Stephanie Joyce
(April 11, 2011)–Joyce moved to Atlanta, GA from Los Angeles, CA in 1993. She holds a B.S. in mathematics and has always been astonished by the disparity in golf when it comes to African American professional tour players.
When Joyce was o
ffered a position as the District Director for the All Star Golf Tour (ASGT), formerly the International Players Tour, she abruptly walked away from a lucrative 15 + year mortgage, real estate and insurance career. ASGT is a member organization, providing avid golfers the opportunity to compete for cash in a professional style tournament environment.
“My objective is to give more African American golfers a platform to play professionally. Here in Georgia, I found that we have a “chitterling” circuit for those who like to hustle and gamble. But, there was nothing for aspiring tour players, who don’t have the thousands of dollars needed to enter large events, to play and develop their game.”
“I understand that golf is a process and a developmental tour is very much needed,” she says. With ASGT Joyce is responsible for coordinating tournaments, increasing player participation, securing sponsorships, and managing player’s profiles and handicaps. Right now, the list is growing, and there are nearly 120 players in the Atlanta area.
“Entry fees average around $169 for a one-day event with 1st place cash prizes of $1200 paid to the winner.” says Joyce. There are also 2-day and 3-day competitive events with payouts ranging from 
$5,000 to $15,000.”
“I have also been trying to reach out to our lady golfers. The LPGA is struggling and big sponsors are pulling out of long-term events. In addition to the Futures and LPGA, lady golfers need a professional development tour as well,” she says.
Joyce is married to aspiring Pro Tour player Thomas L. Joyce, Jr., and has taken a leap of faith by dedicating herself to both of their goals. Affectionately known as one of the first African American female tour caddies, Joyce carries Thomas’ bag at the tournaments when time permits.
In 2010 she started “The Team Joyce”, a non-profit organization based in Lithonia (GA) whose mission is to reward, reinvent, and re-educate through
the business and wellness of the golf industry. Here, she donates most of her time organizing youth golf clinics to expose our youth to an $85 billion a year industry.
She also sits on the board of Give Back to Jackson, Little Girl’s Tea Society, and One Million African American Fathers to Lobby Malachi 4:6.
“I have been intrigued with the golf industry for years and I have fun out there on the course,” says the mother of three whose home course is Southland Golf Club in Stone Mountain, GA.
“In the fairways, I call myself a certified hacker and I am proud of that. Off the course I am a Golf Professional, vastly different from a professional golfer.” In her free time she likes to go camping. “We are such outdoorsy people–camping, fishing, enjoying the mountains–we’ll pack up the Tahoe, hitch a trailer to the back and end up at a cabin roasting marshmallows on an open pit fire.”
