Charlie Sifford
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Tommy Bolt, Charlie Sifford, Payne Stewart and Lee Trevino, a foursome that left a historic impact upon American golf, head a class of seven inductees to be enshrined into the PGA of America Hall of Fame on October 15, 2015.
The 2015 class, to be honored Nov. 12, at the PGA’s 99th Annual Meeting in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, also features 2013 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Michael Doctor of Camillus, New York; 2014 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Ray Cutright of Macon, Georgia; and legendary University of Texas Coach George Hannon.
“It is with great pride that the PGA of America welcomes this exceptional class into the PGA of America Hall of Fame, who by their achievements have made significant and lasting contributions to our Association and the game of golf,” said PGA President Derek Sprague. “They represent individuals who were passionate leaders; stood strong against social injustice; inspired young players to greater heights; and whose performance on the course is remembered for generations. Their names will be inscribed among those who have made golf the greatest game.”
(L-R: top row) George Hannon, Lee Trevino, Michael Doctor
(L-R: bottom row) Payne Stewart, Tommy Bolt
All photos owned by The Professional Golfers’ Association of America.
For a closer glance of the 2015 PGA Hall of Fame inductees, click here
The SwingTalk Golf Swing Analyzer by Golfzon became the newest swing analyzer available after being introduced to the North American market in January of 2015.
I was skeptical, as I’d been before with previous swing analyzers, if my experience with the SwingTalk would follow that of the other golfers that had posted their respective experiences in different forums or be worth the $149.95 price tag.
The missing element, however, was a video of the SwingTalk being used. This prompted a visit to their their website (www.swingtalkgolf.com). The first video available was the SwingTalk – Golf Swing Analyzer with Voice Feedback.
Although the video provided the features and benefits of the SwingTalk, it didn’t alleviate my skepticism based upon the comments I’d read; they’d felt the same initial excitement about the SwingTalk Golf Swing Analyzer as I had, but each of them commented on their respective pain points which ranged from a mishit that resulted in a broken analyzer to problems with the unit not staying in place.
The first opportunity to see the SwingTalk in use was the official testimonial featuring Robin Symes, which was commented upon as well in the forum as an “endorsed” testimonial:
Whether it’s Mark O’Meara selling you on the Medicus or Jack “Hammer” Hamm screaming after hitting a drive, there’s inevitably an endorsed testimonial with every product.
For me, it was the first opportunity to see both the SwingTalk and App in use which showcased the all-in-one aspect; supporting both iOS and Android, and allowing you to analyze every club in the bag including the putter was a huge plus.
It admittedly eased my skepticism, and pushed me towards seeing the value of this swing analyzer. Prior to purchasing the SwingTalk, which I’d found on Amazon and Ebay, I searched YouTube to see if there was an “unendorsed” review. There were a few choices, but the best result was the below video by Meandmygolf: https://youtu.be/23oWXY2Ayio
As a former PGA of Canada Class A Professional, I appreciated the approach Piers and Andy took to their video to not only speak to the pros and cons of the SwingTalk, but also how you could use the analyzer to make improvements to your swing and/or putting using the data provided.
Both Piers and Andy addressed it in the video but having that instant feedback to allow you to start understanding the changes needed to establish an inside to out path, for example, is well worth the price of the SwingTalk.
Yes, there were some slight inconsistencies in the data when compared against the launch monitor data but the end result was a club that worked inside-to-out versus outside-to-in which will go a long ways towards more consistently being in the fairway.
My Own Testing
I took to testing the SwingTalk with the help of PGA of Canada Class A Professional, Trevor Woynarski at GolfTEC Vancouver. It gave me an opportunity to not only test the analyzer against the Foresight GC2 Launch Monitor (without HMT) but also to use the Motion Measurement and Video Technology offered at GolfTEC.
Now, while we saw similar inconsistencies in the data between the SwingTalk and GC2, it didn’t feel any different than the discrepancies that can be found between data on a GC2 versus data on a Trackman. More importantly, the data from the SwingTalk was consistent in the data it gave us, and mirrored the swings we’d made.
I will say though that throughout our testing the issues experienced with either the SwingTalk coming out of the grip or “incorrect swing” being displayed were minimal. I am interested to see how durable it will be over time, but certainly recommend taking the time to align the SwingTalk prior to every swing, and ensure it’s properly in place. It will serve to provide the most accurate data, and mitigate the chances of damaging the SwingTalk.
It brings up the matter of Support. After seeing the response from their Customer Service Department to a golfer who had a broken SwingTalk, I hope this is an area that improves as they look to grow their presence in the North American market because having to ship the defective and/or broken unit back to Korea or being told to reference the FAQ section of their website will have golfers quickly considering a different swing analyzer from their competition.
I personally think the SwingTalk is a better swing analyzer than a lot of the competing golf swing analyzers, but beyond the support, there are three other improvements that I hope could be provisioned into the next iteration of the App.
The first being a video capability that would allow you to record swings from face on and down the line with the ability to see the 3D data against plane lines, for example. It would also improve the comparison against the Pro swing to see more visually than what’s currently offered.
The second would be the inclusion of drills using the SwingTalk, and the appropriate data in a similar fashion to how Piers and Andy approached using the swing analyzer to help fix slicing the ball. It won’t replace going to see your local PGA Professional as Michael Breed says, but at $149.95, the SwingTalk provides a portable alternative that will appeal to a lot of golfers.
For the golfer who uses this alongside, and WITH, their local PGA Professional, there’s a lot of upside to having this all-in-one device that will allow you to show and hide the data depending upon what he or she wants you to work on.
Final Thoughts
While I remain skeptical about the Support, and the durability. Both Trevor and I agreed that the ability to analyze your swing with every club in your bag with such a portable device would appeal to all levels of golfers and Teaching Professionals alike.
Spending time with family, watching his son play basketball, reading, and listening to jazz, sums up most of the things that Richard Alexander Brown enjoys—that is, when he’s not playing golf! The Houston, Texas, resident grew up in San Francisco, Calif., and he fondly recalls the plethora of great golf courses that were available to play there.
As a youth, several of his East Oakland neighborhood friends helped to introduce him to golf. Now, years later, Brown, 56, carries a +1 handicap and is a member of the PGA of America who has been a professional for over 30 years.
Brown serves at the Quail Valley Golf Club in Missouri City, Texas, and is Director of Instruction at his Richard Brown School of Golf. The best thing about his work, says Brown, is that he enjoys “helping teach people the game of golf, and watching them excel at something that they might of thought that they couldn’t achieve.”
The Grambling State University graduate (class of 1982) earned degrees in Information Systems and Accounting. He attended Grambling State on a golf scholarship in 1977. Afterwards, tried to qualify for the PGA Tour in the early-mid 80’s. Brown is a Level III certified with the Titleist Performance Institute for Golf Fitness/ Junior Coaching and K-VEST certifications, along with being FlightScope Launch Monitor certified.
With a busy schedule, Brown manages to keep his game in top shape by playing 3-4 holes daily with friends and club members at Quail Valley Golf Club in Missouri City, Texas. Due to his work schedule he’s not been able to prepare for tournament play, but eagerly admits to loving the sport for the “challenge that golf presents, being outdoors and meeting other people.” However, finding time to play more rounds is Brown’s biggest challenge.
Over his 40+ years of playing, Brown has had many instructors. “My last lesson was with Hank Haney. Training with Hank gave me a better understanding of ‘angles in the swing’.” And, no doubt about that, as Hank Haney is known worldwide for his expertise in helping golfers to better understand their swing and lower their scores.
Overall, Brown most admires golfers Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods. “Both golfers came from meager, or humble, beginnings and went on to become championship/hall of fame-caliber players.”
Brown is an active member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Rho Xi Chapter. He and his wife Monica have been married for 19 years and together they are proud of their only child, Richard A. Brown IV. “We used to play golf together when he was younger, but now his passion has turned to basketball.” His son, age 17, is a stunning 6’7” tall and, an excellent basketball player at Lutheran South Academy. He just received a basketball scholarship offer from Tuskegee University.
The Scott Mentorship Golf Tournament Group (Mentorship Group) held its inaugural golf tournament on May 22, 2015. This tournament was designed specifically to honor several outstanding mentors, raise money to support mentorship programs of select military and non-military non profits, and to help young men and women become our future world leaders. The tournament was held at the beautiful Planterra Ridge Country Club in Peachtree City, Georgia. Through the event, local and national community participates were able celebrate, recognize, and support military and other related service organizations,
The Mentorship Group was formed to continue the legacy of seven Colonels assigned to Scott Air Force Base during the 1980s. The Group will always recognize the “Outstanding” mentorship of Colonels (Retired) Clinton Black, John Culver, (R) Walter Harrison, Horace Humphreys, William Linton, J. P. Morgan, Walter Smith, and Woodrow Wilson; they were model mentors and set the mentorship standard.
(photo left: Colonels Smith and Black, mentors, and Travis Lewis,presenter).
These mentors placed “serving others” as a priority and shared professional, personal, and financial wisdom success stories unselfishly that led others to career and personal successes. These seven men saw the need to mentor younger officers so that their talents would be used to support the needs of this nation; they truly believed in “Service Before Self,” the foundation that makes truly Outstanding Mentors. These celebrated special mentors deliberately took bold steps to improve the professional development of numerous junior officers which led to many mentees reaching the senior officer or executive ranks. They were key in helping smooth the path leading to career success which can be honored by continuing to help or support others achieve success.
Although the Group initially recognized these outstanding mentors at a special golf event and dinner on October 9, 2010, the overarching need to continue this legacy and support the mentorship of others led the Group to broaden the scope to support and recognize other organizations. The Group proceeded in that path and this year gave special recognition to Colonel (Retired) Bobby Washington for his exceptional mentorship efforts and innovativeness in founding Great Oak Youth Development Centers in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The Great Oak program has become a city wide program that includes the city of Fayetteville (NC), Fort Bragg Military, and Fayetteville State University. Most importantly, the Group honored the “Outstanding Seven” special mentors and provided five non-profit organizations: Wounded Warriors, Fairways for Warriors, Friends Mentoring, Flat Rock Community Development Center, and Great Oak Development Centers with donations of $1,000 each. We appreciate the support from the local community, volunteers, donors, and sponsors. The event was a fun filled day with all winners.
We invite everyone to participate with us in our next outing that is scheduled to be held on April 22, 2016. We seek your participation in two major ways. We invite you to 1.) nominate a mentor or a mentorship program that is worthy of recognition. 2.) We invite you to participate in the tournament as a player or as a donor supporting the organizations identified. We are a non-profit group that returns all donations (100%) to our mission.
Golf Results/Tournament Winners
F1st Place Team: Travis Lewis, George Sanders, Richard Gaydos and Johnny Davis
2nd Place Team: Charles Robinson, Travis Johnson and Douglas Middleton
- Longest Drive: Charles Robinson
- Closest to the Pin: George Sanders
- Best Putter: Ray Hill
We appreciate the committee members (Grady Hannah, Elijah Jackson, Travis Lewis, Grady Lovette, Julius McClellan, and Abe Morrall), volunteers (Vanessa Johnson, Valencia Morrall, and Brenda Smith), and jazz musicians (George and Lucille Dobrin). The Event Pictures taken by Jason McDonald, JM Photography. We also appreciate donations from Chick-fil-A – Fayetteville, Infiniti of South Atlanta, Kroger – Fayetteville, and Pykes and Associates.
The tournament was a great success and the Group would love for you to join us at Planterra Ridge Golf Club, Peachtree City GA, so save the date, April 22, 2016! Please provide feedback/suggestions for our next Tournament to Abe Morrall, Event Coordinator, 678 463 4334 or email [email protected]. Inspired and committed to support developing America’s Future!
*Price: Single occupancy only: $1,620
Double occupancy only: $1,068 per person in a shared room.
$500 non-refundable DEPOSIT due immediately,
to reserve your space.
BALANCE due by MARCH 20, 2016
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: “GAME ON” COSTA RICA GOLF TOURNAMENT
This outing will be played on April 11, 2016 at Valle del Sol golf course
Format: Individual stroke play with wins for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place!
Putting Contest open to all players…so bring your best stroke.
Fantastic prizes, FREE raffles and deluxe “swag” gift bag to all participants.
Non-golfers welcome to join this exciting tropical excursion–there’s plenty to do!
View the full itinerary below:
*ITINERARY
April 8th : Private Transfer San Jose Intl. Airport – San Jose Hotel
Airport arrivals.
Arrive at the San Jose International Airport. Upon clearing immigration and customs, exit the airport and meet your driver who will be waiting for you. Board the van for the 20 minute drive to San Jose. Arrive a hotel Ramada Herradura and check into superior rooms.
Check in at the beautiful
Wyndham Ramada San Jose – Herradura.
All guests at Wyndham Ramada San Jose are invited to use the Cariari Country Club Golf Course at a discounted rate. Of course, your stay with this package includes 1 complimentary round!
Other amenities and services include full use of three crystal clear swimming pools, indoor jacuzzi, sauna, expert massage service, fully stocked beauty salon, enchanting restaurants, lively Casino, gift shop, business center, wake up calls, high speed internet access, in-room safety-deposit boxes, free airport shuttle, 24-hour room service, on-site currency exchange, laundry service, and cable TV.
Overnight at: Wyndham Ramada San Jose – Herradura – Superior Room
– Breakfast Included for your stay! A delicious daily buffet breakfast is included with your reservation and offers a variety of fresh and cooked to order food items.
Costa Rican cuisine is a blend of Native American, Spanish, African and many other cuisine origins. Dishes such as the traditional tamale and others made of corn are the most representative of its indigenous inhabitants. And later in the 19th century, the African flavor lent its presence with influence from other Caribbean mixed flavors. This is why Costa Rican cuisine today is very varied, with every new ethnic group who had recently become part of the country’s population influencing the country’s cuisine.
Superior rooms are spacious and inviting with one king-sized and two queen-sized beds. Bathrooms with tubs, most have a Jacuzzi. All these rooms have a beautiful view of the hotel’s enticing gardens.
ABOUT San Jose
San Jose is Costa Rica’s capital and home to a quarter of its population. A city tour provides a cultural experience for tourists who want to see the Costa Rican lifestyle. Other travelers may prefer to use San Jose as a base for taking day trips to other regions of the country. Popular attractions near the city include the Poas and Irazu Volcanoes, white water rafting, the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Orosi and Cartago (home of the country’s largest Catholic church), and the renowned Rainforest Aerial Tram at the Braulio Carrillo National Park.
San Jose is also home to the country’s top restaurants and some of its best entertainment. The downtown area offers interesting sights, such as the National Museum, Children’s Museum, Gold Museum, Jade Museum, National Theatre, Melico Salazar Theatre, parks, plazas, and the Central Avenue walking boulevard.
April 9th : Club Cariari – One 18 Holes Round of Golf
The Cariari Country Club, offers an 18-hole golf course designed by Arch George Fazio on a former coffee plantation. A par 71 golf course, measuring 6,577 yards from the longest tees, Cariari Country Club is scenic and enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels. The course is heavily wooded with narrow fairways and large greens with sand traps throughout. Regular rate to play this course is $110.00- per person, but as a part of this package your round is INCLUDED!
Location – 5 minutes from Ramada Hotel. (Golf club rental: $ 30.00- per person)
We’ll tee-off at 10:00 a.m. for the individual stroke play “GAME ON” COSTA RICA golf tournament. Dinner that evening will showcase our winners and some great prizes!
April 10th San Jose
Day at your leisure to explore the area and take optional tours (not included), such us:
Aerial tram, city tour, Poas volcano,
Grecias / Search
April 11th
Valle del Sol- 18 Holes
Enjoy your day of golfing in San Jose at this challenging and wonderful golf course. Within the exclusive community Parque Valle del Sol in Posos de Santa Ana there is located Valle del Sol Golf Course, with a spectacular 18 holes Championship golf course.
If you are looking for a course that offers serene memories at every tee box, you’ll find it here. This course offers golfers the best technical conditions and most modern specifications to have and unique experience in harmony with Nature and the exceptional scenic beauty and climate of Santa Ana.
Regular rate to play this course is $75.00.- per person; but as a part of this package your round is INCLUDED!
Location- 30 min drive from Ramada Hotel. (Golf club rental: $45.00- per person). Includes: 1 round -18 holes.
What to bring: Collared Shirts or mock neck are required, Tennis Shoes are allowed, Shorts must be “Bermuda” length. NO METAL SPIKES. Inappropriate Attire: Tank tops, T-Shirts, Denim, Cut-off shorts (Dress Code strongly enforced).
Transportation from/ to hotel is included.
April 12th & 13th San Jose
Days at your leisure to re-play (on your own) the Cariari Country Club golf course or Valle del Sol or enjoy other activities.
April 14th San Jose – Departure
It’s time to snap your final photos, and say good-bye….
At a time to be determined, our group will be transferred to San Jose international airport ( 15 min. drive)
Your Costa Rica Golf Vacation Package includes ALL THIS!
Private transfer from San Jose airport to hotel
6 nights at hotel Wyndham Ramada Herradura , superior rooms, breakfast included
One round of golf per person at Cariari Country Club
One round of golf per person at Valle del Sol, transportation included
Private transfer to San Jose airport
Hotel & Sales tax
Plus!! Each participant will receive these fabulous EXTRAS:
-10% discount on food and beverage at the Hard Rock café ( located on hotel property)!
– Restaurant Quattro (located on hotel property) + from 5 to 9pm: happy hour 2 for 1 drinks!
-$10.00 in poker chips to spend at the hotel Casino!
-10% discount on products and services at the hotel spa!
Contact:
Silvia Mattio at
800-608-3119, ext. 107 (toll free)
*Itinerary and pricing subject to change.
Typically, guests arriving on evening flights and/or departing on early morning flights choose to stay in San Jose for their first and/or last nights. Many visitors choose to stay an extra night or two to enjoy the sights and experience more of the city!
BOOK YOUR TOURS IN ADVANCE HERE
(By Andy Zunz) –Unable to swing a golf club after a second microdiscectomy back surgery, Tiger Woods will attend the Bridgestone America’s Golf Cup on Oct. 22-25 but not participate.
Woods will meet with government officials Oct. 20 in Mexico City and host a golf clinic with Matt Kuchar – with whom Woods was scheduled to partner for the best-ball event – that same day, according to a release on TigerWoods.com.
Read more at GOLFWEEK
Your trip to Costa Rica is not complete without getting up-close and seeing this beautiful country and all that it has to offer! Book your tours early, directly with our travel coordinator Ms. Silvia Mattio to insure your spot!
TOURS:
-Aerial Tram ( 45 min drive, each way) $ 110.- per person
We will drive you through the unforgettable rain forest of Braulio Carrillo National Park, one of the most important rainforest reserves for Costa Rica. Rainforest Aerial Tram, a sanctuary which shelters an eco-touristic and research park like anyone in the world. Experience the rain forest as a bird could. Observe the most complete ecosystem on Earth – the rain forest canopy. The Rain Forest Aerial Tram – Atlantic is a 475-hectares (1,200-acre) private reserve, it shares a 10 km border with Braulio Carrillo National Park and constitutes a buffer zone between the park and farming lands. Includes: transportation, entrance fee and lunch. What to bring: light jacket, comfortable shoes, binoculars and camera.
-San Jose City Tour (Afternoon) : $ 52.- per person
At a time TBD, meet the Expediciones Tropicales guide and drive and start your city tour. This tour immerses you in the rich Costa Rican culture and history by experiencing the beautiful museums and historical sites of San Jose. It begins with an orientation and drive through the beautiful Sabana Park. Next, we will take a walking tour through the historic National Theater. Afterwards you will visit one of the many unique museums of Costa Rica. You will continue heading to the University of Costa Rica, the Supreme Court and various sites of interest. A brief stop will be made in a beautiful art craft shopping store allowing you to browse through it before returning to your hotel and buy some souvenirs. Includes: transportation and guide. What to bring: comfortable clothes and camera.
– Poas Volcano Tour – Half day ( 1 hour drive per way) : $ 69.- per person
At TBD the staff from Expediciones Tropicales will be pick you up at the lobby from the hotel to start the Poas Volcano Hike. You will take the Interamerican highway towards the city of Alajuela. As you will ascend towards the volcano you will notice the change in temperature and vegetation, preparing us for the pleasure of the exuberant cloud forest of Poas Volcano. At the Volcano you will have time to observe the impressive main crater with its sulfur fumaroles. Then you will hike on a trail to the beautiful Botos Lagoon that will allow us to learn about the different ecosystems in the park. Includes: transportation and entrance fee. What to bring: hat, light jacket, walking shoes, insect repellent, binoculars and camera.
-Show & Dinner at Ram Luna : $ 80.- per person
You will admire the panoramic views from the Central Valley mountains at nightfall. A delicious Costa Rican buffet dinner will be served, while enjoying a traditional masquerade with typical dances and famous marimba music. During the visit, local artisans will exhibit their beautiful creations for your amusement. The evening will culminate with a magical fireworks show. You can’t miss this unforgettable experience! Includes: transportation and dinner. What to bring: comfortable clothes, camera and a sweater/coat.
-Doka- Grecia & Sarchi : $ 63.- per person
The tour begins with a wonderful drive through some of the largest coffee and sugar cane plantations (Doka) in Costa Rica.
Then we will arrive in Grecia, and we will see the famous metal church. The church that has a rare architecture, with high ceilings, ornate stained glass windows, and classical lines.
Next we will move on to the arts & crafts factories of Sarchi recognized all over for their skilled labor and talented artistry; albeit, known primarily for the famous ox carts that are built there. And, if you are fortunate enough, you will see an ox cart that is over! two stories high. To that end, the behemoth ox cart is registered in the Guinness book of world records as being the largest ox cart in the world.
These ox carts are ornately decorated and bursting with intense colors, such as oranges and reds, and come in various sizes, and are treasured worldwide for their unique beauty. That said, you will not want to leave Costa Rica without one. Albeit, I would not recommend you attempt to lug the two story ox cart home.
To end a beautiful time spent, a delectable typical lunch will be served.
To book your tours contact:
Silvia Mattio at
800-608-3119, ext. 107 (toll free)
*Itinerary and pricing subject to change.
While Tiger is a long shot to make the 2016 Ryder Cup team, Notah Begay III Thinks Woods would be a great assistant captain.
Notah Begay III spoke with The Golf Channel and said that Tiger Woods is “taking it real easy” after undergoing a second back surgery earlier this month. (September 30, 2015 – by Ryan Lavner)
Speaking on an NBC Sports conference call, Begay said that his former college teammate is “giving it a little extra time to heal up before he starts rehabilitation. He’s just spending a lot of time at home and going to soccer games and watching Sam and Charlie play their fall soccer.
“It’s hard. It’s a challenge to be on the couch, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Woods, who turns 40 in December, is not expected to return to competition until January 2016, at the earliest.
“I think he has a clear understanding with where he’s at in regard to his career that the sun is setting,” Begay said. “He’s very fair about where he’s at with his career and his body, and he’s certainly not going to go down without a fight, without trying to do everything he can to get back to a world-class level.”
Read more at Golf Channel
In Atlanta, Ga., PGA Professional William Lewis has seen a lot in his 63 years. Lewis was born May 1, 1951 in Huntsville, Alabama, the oldest of seven children born to William and Marie Lewis.
Williams, Sr. died when William was a ten-year-old student at Calvary Hill Elementary School. His mother, Marie, struggled to care for her children, but the task was beyond her. William remembers pulling his little red Flyer wagon to the government disbursement center to get cheese, peanut butter, and other commodities for the family.
At the age of eleven, William began caddying at the Huntsville Country Club on the weekends to help support his family. There he formed a special bond with a golfer named Robert Lowery, President of a local bank.
“Mr. Lowery allowed William to hit balls with him, and to use his clubs, recalls William. Their relationship continued as William matriculated through Lee High School, as the first Black member of the golf team.
Upon completion of high school, William entered Alabama A&M College where he joined the golf team, continued caddying, refereeing, and carrying a paper route to help his mother.
Youth receiving instruction from golf professional William Lewis, PGA
RELATED ARTICLE: Atlanta Pro-Duffers Know How To Hook-A-Kid On Golf
When Bob Lowery learned that William was playing golf at Alabama A&M University he purchased for him a new set of clubs. His impressive college golf resume included being voted while a freshman the most outstanding athlete; in 1970 and 1972 he won the SIAC Golf Tournament. In 1971 and 1973 he finished second in the SIAC Golf Tournament. During his college career, he won dove 28 tournaments.
In his senior year of college, William visited John A White Golf Course in Atlanta, where his former caddy manager Elijah Walker was the Golf Professional. Elijah offered William a job as his assistant.
A great ball driver, William began to play on the North American Golf Association Tour, with such renowned golf professionals like Charlie Sifford, Jim Thorpe, Jim Dent, Calvin Peete, George “GG”Johnson, Lee Elder, et al. William’s skills had put him on par with PGA Tour players and given him the incentive to pursue Tour school.
In his first attempt, he missed the cut. He made the finals in 1978 and 1981 and then ran out of money. In the meantime, he continued to make a name for himself on the North American Golf Association Tour. He won the Atlanta Open and West Georgia Open in 1978 and the Greensboro Open in 1979 and 1981. He went on to win the Bogey Hills Invitation in 1981 and the Macon Open in 1982. He entered his first PGA Event when he qualified for the Southern Open in Columbus, Georgia in 1981. He missed the cut by two strokes.
In 1986, American Golf Company assumed management of Atlanta City Golf Courses. At that time, William could no longer travel away from his job causing him to curtail his competitive schedule.
He became a member of the Georgia PGA of America and began the process for Class A Status. He left Tup Homes to become the general manager of Brown’s Mill Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia. After about two years, he moved to Rivers Edge Golf Course in 1995 and obtained his Class A Status the same year.
In 1997, there were only two open spots on the Inaugural PGA Bellsouth Classic. William qualified for one of them. But, at this point in his life the responsibility for a wife and two children curtailed him to enter. William wholeheartedly embraced his duties as husband and father, head golf professional and youth instructor.
William continued to play on the Georgia Section of the PGA as time permitted; however, as the need for steady sources of income grew to support his family he reduced his competitive golf travels and settled into his golf professional duties at his home base.
He endeavored to share his experiences with the youth. In 1998, he was named Junior Golf Teacher of the Year. In 1999, he joined the first Tee at John A White Golf Course as the Head Instructor of Golf. He was selected Junior Golf Teacher of the Year again in 2000 and was inducted into the Black Golfers Hall of Fame and into the Madison City Hall of Fame that same year.
He was inducted into the Huntsville Booster Club Hall of Fame in 2003. Over the course of his professional career, he won over twenty events. At one point, he held five course records: John A While (Atlanta) 18 holes-61; Tup Holmes (Atlanta) 18 holes-61; Fort McPherson (Atlanta) 18 holes-64; Jet Port (Alabama) 18 holes-65 and Tup Holmes (Atlanta) back nine-29. To date, three records remain (both Tup Holmes and John A White). The highlight of his career was realized when he played Augusta and shot 65.
As the Head Instructor of Golf at the First Tee at John A White, William touches the lives of many junior golfers in Southwest Atlanta and surrounding communities. Over the past six years, he has helped several young boys and girls qualify for high school golf teams and earn golf scholarships for college. William Lewis has also been the coach of the Morehouse College Golf Team for the past eight years.
He currently has over 21 players participating in golf scholarship programs in colleges and universities. Lewis relates with pride and enjoyment that becoming a college golf coach has always been his dream. Moreover, he states that “Teaching these players value and direction is very rewarding for me.”
Organizers of the first pan-African gathering in golf have hailed the event as a resounding success, according to its press release.
The Africa Golf Summit, held September 9-11, 2015 at the at the award-winning Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Resort, near Johannesburg, saw some 90 industry figures from seven African countries come together with their European contemporaries to discuss and debate the way forward for the game throughout Africa.
According to its website, africagolfsummit.com: As a sport played by over 80 million people in over 130 countries, golf has a significant global reach. Unfortunately, however, the popularity of golf across the African continent is relatively low. This is largely due to limited golf development programs and the fact that golf has traditionally been inaccessible to many Africans.
In all, 11 countries were represented and these included a number of the golfing unions from various parts of the continent and a very strong representation from South Africa – Golf RSA, the Professional Golfers Association, the Disabled Golfers Association, and the Club Managers’ Association, among others, as well as the Sunshine Tour and SuperSport TV – together with five experienced European specialists.
Steve Isaac, golf course management director of the R&A, was accompanied by Paul Gray, general manager of Holywood Golf Club, in Northern Ireland, the home of Rory McIlroy; Jonathan Smith, CEO of the Golf Environment Organization, Henrique Duarte, Portuguese distributor for Toro, and Howard Swan, golf course architect at Swan Golf Designs and chairman of the Golf Consultants Association.
The Summit was well supported by many organizations in the commercial sector, both local and worldwide, with both Ransomes Jacobsen and Rainbird to the fore.
Important topics to be explored and debated included the following:
- Developing a blueprint for a sustainable golf industry in South Africa and across Africa
- Growing a sustainable golfing community in Africa
- Establishing a Golfing Centre of Excellence to develop young talent – read more about this initiative
- Golf tourism and hospitality
- Golf sports development
- Golf estate and property development
- Golf course design, construction, operations and management
- Hosting golf tournaments to boost job growth, tourism and economic development
The presentational and panel sessions across the two-day programme were compiled by Kwakye Donkor, of the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA), and Swan, and organised by specialist event management company, Pure Grit.
A large part of the event focused on the state of the game, the provision of its facilities throughout sub-Saharan Africa and how the game could be grown and its base widened to involve many more people, particularly those from the disadvantaged communities as well as, specifically, young people who may be given the chance to join the game.
Career path and life and social skills development stemming from the game and the establishment of facilities was also high on the list in the hours of discussion and debate, as was seeing how more women and children could become golfers.
Donkor said: “It has been some time since I was responsible for the running of four consecutive South African Golf Summits, at the Fancourt Golf Estate, in the Cape. I always felt that the gathering together of experts from all over the continent as well as from Europe would greatly benefit the development of golf in Africa and I am simply delighted that the Summit went so well, and from it a real action plan is coming about.
“I have little doubt that autumn 2016 will see the second Summit and we will be able to review just how much progress we have made in moving golf forward from its embryonic state throughout the sub-Saharan countries.”
An enthusiastic accord was struck between all the delegates to explore ways of giving the game to more people who otherwise did not have the opportunity to experience it, and a declaration of intent was drafted to set out an action plan.
It was agreed by the interested parties attending the Summit that this intent is one which will need to meet certain aims and objectives and to meet with the stated objectives of national and provincial governments throughout the continent.
RELATED: Gary Player Endorces Africa Golf Summit
These include being a catalyst for economic development; a creator of job opportunities; employment and enterprise development; achieving transformation in communities; obtaining social cohesion and enhancing the natural environment, including resource allocation.
Other initiatives to emerge from the Summit agreement included a study investigating the value of golf throughout the continent; development of a strategy for golf tourism in Africa; the compilation of a golf development strategy document for Africa; and an action programme for marketing and promotion of the status of the golf industry in Africa.
Consequently, three initial Centres of Golf Excellence for Education and Vocational Training have been identified – one in South Africa, one in Nairobi, Kenya, and one in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
Africa Golf Centres of Excellence Programme Aims
- To promote golf as an Olympic sport
- To encourage the development of golf in local communities, through public-private partnership
- To identify African youth with limited resources and provide them with education, training, life-skills and learning opportunities through golf
- To create an enabling environment for the creation of local small enterprises and provide them with business opportunities
- To increase awareness, interest and participation in golf by increasing the number of training facilities that will focus on youth and elite level training
- To develop golf industry skills to ensure that our amateur and professional players can compete globally and participate in golf as an Olympic sport
- To complement, support and enhance existing but limited golf development initiatives on the continent, to grow the game and the business of golf
- To increase African countries’ representation in golf at world championship and Olympic Games level
- To reach communities where golf hasn’t previously been considered as an option and to promote the benefits of the sport to these groups
Swan added: “Those at the Summit were so enthusiastic about putting the game on the African map, with the Olympic year ahead, and seeing how building blocks could be put in for a solid future in place to achieve a real presence of the population in golf, just as the continent has achieved in providing talent on a true global scale in football. Optimism abounded!”
The Summit was accompanied by visits to local clubs including the Legend Golf Resort, in Limpopo, and the Soweto Country Club, in the famous township in Johannesburg itself.