After four decades of dormancy, the United Golfers Association has announced its own revival in attempt to make golf more accessible to African Americans. The non-profit announced plans to build the UGA Developmental Academy to help groom aspiring Black golfers.
The UGA was founded in 1925 and operated a national golf tour for Black players as an alternative to the PGA of America, which maintained a white-only membership policy through 1961. There are currently only three regulars on the PGA Tour who are Black (Tiger Woods, Harold Varner III, and Cameron Champ.) Today, the PGA of America consists of roughly 29,000 members, with 130 being African American.
“The Academy will train the next leaders of the golf industry. We will create a qualified pool of professionals who will help grow the game. The time is now to tackle racial disparities in golf and equip our young players with the necessary tools to be the next stars of the game,” Andy Walker, director of the UGA Developmental Academy, said in a press release.
