For those that follow collegiate golf in the United States, Bailey Davis is a household name. At just 19 years of age, her talent is undeniable – making her one of the most dynamic new forces in golf.
Davis has just competed in the US Women’s Open, where of 156 participants, she was the only African American woman. When asked about the experience of being there as the only Black woman, she said:
“No matter what, keep smiling, keep having fun, keep enjoying yourself. If there aren’t many people out there that look like you, be the first.”
Davis is familiar with performing at the highest level. During her high school career, she was the Maryland state champion and conference MVP for each year of competition. She also qualified for the USGA and PGA Girls’ Junior Championships multiple times.
These achievements were each accomplished while maintaining honor roll, becoming a member of the National Honors Society, and ranking in the top 10% of her class.
This elite ability to perform both academically and athletically has put her on the map.
This spotlight is significant because Davis represents two traditionally marginalized communities in the world of golf.
When discussing her success, she has made a concerted effort to celebrate those men and women who challenged stereotypes, gender norms, and racism to enable a young African American woman to participate at this level of competition.
Golf has long been a sport with a high barrier of entrance. Access to golf courses (public or private), owning golf clubs, and lack of education are obstacles that have prevented many from participating in the sport.
For decades, golf was a sport designated for country clubs, and African Americans, who were banned from being members at these establishments, were only allowed to caddy or work on the courses.
However, a concerted effort has been made to reverse these stereotypes and make space for African Americans. For example – in the 1920s, organizations like the United Golf Association (UGA) developed tours to allow African American players to compete while they were banned from the PGA Tour.
This movement can be traced back to the 19th century, where in 1896, John Shippen competed in the US Open. It was continually pushed forward by men like Charlie Sifford, who was the first African American to compete on the PGA tour in 1961.
It wasn’t until 1975 that the Master’s had its first African American competitor, Lee Elder. Through all of these efforts, the world witnessed the legendary career of Tiger Woods. During his reign, Woods won the second most Masters Golf Tournaments and was consistently ranked throughout his whole career.
For many, Tiger Woods was the first golfer that had any name recognition outside of those who actively watched the sport. He became a celebrity – making appearances on late night shows and Oprah.
His talent exposed thousands to the sport, creating fans who bought merch, tuned into Golf TV, and started using the best golf betting sites to bet whether someone would stay under par.
Like Davis, he made sure to talk about his identity as a multiracial athlete and joked about being “Cablinasian” – a combination of his identities of Caucasian, Black, Indian, and Asian.
However, it is important to note that while some understood the intention behind this casual phrasing – others in the community took great offense and suggested that Woods was trying to distance himself from the African American community.
This is just one example of how the conversation can become incredibly nuanced and multifaceted.
These complexities multiply again when one begins discussing the legacy of black women in golf.
In her book, The African American Woman Golfer: Her Legacy, Dr. M. Mikell Johnson explains that the female African American golfer must deal with and overcome a toxic cocktail of racism as well as sexism.
They must also contend with the assumption that black women are not interested in pursuing golf – either as an amateur or a professional. However, Johnson details the many notable women of color who have not only challenged sexism and racism but utterly vivisected them.
These examples include Helen Webb Harris, who founded the first exclusive golf club for African American women, and Ann Gregory, who broke the USGA color line.
Access is always a crucial barrier, which is why the Black female golfer struggled the most to gain access to the golfing world. White women, whose husbands were the majority membership of clubs, would create women’s associations and clubs within the organization.
On the other hand, African American women had to demand access to clubs or create their own in order to gain space in the sport.
Johnson writes that it was African American women who had been taught the sport by their fathers and friends that shared the game with the next generation – black women enfranchised other Black women.
Bailey Davis represents the next generation of exposure for young Black athletes who are successfully leveraging their platform in the media and online to inspire kids worldwide.
So far during her collegiate career, Davis has earned SEC All-Freshman Honors, finished in the top 100 in every tournament she has participated in, and, as stated above, played in the US Women’s Open.
Regardless of her gender or race – she is by far one of the most promising talents on the course today.
