ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – It’s a golf tournament that’s about more than just golf.
The APGA Tour wrapped up its stop in town at the King & Bear Course on Tuesday.
Just what is the APGA? Now in its 12th year, the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour has a two-pronged approach to the game. It wants to give African-Americans and other minority golfers the chance to compete in professional golf and open up opportunities elsewhere in the game.
It wants to help bring more diversity to the game.
APGA golfer Joseph Dent said that the Tour is a positive. It gives Black and other minority golfers a chance to see others on the course who look just like them.
“Just seeing that there are other players of my color that I can look at and say, ‘if they can do it, I can do it too,” he said.
Several golfers from Florida A&M’s team were among the field for the week’s tournament.
The APGA Tour brought pro golf to the King & Bear Golf Course this week.
“We are making progress,” said Kenyatta Ramsey, director of business affairs with the PGA Tour.
“What we want to do is find the most talented players out there to help us grow the game.”
The PGA Tour has worked with the APGA Tour for the last eight years. During that time APGA Tour pro Dent says he has seen the game grow quite a bit.
“It has changed a little bit more better players of color are trying to play the game and actually be exposed to high levels of golf,” Dent said. “A few years ago there were some really good players but there are a lot more coming.”
While making it to the PGA Tour remains the primary goal, the APGA also prepares its golfers for a potential future working in the golf business.
“Think about golf careers beyond the PGA Tour a lot of people think about a golf career like that is it professionally there are plenty of club pro opportunities that exist.”
Two golfers from FAMU’s golf team were able to participate and finished in the top 10. Mahindra Lutchman finished in sixth Mulbe Dilliard finished tied for seventh place.