Playing While Black: African American Pro Golfers Compete in the John Shippen National Invitational Tournament

This post was originally published on Michigan Chronicle

By Donald James

The John Shippen National Invitational Golf Tournament for Men, presented by Rocket Classic, will again be in full swing when the annual event returns to the storied Detroit Golf Club (DGC) the weekend of Friday, June 20 to Sunday, June 22. The John Shippen will be the precursor to the annual Rocket Classic’s PGA Tour event, which tees off from June 25 to June 29 at DGC. The winner of this year’s John Shippen for men will receive an exemption to play at the Rocket Classic.

Named for the late trailblazing Black pro golfer John Shippen Jr., the National Invitational Tournament was created by Intersport in partnership with Woods and Watts Effect, to showcase America’s top Black men and women golfers, all competing for exemptions to play in LPGA and PGA Tour events. While the men will compete on the weekend of June 20, the John Shippen Women’s Invitational was held in early June at Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, Michigan, with the top golfer earning exemptions to two LPGA Tour events: the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give (June 12 -15) at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids and the Dow Championship (June 26 -29) at the Midland Country Club in Midland.

Since the inception of The John Shippen several years ago, more than 100 of the nation’s best Black men and women golfers have competed in the tournaments. Similar to 2024, The John Shippen Invitational Golf Tournaments will again award purses (prize money) in 2025.

Leading the way to establishing and increasing the prize money in the form of purses has been Gregory Jackson, a Detroit businessman, developer, and avid golfer. Jackson chairs ‘The Johnny,” the multi-ethnic committee of Detroit Golf Club members focused on honoring the legacy of John Shippen Jr. and raising funds to present purses.

“Last year, we were fortunate to raise about $93,000 which was close to our goal of $100,000,” said Jackson. “We distributed money to our first, second, and third place winners, but in addition, we also gave money to every golfer in the field. And that’s what we are hoping to do this year.”

Jackson said The John Shippen Invitational Tournaments have helped expand opportunities and awareness for Black and talented amateurs and professional golfers by increasingly removing barriers that have traditionally prevented Black golfers from excelling in the sport. Jackson added that The John Shippen also addresses the lack of Black representation in business and leadership roles associated with the broad industry of golf.

“I do see a significantly stronger interest in African Americans playing golf,” Jackson said. “And while some African Americans are striving to become professional golfers, others are

looking at the golfing industry’s vast opportunities for careers in such areas as sales, marketing, merchandising, sportscasting, golf course management, golf course maintenance, event coordination, and much more.”

John Shippen Jr. was the first American-born golf professional and the country’s first Black golf professional.

Born on December 5, 1879, in Washington, D.C., Shippen and his family ultimately moved to the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. As a teenager, Shippen helped build the storied Shinnecock Hills Golf Course believed to be the nation’s oldest incorporated golf club. As a youngster, Shippen caddied for White golfers before learning and mastering the game of golf in the face of segregation and racism, which prevented Black people from playing on private and public courses in many sectors of America.

In 1896, Shippen, while in his late teens, entered the second-ever U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Despite vocal outrage and protests from many English and Scottish professionals about the young Black man’s inclusion in the tournament, Shippen played and finished in fifth place. In total, he competed in six U.S. Opens, the last of which was in 1913.

Shippen went on to serve as a golf professional at numerous golf clubs, including the legendary Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, Pennsylvania, and the Shady Rest Golf Course in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, where he retired in 1960. In 1968, Shippen passed at the age of 88. In 2009, Shippen was awarded a “PGA of America” membership posthumously.

Black professional golfers in America – men and women – have stood on the shoulders of John Shippen Jr. for almost 130 years. Such professional African American golfers have included PGA champions Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Ted Rhodes, Pete Brown, Calvin Peete, Tiger Woods, and Cameron Champ. LPGA champions over the years have included Althea Gibson, Renee Powell, LaRee Sugg, Shasta Averyhardt, and Mariah Stackhouse.

Historically, African Americans seeking to play PGA and LPGA brands of golf have been met with a lack of affordable and consistent access to championship courses, quality golf equipment, top-rated coaches, sponsorships, and access to funding for housing and travel. The John Shippen Invitational Golf Tournaments for men and women have been valuable sources in aiding Black golfers to overcome many of the barriers faced in the sport.

“The opportunities that The John Shippen have provided for the top Black golfers to compete on the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour have made a significant difference in their career progression,” said Brittany Jeanis, vice president of Intersport Golf and tournament director for the Rocket Classic. “And we look forward to even more of those amazing stories developing this season and in the years to come.”

For more information about The John Shippen, log on to www.thejohnshippen.com. Businesses, organizations, and individuals wanting to make contributions to “The Johnny” and help expand the monetary purses for Black golfers competing in the 2025 John Shippen Invitational Tournament can contact the Detroit Golf Club Caddie Scholarship Foundation, c/o Law Offices of Randall J. Gillary, P.C. at 248.528.0440.

The post Playing While Black: African American Pro Golfers Compete in the John Shippen National Invitational Tournament first appeared on Word in Black.