The first black golfer ever to play at the Masters was Lee Elder in 1975. He had to rent two houses to stay in during the competition, switching between each at random in order to confuse his protagonists and reduce fears over his safety[/caption]
Tiger Woods completed his “Tiger Slam” at the Masters Golf Tournament in 2001. At the time he completed the feat, it was considered an unachievable one: the feat of being the Grand Slam Champion of all the events at the same time.
But although it was rightly celebrated at the time as one of the greatest achievements of any player in the history of the sport, the fact that a black African American man was able to do so at the Masters of all places should have been bittersweet for all non-white golfers playing at the Masters that year.
This is because of the fact that racial equality had been very far from achieved as recently as even 50 years back at the Masters. Golf has always been an elitist game, and for many it remains so even today. It has always been played by the “cream” of society. But in US for a long time, it was also restricted to only white players, especially at the Masters. In fact, the first black player ever to play at the Masters was Lee Elder in 1975. And this year at the opening tee of the year’s Masters Golf Tournament, the game of golf and the Masters in particular tried to confront its past by inviting Elder to hit the honorary opening drive.
Some blacks “didn’t meet the qualifications”
The game of golf, just as all the other sports, has suffered because of the global coronavirus pandemic last year. While initially the tournament was postponed because of the pandemic, finally it was played without the fans in the month of November in 2020. Therefore, it was a very welcome sight to see fans at the Augusta National for the first time in two years for the 85th edition of golf’s most prestigious tournament.
It was a welcome sight to see them back at the famous old course in Georgia, all wearing face masks. Legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player were there as the other honorary starters. They were joined by the 86-year-old Lee Elder. But the irony of it is that although Lee Elder was the first black man to play in the Masters Tournament, he was not the first black golf player to qualify for the Masters. Charlie Sifford won two recognised PGA Tour events in the 1960s, but was shamefully refused entry to the Masters because “he didn’t meet the qualifications”.
Elder was 22 years before Tiger Woods
Elder was a pioneer in the game of golf for the black athletes after the Masters finally changed its ways and decided to let the black golfers play in the tournament. Although these days it is taken for granted, it was met with fury and hostility at that time. Prior to Elder’s participation, the Masters Tournament permitted only caddies of the golfers to be black as the sport stuck to its rigid and dated ways.
Elder, now 86, was subjected to a torrent of abuse after qualifying for the tournament in 1975 and had to rent two houses to stay in during the competition, switching between each at random in order to confuse his protagonists and reduce fears over his safety.
He failed to make the “cut” in his maiden appearance shooting a 74 and a 78 that year. He would go on to play in the tournament five other times, with his best finish a T-17 on the leader-board in 1979. This was a mere 22 years before Tiger Woods achieved his remarkable feat at the same old famous golf course. This should put into context the magnitude of Elder playing in the Masters back in 1975.
Are they enough?
Speaking back in November 2020 after receiving his invite to become an honorary starter, Elder said: “The opportunity to earn an invitation to the Masters and stand at that first tee was my dream, and to have it come true in 1975 remains one of the greatest highlights of my career and life. So, to be invited back to the first tee one more time to join Jack and Gary for next year’s Masters means the world to me.”
The game of golf and the Masters in particular is hoping that they are starting to confront their uncomfortable past with these actions. But whether these actions itself, only, is enough to wipe away the stain of not letting players such as Charlie Sifford play in the tournament is best left for the readers to decide.
Hats off to those black predecessors
But when everyone speaks of the “great” Tiger Woods and all the other great black athletes from all the other sports today, a thought should be spared to all the black athletes who came before them and had to undergo untold hardships to pave the way for today’s black superstars to perform at the highest level.
But the tragedy and the irony is that most of these superstars as well as their adoring fans, at most times, do not have any idea of this history and its importance. If today’s game is to flourish and to expand, this history has to be studied, cherished and understood.
And only then that their achievements would become truly world-class as they will appreciate the sacrifices made by others before them so that they also could get the opportunity to showcase their talent at the highest level, at the best venues, and at the most important tournaments on this planet.