The four days of April 1997 that marked a before and after for golf would never have been such if it had not been for a barely recognized figure. For Tiger Woods to win the Augusta Masters 25 years ago there had to be someone who broke racial barriers first. The shock of seeing a black golfer in 1975 play the Masters, an openly racist and exclusionary tournament for so many years, stirred consciences and opened a path to openness that has not yet reached other spaces in society. The name of that golferwho died last November at the age of 87, was Lee Elder, and his story of overcoming deserve to be narrated.
At nine years old, he and
his nine brothers
are orphaned
At the age of 12 he moved
to Los Angeles with her aunt,
where do you start working
as a caddy
Clifford Roberts founded that
same year the Masters of
Augusta and leave this sentence:
At nine years old, he and
his nine brothers
are orphaned
At the age of 12 he moved
to Los Angeles with her aunt,
where do you start working
as a caddy
Clifford Roberts founded that
same year the Masters of
Augusta and leave this sentence:
At nine years old, he and his nine
siblings are orphaned
At the age of 12, he moved to Los Angeles.
with his aunt, where he begins to work
as a caddy
That same year Clifford Roberts founded the Masters of
Augusta and leave this sentence:
Lee Elder’s life up to that Augusta Masters was full of obstacles. It was a fight for survival and against racial prejudice so entrenched in the American community. He started golf like so many other players from humble families did. He caddyed at a Los Angeles club and that allowed him to get in touch with the game.
Elder builds his game while watching customers play and plays when he can. After playing a match against the boxer
joe louisLouis’s golf instructor, Ted Rhodes, he takes Elder under his wing for three years. A great boost for his career.
He is recruited in 1959 and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, under the command of Colonel John Gleaser, a golf fan.
This assigns him to a special services unit that allows him to continue playing.
In 1961 he joined the United Station Golf Association (UGA) for black players.
The PGA only accepted Caucasian members.
Elder builds his game while watching customers play and plays when he can. After playing a match against the boxer
joe louisLouis’s golf instructor, Ted Rhodes, he takes Elder under his wing for three years. A great boost for his career.
He is recruited in 1959 and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, under the command of Colonel John Gleaser, a golf fan.
This assigns him to a special services unit that allows him to continue playing.
In 1961 he joined the United Station Golf Association (UGA) for black players.
The PGA only accepted Caucasian members.
Elder develops his game while watching the players play.
customers and play when you can. after playing a game
against the boxer joe louisthe golf instructor of
louis, ted rhodestakes Elder under his wing
for three years. A great boost for his career.
He is recruited in 1959 and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington,
under the command of Colonel John Gleaser, a golf fan.
This assigns him to a special services unit that
allows you to continue playing.
In 1961 he joined the United Station Golf Association (UGA)
for black players. The PGA only accepted members
Caucasian.
Elder had to face a context of great social division and He suffered various episodes of discrimination during his sports career. From blatant insults to acts of sabotage when playing. The racist stain reached the United States and that breeding ground activated the African-American reaction in all areas of society. Elder’s contribution to his sport paved the way for change.
Separated but equal “Separated but Equal”
Since the states could not eliminate the rights of blacks guaranteed in the constitution, “segregation” is used instead.
Removed from the statutes the obligation that
the caddies are colored
Black Power movement emerges, African-American activism against racism
The PGA breaks its color barrier, for the first time not
only whites could become members
Elder enters the circuit
American
At the Mexico Games, two black athletes, Tommie Smith and Jonh Carlos
they raise their fists with black gloves on the podium; by his side peter norman
listen to the US anthem without moving a muscle
Black Power move ending
Win the Monsanto Open, which opens the doors
of Augusta
First black golfer at the Masters
He receives death threats and has to rent
two houses, continuously moving from one to another
The ball disappears after the first hit, stolen by
fans who don’t like to watch him play
In some Elder clubs you must change at the
car, since they do not let him enter the locker room
During the trip to Augusta, he has to avoid areas where racism endangers his safety.
Always travel by day and accompanied.
Black partners allowed
TIGER Woods wins with a white caddy
Separated but equal “Separated but Equal”
Since the states could not eliminate the rights of blacks guaranteed in the constitution, “segregation” is used instead.
Removed from the statutes the obligation that
the caddies are colored
Black Power movement emerges, African-American activism against racism
The PGA breaks its color barrier, for the first time not
only whites could become members
Elder enters the circuit
American
At the Mexico Games, two black athletes, Tommie Smith and Jonh Carlos
they raise their fists with black gloves on the podium; by his side peter norman
listen to the US anthem without moving a muscle
Black Power move ending
Win the Monsanto Open, which opens the doors
of Augusta
First black golfer at the Masters
He receives death threats and has to rent
two houses, continuously moving from one to another
The ball disappears after the first hit, stolen by
fans who don’t like to watch him play
In some Elder clubs you must change at the
car, since they do not let him enter the locker room
During the trip to Augusta, he has to avoid areas where racism endangers his safety.
Always travel by day and accompanied.
Black partners allowed
TIGER Woods wins with a white caddy
Separated but equal “Separated but Equal”
Since the states could not eliminate the rights of blacks
guaranteed in the constitution, “segregation” is used instead.
Removed from the statutes
obligation that the caddies
be colored
The Black Power movement emerges,
african american activism
against racism
The PGA breaks its color barrier
Elder enters the circuit
American
At the Mexico Games, two black athletes,
Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists with
black glove; next to him Peter Norman listens
the US anthem without moving a muscle
Black Power move ending
Win the Monsanto Open, which opens the doors
of Augusta
elder first golfer
black in the Masters
The ball disappears after
the first strike, stolen
by fans to whom
they don’t like to watch him play
He receives death threats and has to rent
two houses, continuously moving from one to another
During the trip to Augusta, you have to avoid areas
where racism endangers their safety.
Always travel by day and accompanied.
allowed to admit
black partners
TIGER Woods wins with a white caddy
Elder’s participation in that Augusta Masters transcended the boundaries of the sport. It was very difficult for him to play and concentrate. Every appearance in tee he had rigged the buzz around him. He did not make the cut, although over time the fact of his participation is valued more than what happened in the field. But Elder was also a good golfer, as his career has shown. “I don’t want to be remembered just for this. I want to be remembered, if I am remembered, for being a good golfer,” he said in 2019.
Augusta’s racism, which still lives on in many layers of society, was at least stigmatized after Elder’s time in the tournament. Little by little the tournament left behind other barbaric customs that shudder just to be read. Until 1983 Augusta did not allow golfers to bring their own caddies and they all had to be black, they did not admit black members until 1990 and they did not accept women members until 2012. Elder’s contribution was decisive at the time and recognized by Augusta shortly before her death with a tribute in the tee from 1, along with Nicklaus. “This belongs to all of us,” Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of all time, wrote on social media that day. For Tiger to exist, Elder had to do it first. “Which big would you like to win?” Tiger was asked when he was a kid. “The Augusta Masters because of how black people have been treated there.” He won it five times. He just entered the Hall of Fame and his speech during the ceremony is the testimony of something that should never have happened and that, unfortunately, still happens too many times. Despite Tiger… and Lee Elder.