03/01/2026
When we talk about builders of the game, Alfred “Tup” Holmes stands in a class of his own.
He wasn’t just a golfer. He was a gate-opener.
At a time when access to golf was limited, Tup Holmes helped create opportunity where there was none. He played a key role in establishing and developing spaces where Black golfers could learn, compete, and grow in the game. Courses weren’t just fairways to him — they were foundations for community.
His work helped bring golf to Atlanta’s Black neighborhoods in a real way, making the game visible, reachable, and possible for the next generation. Through leadership, advocacy, and persistence, he helped ensure that golf was not reserved for a select few, but available to those who loved it enough to pursue it.
Tup Holmes helped shape the landscape of Black golf not just by playing, but by building.
Because sometimes the greatest legacy isn’t the scorecard — it’s the doors you open for others to walk through.