09/29/2025
✨ Celebrating Legacy in Golf ✨
This year, The Black Golf Hall of Fame hosted our 39th Induction Ceremony where we honored four trailblazers whose stories continue to shape the game of golf:
🏌🏾♂️ Dr. Michael “Coop” Cooper – A leader in the golf industry for more than 30 years, Coop has dedicated his career to diversifying the game. His work with the USGA, The First Tee, Urban Junior Golf, and the World Golf Foundation has left an immeasurable impact on generations of players and communities.
🏌🏾♀️ The Late Carrie Russell – An LPGA Master Professional and Delaware State HBCU graduate, Carrie and her husband Alfred began playing in the early 1960s at Air Force courses that welcomed them when others would not. What started as a shared hobby became her lifelong legacy, inspiring countless others to see the game as a place of joy, opportunity, and belonging.
🏌🏾♂️ Debert Cook – Founder and publisher of African American Golfer’s Digest, Debert has spent decades giving Black golfers a platform to share their stories, celebrate achievements, and connect through the power of media.
🌳 Shady Rest Country Club – The nation’s first Black-owned golf and country club, Shady Rest in Scotch Plains, NJ, has stood as a sanctuary for Black golfers since 1921 and remains a symbol of community, perseverance, and pride.
Together, these inductees embody the resilience, vision, and excellence that have carried Black golf forward for more than a century. Their contributions not only broke barriers but also expanded access, created platforms, and preserved spaces that continue to shape the game’s history and future.
Congratulations to the 2025 Class of the Black Golf Hall of Fame, your legacy will forever shape the game, reminding us of the importance of preserving history while inspiring the next generation of golfers.
Follow for more highlights from this historic weekend and to keep up with the important history of Golf History in the black community
