In a sport historically dominated by white men, Black golfers are making their presence known on courses across America. Brands like Eastside Golf and influencers like Roger Steele and Snappy Gilmore have become champions for inclusion, but while these men have garnered attention, Black women golfers have been quietly breaking barriers of their own.

As golf season tees off with The Masters, we take a look at the past, present, and future of Black women in golf.

Pioneers of the Green
The journey began with tennis legend Althea Gibson, who joined the LPGA Tour in 1964, becoming the first African American woman to do so. Despite her success in tennis, including 11 Grand Slam titles, Gibson faced continued discrimination in golf—even being denied rooms at hotels while winning tournaments.

Gibson paved the way for Renee Powell, who joined the tour in 1967. Powell, a close friend of Gibson's, recalled that "She was hardened to things... She wasn't trying to open doors, she was just trying to play the game and make a living."

For decades after Powell, Black women remained severely underrepresented in professional golf. LaRee Sugg broke this drought when she earned her LPGA Tour card in 1995, becoming just the third Black golfer with full Tour membership after a 14-year gap since Powell's retirement in 1981. An NCAA All-American from UCLA, Sugg competed on the LPGA Tour from 1995-96 and 2000-01, making multiple appearances at the U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open. She won the 1998 Aurora Health Care Futures Classic and was later inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame in 2023.

"The first 50 years, they had just three of us on the LPGA," Sugg once said incredulously. "We were the exception instead of the rule; and it shouldn't be acceptable to be the exception."

It wasn't until the 2010s that a small wave of Black women began making their mark on the LPGA with players like Shasta Averyhardt, Cheyenne Woods, Sadena Parks, and Ginger Howard.

Today's Standard-Bearer
Currently, Mariah Stackhouse stands as the only full-time active Black player on the LPGA Tour. A Stanford graduate and KPMG brand ambassador, Stackhouse recognizes her impact extends beyond tournament results: "I embrace my Blackness in the golf world," focusing on promoting diversity and inclusion.

Meanwhile, HBCU women’s teams —including Howard University's women's golf program which was established with NBA star Steph Curry's financial backing in 2019—have become a crucial pathway for young Black golfers to develop their skills at the highest level.

Organizations Driving Change
There are also no shortage of organizations and individuals working to increase the visibility of Black women's participation in golf. Just a few examples:

• Black Girls Golf, founded by Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald in 2011, has become one of the most influential groups with over 5,000 members across the United States. "I started Black Girls Golf because I needed a tribe," Fitzgerald explains. "I needed women who looked like me to play golf with, to learn with, and to share experiences with." The organization offers clinics, tournaments, and networking opportunities specifically designed for Black women and girls.

• Wake-Robin Golf Club, the first golf club for African-American women formed in Washington, D.C., laid important groundwork. Their activism in the 1930s and 1940s helped desegregate public golf courses, creating opportunities that today's players benefit from.
• Women of Color Golf (WOCG) was founded by Clemmie Perry after she started receiving golf clubs as a gift and realized the lack of diversity in the sport. Since 2014, WOCG has introduced over 2,500 women and girls of color to golf through clinics and mentorship programs.
• Her Shot Golf, a newer initiative founded by professional golfer Sadena Parks, focuses on creating inclusive spaces for women of color in golf through events, apparel, and community building. Parks, who made history as the fifth African American woman to earn LPGA Tour membership, uses her platform to inspire the next generation.
• New Jersey-based Shady Rest Golf and Country Club, perhaps the first African American-owned and operated golf club in the United States, also continues the mission of promoting diversity in golf, offering women's programs to honor the legacy of pioneers like Althea Gibson who practiced there.

The Next Generation
Eighteen-year-old Amari Avery represents the bright future for Black women in golf. Working with Tiger Woods' former coach Sean Foley, Avery has the potential to make history: in the long history of the LPGA, which began in 1950, no Black woman has ever won an event.

While there's clearly also been growth in golf's social media presence, the landscape remains dominated by white female influencers. For every Claire Hogle or Paige Spiranac amassing millions of followers, Black women golfers struggle for similar visibility. Troy Mullins stands as a notable exception, using her platform as a long-drive champion to inspire young Black girls to see themselves in the sport, but the disparity in followers and general “influence” remains stark. 

Growing Participation
According to the National Golf Foundation, the sport saw a higher percentage of Asian, Black, and Hispanic golfers ever recorded in 2024. This diversity shift is gradually transforming golf's image from an exclusive, predominantly white activity to a more inclusive sport.

As organizations continue their work to diversify America’s courses, there's hope that the sport will follow tennis's path toward greater diversity. The numbers are encouraging, but golf still awaits its Williams sisters moment—champions whose excellence will inspire a new generation to change the face of golf forever.