A Course Of Their Own : A History Of African American Golfers

Bill Spiller was forty-seven when he was forced by desperate finances tocaddie at the Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. One day, Spillercarried clubs for a member who was outraged by Spiller's stories ofinequities he'd suffered during his long golfing career. Together, thetwo approached California's attorney general, who ordered the Professional Golfers Association to cease its discrimination. In 1961, the "Caucasian race" clause was deleted from the PGA constitution. Stories like this abound among African-American golfers, trailblazers who found ways to play even when courses were off limits to people of color, golfers who pursued their interest in the game even when sanctioned tournaments banned blacks. Their histories-as told in A Shadow on the Green-make for a fascinating tale that chronicles their struggles, bravery, and passion for the game. Foreword by Julius "Dr. J." Irving. A Shadow on the Green follows the careers of black golfing pioneerswhose tenacity won them the ultimate prize: the right to play as equalsin the game they so fiercely love.John H. Kennedy is the author of 'A Course Of Their Own : A History Of African American Golfers', published 2000 under ISBN 9780740708572 and ISBN 0740708570.