The significance of Black history in golf has helped shape the game in Massachusetts and beyond. Throughout February, Mass Golf will shine a spotlight on the achievements, contributions, and lasting impact of African American golfers in the state’s history.
This year’s celebration holds even greater significance as Mass Golf embarks on its 125th anniversary. As part of this commemorative year, we are committed to amplifying the rich history of golf in the Commonwealth, which includes the groups and individuals that not only demonstrated excellence on the course but also broke barriers and paved the way for future generations.
Please revisit this page throughout the month as we share new insights, archival discoveries, and inspiring stories that celebrate Black History as a part of the larger story of golf in Massachusetts.
The City of Springfield has long taken great pride in its two municipal golf courses — Franconia Golf Course and Veterans Memorial Golf Course. In recent years, the city invested $1 million to renovate both courses. Veterans has since hosted multiple qualifiers for USGA and Mass Golf events, including the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur.
But you can’t tell the whole story of golf in Springfield without reflecting on the history of the Home City Golf Club, Springfield’s first Black golf association, and Joe Perry (depicted above), one of its earliest leaders and standout golfers.
In 1953, Perry broke through the city’s biggest golf stage, winning the Springfield Republican City Open — the first Black golfer to do so. His 4&3 victory over Walter Kupiec at Franconia was witnessed by dozens gathered as Perry claimed the trophy, etching his name in history.
A dominant force in local golf, Perry’s achievements didn’t stop there. In July 1964, shortly after the Geoffrey Cornish layout at Veterans debuted, Perry shot a course-record 63 at Veterans, carding four birdies on the front, three on the back, and an eagle on the 14th — shaving four strokes off the previous record.
That same year, he teamed with Bob Bontempo to win the inaugural pro-member tournament at Veterans. Despite their victory, the soft-spoken Perry — often his own harshest critic — called it a “hacker’s round” for shooting a 73 at his home course. “This was one of my bad days,” he told reporters. “After all, this is my home course. I should never go over par.”
He played in the 1963 Massachusetts Open at Kernwood Country Club and, in 1966, claimed victory at the Home City Western Mass Open with a two-under 70 at Veterans.
Perry wasn’t just a champion — he was a bridge between Springfield’s Black golf community and the broader game. In the 1960s, Perry offered a 10-week course for adults at Springfield’s Dunbar Community Center, which had a golf setup designed by Leroy Clayborne. Clayborne, who served as the city’s Park Commissioner from 1963-1969, also once led Home City Golf Club. Like many in the association, he had a military background, receiving a Purple Heart while serving in the Army during World War II, and, upon returning home, became a scratch golfer.
Perry helped bring Black golfer leaders like Charlie Sifford — the first Black golfer to break the PGA Tour’s color barrier — to Springfield for the Home City Open. Sifford’s presence was a glimpse of what was possible, as well as to bolster camaraderie in a sport that was steadily growing among Black men nationwide.
By 1968, Home City honored Perry’s legacy with the first annual Joe Perry Amateur Open, celebrating the 15th anniversary of his historic city championship win. The event, which awarded $500 in trophies and prizes, included a nine-hole exhibition featuring Perry himself. Amateurs who bested his front-nine score earned special recognition.
Years later, Perry’s place in Springfield golf remained unshaken. In 1989, Perry was recognized as the best Black golfer in Springfield history at the Best Black Golfer Tournament at Veterans. Though the day’s low scorer was Ed Smith with a 76, it was Perry who was most feted on that day.
Great fortune also found the Perry family later in life, as Perry and his wife Velma won a $2 million Massachusetts Megabucks in 1990 using family birthdates 13-14-23-25-26-27. Perry, 66 at the time, was able to quit his part-time job and said he looked forward to traveling and fixing up their home and, of course, having more time and resources to play golf.
For decades, Robert H. Hawkins’ contributions to golf history remained largely a footnote, seldom remembered in the game’s ever-evolving landscape. But today, his legacy is resurfacing. Thanks to the efforts of the organization Rediscover Mapledale, an initiative dedicated to preserving his story, Hawkins’ pioneering role in Black golf is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.
At a time when Black golfers were barred from many clubs and denied entry into the nation’s top tournaments, Hawkins carved out a sanctuary in Stow, Massachusetts—Mapledale Golf Club, one of the first Black-owned and operated country clubs in the United States. Born in Adams, MA, in 1889, Hawkins worked as a caddy in his youth before becoming a chef at various private clubs.
But Hawkins was ambitious and, in 1926, purchased the 196-acre Randall Estate in Stow, transforming it into Mapledale Golf Club — not just a golf course but a full-scale country club featuring a nine-hole course, horseback riding, and tennis facilities. It quickly became a summer retreat for Black professionals seeking a place to play without restrictions.
Just a year before Mapledale officially opened, another historic moment was unfolding. In 1925, Hawkins joined a coalition of Black golfers and club owners in Washington, D.C., to form the United States Colored Golf Association (renamed the UGA in 1929), a national body that would provide Black golfers with the competitive opportunities denied to them in the white-dominated sport. While the idea of a national organization had circulated for years, historians credit Hawkins as one of the key voices who pushed for its creation.
In 1926, Mapledale hosted the first-ever national championship for Black golfers. Harry Jackson emerged victorious in a 72-hole, two-day tournament that would set the stage for the future of Black golf. The event was open to any golfer who could pay the $4 entry fee.
“We knew what it was like to be excluded, and we didn’t want to do the same to anybody else,” said tournament chairman Norris Horton at the time.
Dr. George Adams and Dr. Albert Harris, two Black physicians from Washington, D.C., were among those who traveled to Mapledale to play. They became instrumental in organizing the event, ensuring it was a success. Over the next two years, Mapledale continued to host the national championship, with Pat Ball winning in 1927 and John Shippen, the first Black golfer to compete in the U.S. Open, claiming victory in 1928.
Over the ensuing decades, the UGA continued to evolve into a proving ground for the best Black golfers in the country. Such individuals included the likes of Ted Rhodes, Charlie Sifford, Renee Powell, and Lee Elder, all pioneers who would later break through professional golf’s racial barriers.
Despite the profound impact of the UGA, both the organization and Hawkins’ contributions faded over time. The PGA of America’s infamous “Caucasian-only” clause, which explicitly barred non-white players, remained in place until 1961. As Black golfers gained increased access to previously segregated tournaments, the UGA ceased operations in 1976 but was reestablished around the turn of the century by Tarek DeLavallade and Andy Walker to continue the legacy of diversifying the golfing world.
Long before that, the Great Depression took its toll on Hawkins and Mapledale. Financial hardship forced him to sell the club in 1929, and it was renamed Stow Golf and Country Club. Today, the property still operates as Stow Acres Country Club, but Hawkins’ pioneering role was largely forgotten. When he passed away in 1973, his obituary made no mention of his role in founding one of the earliest Black country clubs in the nation or his contributions to the UGA.
That is now beginning to change. Rediscover Mapledale, an organization dedicated to preserving Hawkins’ legacy, has been working to bring his story back to light. Placards and signage now honor Mapledale’s role in Massachusetts golf history, and last summer, the group hosted a golf tournament to raise awareness as the 100th anniversary of the first UGA tournament approaches.
“This was happening at a time when professional sports were segregated, and access to the sport was limited,” said Stacen Goldman, co-chair of Rediscover Mapledale. “No matter whether you’re Black or white, no matter where you come from, you should be thankful that people were able to do this—to create a richer, fuller, and better history of America than you might think.”
As part of Black History Month, Mass Golf will pay tribute to the stories, achievements, and legacies of African Americans who demonstrated their mastery of the game and dedicated their lives to make it a pursuit for all to enjoy. #MassGolf | #BHM pic.twitter.com/ccNiGg5BR1
— Mass Golf (@PlayMassGolf) February 1, 2024
