We all know Chicago is a sports town that has been home to legends on a variety of basketball courts, football and soccer fields, hockey rinks, and so forth. Add to that the putting green occupied by Windy City golfers, of whom there have been an increasing number in recent years. I am not a golfer, though I have been fortunate enough to take lessons on the greens of the historic St. Andrews in Scotland and the Blue Monster course at the Doral in Miami, long ago.
But what recently piqued my interest in the sport was the time I spent in the company of my cousin, Miracle Goolsby, at the recently reopened Jackson Park Golf Course on the South Side of Chicago. Miracle, who was visiting from Atlanta, told me she picked up her first golf club when she was about three years old. She is an accomplished golfer, with many honors including finishing atop the leaderboard at the 28th annual Women’s Collegiate Golf Championship, where she led Savannah State’s Lady Tigers to victory. In our family, we call her our own little Tiger Woods (albeit without the public meltdowns—no one, however, can take away what he accomplished in sports history). As I watched Miracle displaying her expertise on the green, I saw in her glimmers of the greatness that characterized Woods’ career. (But who am I to say.)
As I wheeled my golf cart along the course at Jackson Park, I noticed the camaraderie between Miracle and her competitor that day. Yes, they were competing, but they were also spurring each other on. There was a true air of goodwill. I noticed that Miracle’s swing was poised, professional, and efficient, which I learned she had to do to generate the power from her tiny frame. For the front nine holes, we witnessed 3 pars, 3 birdies, and an eagle! (I am learning the terminology.) The screams that echoed across the course from the other golfers who witnessed the ball fall into the cup on her eagle (which is two strokes under par on a single hole) were ecstatic! And the joy that radiated across Miracle’s face made me want to pick up my clubs again.
Because of Miracle, I have learned about other Black women golfers, including the trailblazing Ann Gregory, who became the first African-American woman to play in the United States Golf Association’s national championship, and whose story was recently portrayed in Balbinka Korzeniowska’s 2022 biopic, “Playing Through.” Other notable trailblazers include Althea Gibson—YES, tennis great Althea Gibson—who became the first African-American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), and those who followed in her footsteps, including Renee Powell, LaRee Sugg, Shasta Averyhardt, Sadena Parks, Cheyenne Woods and Ginger Gould.
Perhaps one of the greatest of all African-American athletes in the LPGA Tour’s history is Mariah Stackhouse. She took home five career top-ten finishes and earned twelve total top-twenty-five results in her time with the organization, while amassing over $700,000 in official money. Ms. Stackhouse also serves as an ambassador for NBA superstar and Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry’s “Underrated Tour,” which he started to help elevate student-athletes in diverse communities so that sports are reflective of the global population as opposed to a select few.
I’ve often wondered why there aren’t more tournaments featuring Black women golfers, since there seems to be a pool of talent. It was just recently announced that longtime sports anchor Ryan Baker was leaving CBS to become the president and CEO of First Tee Greater Chicago, a nonprofit that teaches young people life skills through golf. To learn more about opportunities for African-American golfers in Chicago, I was referred to Tracy Raoul, the current President of the Jackson Park Golf Association and the Ebony Ladies Golf Club, as well as the Director of the South Shore Caddie Workforce Development Program and a Recipient of this year’s Parks Foundation Award and Community Impact Award.
In addition to being an avid golfer herself, Tracy is the mother of two collegiate golfers, and is passionate about the next generation of athletes in the sport. She is working to expand the opportunities for more girls and women in the sport. And she is widely admired for her efforts and her passion for helping others.
Another person whom I find greatly inspiring is Tonya Pye, the President of the Chicago Women’s Golf Club (CWGC). Founded in 1937, it is one of the nation’s oldest African American women’s golf organizations and the oldest African-American women’s 18-hole golf club in the Midwest. “For nearly 90 years, the club has upheld a strong legacy of excellence, sportsmanship, leadership, and mentorship,” Tonya told me. “It also provides opportunities for women and children to learn, compete, and grow in golf. As President, I am honored to continue this legacy and support the next generation of golfers.”
Tonya continued: “There are a fair number of amazing women who have been recognized by the African-American Golf Digest who are not only accomplished golfers but wonderful people who genuinely support and encourage others. Our African-American golf community is close-knit, and I truly believe it’s important that we look out for one another, open doors, and help create opportunities for the next generation of golfers. That’s how we continue to grow the game and strengthen our legacy.”
When I asked Tonya for some words of wisdom to encourage and inspire Miracle, she said: “Miracle’s journey is especially meaningful to all of us. My advice to her and other young players would be to just enjoy every moment, play with confidence, and remember—you belong there. I’ll be cheering for you.”
For more information, please visit www.chicagowomensgolfclub.com.
