGA Master Professional status, with a focus in Teaching & Coaching, while Stepney is the first African-American to achieve PGA Master Professional status in Player Development. 

The PGA Master Professional Program (MPP 2.0) is available to any of the PGA of America’s PGA Professionals who have achieved advanced certification through the PGA Certified Professional Program, which was launched in 2004. The curriculum is comprised of an extensive project based on the specific certification previously acquired by the PGA Professional. Upon approval of the project and successful completion of a presentation, a PGA Member will earn the prestigious PGA Master Professional status. To be eligible, the program requires a minimum of eight years of PGA Membership.

“The PGA of America is proud of Richard Brown and Anthony Stepney for accomplishing the highest education achievement a PGA Member can earn in becoming PGA Master Professionals,” said PGA President Suzy Whaley. “They are both leaders in the game and industry, and the example they are setting for their peers and the next generation of PGA Professionals is a tremendous standard of accomplishment.”

Richard A. Brown, PGA

Richard Brown III, PGA, a member of the Southern Texas PGA Section, who earned PGA Certified Professional status in 2017, has been recognized as a U.S. Kids Top 50 Junior Instructor. He credits Calvin Peete, Lee Elder, Charlie Sifford, Jim Dent, Ted Rhodes, John Shippen and Bob Johnson for paving the way, allowing him the opportunity of becoming a PGA Professional. Brown III operates the Richard Brown School of Golf, where he offers a full lineup of player development programs for kids and adults.

“This achievement is a highlight of my career, but, it does not define my career,” said Brown III. “Yes, this accomplishment places me in rarified air, but I will continue to stay humble and hungry trying to be the best PGA Professional that I can be, to make the game better, one player at a time.”

Anthony G. Stepney, PGA, a member of the North Florida PGA Section, is the Executive Director of APEX Development Partners, an Orlando, Florida-based consulting firm that supports the broad-based developmental needs of organizations, including several golf companies and facilities throughout the country seeking strategic growth and increased profitability. In 2015, Stepney earned PGA Certified Professional status in Player Development. A year later, he was selected for the inaugural PGA LEAD Class, the Association’s leadership development program that identifies, mentors and progresses PGA Members from diverse backgrounds, who aspire to assume leadership positions in the Association.

“Achieving the prestigious PGA Master Professional designation is a pinnacle career accomplishment,” said Stepney. “I consider it an honor to be among the approximately one percent of the PGA of America’s 29,000 Professionals—and among only seven PGA Members who specialize in Player Development, including PGA President Suzy Whaley.”

Anthony Stepney, PGA

Stepney’s Master Professional thesis focused on “Making the Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Golf Industry.” Themes from his final project demonstrated proven and pragmatic ways to grow and broaden the golf consumer base including: helping golf be more accessible and welcoming to a broader population; increasing the number of women, minorities and other underrepresented populations in the golf industry; and guiding members of the golf industry to think more broadly and be mindful of the varied dimensions of difference, among others. 

The PGA Master Professional Program (MPP 2.0) was established in 1969, to recognize PGA Members who have made a significant effort to improve as golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations. As part of its Member education curriculum, the PGA MPP 2.0 program was designed to ensure PGA Professionals are prepared to meet the growing demands of the marketplace.

About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of PGA Professionals who daily work to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGA on Twitter, and find us on Facebook and Instagram.

BY AAGD STAFF

(June 17, 2019)

On a very special evening, in front of a very prestigious crowd, pioneering golfer Lee Elder received the USGA’s highest honor, the Bob Jones award.  Although Elder never saw Bob Jones play, Elder said during the gala that he would keep the bronze statue of the Georgia native—clad in golf knickers—atop the mantle in his bedroom.

The USGA award was presented to Elder on June 12, 2019, during the week of the 119th U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.  The award recognizes those whose sportsmanship and character exemplify the ideals of the game.  Truly, Elder fits, and breaks, this mold.

Elder was the first African American to play in the Masters (1975) and went on to win eight times on the PGA Tour, with death threats and racial harassment along the way.  He openly shared with The Times that on the golf course he needed two houses so retaliators would not know which one to target.  Today, the 84-year old is a quadruple bypass surgery survivor whose positive influence spreads worldwide.  One of ten children, due to unfortunate family circumstances, Elder was orphaned at 9-years-old.  As a youth, he caddied for money. 

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Although his vision is failing, Elder still has a keen sense of remembrance of what it’s like to battle against some of golf’s biggest and baddest bigots.  “It’s something one can never forget,” he told AAGD over the telephone just a few weeks before the momentous occasion.  “Oh, yes, I’ve seen a whole lot and I’ve been through a whole lot.  I am happy to receive this honor while I am still alive.”

Elder’s career has benefited many in various sectors of the game.  He has hosted after-school programs for young people, as manager of the desegregated Langston Golf Course in Washington, D.C.  To help give young men and women a brighter future, in 1974, he established his Lee Elder Scholarship Fund to provide financial aid to low-income students to attend college. 

Mancation participants, May 1-6, 2019, Kingsmill Resort, Virginia

BY AAGD STAFF

June 11, 2019 — As all eyes are on the much-welcomed championship comeback of Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters, golfers of all persuasions are again getting a glimpse of golf mania at its finest.  Players come together on couches, benches, in chat rooms–and on a myriad of live social media platforms–to watch, wager, discuss and compare these amazing PGA Tour players, and getting out to physically participate in the ultimate engagement.

One such program that has never lost its appeal to the black male golf fanatic is the Bogey Boyz annual “Mancation” golf getaway.  The Bogey Boyz, founded in 2006 and based in the Philadelphia (PA) Tri-State area, has spent the last 14 years mastering the golf travel experience for golfers of all skill levels and handicaps. The club is a regionally recognized entity with members who belong to other various organizations and clubs.

For the 2019 getaway, eager golfers traveled from over 10 U.S. states, and as far away as Honduras, to build, bond, make eagles, birdies, pars, and bogeys during the club’s annual spring golf trip.

GIVING GOLFERS WHAT THEY WANT

Al Quarles, 52, is a co-founder of the Bogey Boyz Golf Club.  He plays at a 12 handicap and was introduced to the game at age 5 by his father, the late Alfred B. Quarles Sr.  “Today, the golf club has proven its ability to provide quality golf experiences, products and services through a portfolio that includes the original “Mancation” travel excursion, a Fall Golf Classic, an exclusive apparel line, and a heightened focus on youth golf mentorship.  These initiatives are a buzz throughout their fellowship, and thus, the Bogey Boyz membership is continuously growing. 

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In fact, the growth and popularity of the club resulted in a first-time ever participation cap for its May 1-6, 2019 Mancation trip #14 to Williamsburg, VA, where 56 golfers from across the country attended. There, at the Kingsmill Resort, on the Championship River Course four flights (A, B, C, Senior) battled it out.  The course is bordered by the James River and has hosted some of the world’s best players on both PGA and LPGA tours for more than three decades.  As Bogey Boyz competitors played, within view was the PGA’s Pure Silk Championship grandstands being set up for the end of May tournament.

Mancation #14 packed in a lot of pleasure and activities for the travel package including 5 rounds of golf, lodging at the Historic Powhatan Resort, a “Past Champions” welcome reception, local wine, and beer tasting event, awards banquet, and many other perks which Bogey Boyz members enjoyed.

“We had a waiting list of over 20 golfers eager to get signed up,” says Quarles, a former 3-year Tour Director for the Callaway/Golf Galaxy Philadelphia Golf Tour.

2019 Club Champion, Michael Dupree shot three rounds in the ’70s and finished on Kingsmill from the tips in the low 80’s.

“The group’s principal objective is to focus less on being consumers in the industry, and more on the development and marketing of high-quality golf products and services cultivated for the average African American Golfer,” said Quarles, while reiterating the Bogey Boyz motto: “Play better, dress better, and travel better while giving back to our communities.” 

Should men golfers wish to participate with the Bogey Boyz, this fall they will be hosting their Fall Classic in Ocean City, MD.  For the 2020 year, they have committed to return to Legends Golf Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC, for Mancation #15.

Al Quarles, Co-Founder, Bogey Boyz Golf Club

For more information on Bogey Boyz, membership and or additional activities, visit their Facebook page or contact: [email protected]  or reach President, Al Quarles at 215-341-6909.

Howard Williams, AAGD photojournalist stands alongside the new signage for the Pete Brown Golf Facility located at 3200 W. Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39206

BY HOWARD WILLIAMS

June 2, 2019

The Sonny Guy Jackson, Mississippi, Municipal Golf Course Renaming Ceremony Honors Pete Brown

In 1964 Professional Golfer Pete Brown became the first African American to win a PGA-sanctioned tournament, the Waco Turner Open, held in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Pete’s golfing career began by playing in a tournament hosted by the United Golf Association (UGA), an organization formed by a group of African American golfers who operated a series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks during the era of racial segregation in America.  At that time, Blacks could not play in PGA sanctioned tournaments due to the “Caucasian only” clause of the PGA. Many fans are unaware of the fact that in the 1950s, Pete contracted polio and was paralyzed for a year. He eventually, regained feeling back in his arms and legs and got his golfing confidence back.  Then, in 1961 and 1962, Pete continued to prove his abilities with wins in The Negro Open in the UGA.  

During last Tuesday’s city council meeting, leading up to the renaming celebration, Parks and Recreation Director Ison Harris Jr. learned more about golf legend Pete Brown, who was born in Port Gibson, Miss., but was raised in Jackson.  Brown was born during an era when Blacks were not allowed to play at the municipal course, so he learned golf by watching others play.  This fact was shared by Brown’s widow, Margaret Brown, in attendance at the City Council meeting. The City Council also presented Ms. Brown with a Proclamation.  In spite of the many hindrances and difficulties, Pete went on to become a highly successful golf coach and acquired a country club membership in Jackson.

Once the PGA changed its racist policy, on September 11, 1961, Pete received his PGA card (1963) and also gained sponsorship from the prominent Spalding Sporting Goods (now owned by Callaway).  Spaulding showcased their support of the champion golfer by having Pete’s name emblazoned on its Spalding golf clubs and golf balls.  Pete spent 17-years winning many prestigious tournaments including the Andy Williams Open in 1970 and the Michigan Open in 1972.  Overall Pete won two PGA victories and is a four-time UGA (Negro) National Open Champion.

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On the 31st of May, the City of Jackson (MS) held its second annual Mayor’s Cup.  This year, the two-day golf tournament included an additional highlight: the renaming of the Sonny Guy Municipal Golf Course to its new name honoring golf great Pete Brown.  Jackson (MS) Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba along with city council members, community representatives, and many of the Brown family and Pete’s longtime friends, gathered together for this special occasion to honor his legacy.  Pete’s widow, Margaret Brown, was there too and she witnessed the unveiling of a beautiful, large, new sign that has been installed at the golf course designating its new name as, the Pete Brown Golf Facility. 

Professional golfer Jim Dent, a very good friend of the Brown family, was unable to attend but sent a nice letter of support which was read aloud to the audience.  Charlie Sifford, Jr., the son of legendary golfer Charlie Sifford, was also there and said a few words to honor the memory of Pete Brown. “I know that Pete was watching down on all of this and that he would be pleased,” said Ms. Brown, age 80, who is still in good health, getting around and staying active.

The history of the Sonny Guy golf course goes back decades to its 1947 opening when the municipal course served only for the pleasure of white players.  Brown had been “involved” with the course before he moved on to become the pro at a new “Negro Golf Course,” as reported by The State Times back then, in a clipping collected by the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission. The white golf pro, and former course namesake, Sonny Guy, had previously coached golf at Mississippi State.  Guy even oversaw the building of the new Grove Park Golf Course (off Livingston Road) which would serve for African Americans to play on. In 1964, Guy left Jackson to become the part owner and manager of the Confederate Heights Country Club in Rankin County near Florence, which opened for play in 1969. 

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Margaret Brown absolutely adored her husband. Their holy union of marriage celebrated 58-years years before his death on May 1, 2015.  During the renaming celebration, she stood humbly among the dozens of guests, greeting and thanking them for coming.  She spoke from the heart about her and her husband’s life, their family, Pete’s love of family, and of his love for the game of golf. “I am happy for this tribute by the City of Jackson that honors my late husband, and I know that he would be also,” said Ms. Brown to this publication. “Our life together was magical.  He was a very special person to me, and to the world.”  Margaret has recently relocated back to Dayton, Ohio to be closer to her family. 

“It was so nice to see so many of my cousins whom I had not seen in years,” said Ms. Brown, who was chauffeured around the city and taken good care of by the organizers.  “I am really pleased with how everything turned out, and I even got a chance to visit my old elementary school, Smith Robinson, which was segregated at the time.  “I was a real tomboy during my early youth  years, climbing trees, fighting and getting called into the principal’s office.”  She also got a chance to visit the Medgar Evers Home Museum, “We actually heard the shot on the night of June 12, 1963 when he was assassinated,” says Ms. Brown.  “Then we saw the police lights but we were kept back from going over there.”  The Ever’s home was located behind her and her husband’s Pete’s house at the time.  “It was really something to see all of this now, and to remember that night.”  

Many at the course renaming celebration who personally knew Pete spoke not so much of the man as a golfer, nor of his many wins and superb golfing abilities, but rather shared their memories of him as a great person, his jovial and positive spirit, and how he never, ever, spoke negatively about anyone or anything. It was said by one such guest that when Pete was a Pro at a golf course in Ohio, the children would knock on the office door and ask if Mr. Brown could come out and play.  He loved children and he loved teaching youth his favorite sport.

PHOTO GALLERY BELOW OF GUESTS ENJOYING THE RENAMING CEREMONY
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”33″ gal_title=”Pete Brown Golf Facility 2019 Renaming”]

On the surrounding walls in the course renaming reception room was a display of various photos and memorabilia of Pete’s golfing life.  Items included articles from golf magazines, tournament win events and even some of the Spalding golf equipment with his name engraved in them. It was noted that  Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba stated that seeing the wondrous display and hearing the words spoken by the guests  truly did bring the renaming celebration of Pete Brown “the Man “all together.