POLITOPICS

When Tiger Woods won the Masters in 1997, everyone believed that golf would be the new basketball. They thought blacks would run onto the golf course and into the professional league, but that hasn't happened. Ten years later, Tiger is still the only black player on the PGA Tour. Ignoring the fact that Tiger doesn't even consider himself black, what's up with that? Some say those with the potential can't get the financial backing. It might also help to have a father like Earl Woods who focused his life 100% on his son's golf. How many parents of any race are doing that with their kids? Golf Digest blames the black community, saying that we have the wealth in our community to support these promising players but choose not to. The estimated expenses for being on the tour are around $60K a year. If a corporation won't sponsor you and the community won't where will the money come from?

I know a lot of black people who golf, but most of them are college educated professionals for whom golf is the networking, socializing sport of choice. It's difficult to raise your visibility and succeed in corporate America without showing up on the green whether you're a man or woman. I used to play as a kid at the Club, but then my boobs came in and it just didn't work anymore. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. I haven't played in over 10 years, but I have an awesome rack.

Ten years and counting - Golf - Yahoo! Sports