Golf has long carried the image of being a gentleman’s sport, but when it comes to skin color, its history tells a different story. At Augusta National, for instance, the club remained segregated for nearly 60 years after it opened. In 1975, Lee Elder broke barriers as the first Black golfer to compete at the Masters there. Years later, in 1990, Augusta National took a step toward integration by admitting Ron Townsend, a television executive, as its first Black member.

Thirty-five years later, the game is still confronting those old divides.

Recently, golf content creator Roger Steele spoke out about it. Steele shared a screenshot on Instagram of a nasty verbal dig from a golf “fan.” But instead of escalating things, Steele handled it cool – he invited the guy to play a round of golf in Chicago. “What the world needs now is golf, sweet golf. People don’t hate each other. They just haven’t played a round yet,” Steele said in a follow-up Instagram update. 

As per Steele, this happened right after he posted his score (+7) for the week’s Creator Classic at East Lake. Steele handled it pretty well, however. He wrote, “I hate racism, and I truly hated playing that poorly at the creator classic. But, bad times can either be a circumstance or an opportunity,” and then threw in a funny caveat, “AND THIS IS NOT AN OPEN INVITE TO SAY WILD STUFF TO SET UP MONEY MATCHES. I don’t respond to a lot of it.”

After Steele shared that whole situation, a flurry of golf fans jumped in to back him up and slam racism. One of them was Paige Spiranac. Under Steele’s post, Spiranac wrote, “All class as always Roger! People don’t realize how tough the course was playing and how difficult it is to put yourself out on that stage.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Steele had to address racism in golf. In 2024, during an exclusive with Atlanta Daily World, Steele confessed that he didn’t understand the discomfort of black golfers. Or, their need to change their identity to fit with the others. Talking about the same, he advised them not to let “golf change the essence of who you are?’ When I started creating content in the golf space, I just wasn’t afraid to speak to the audience the way that I would speak to one of my homies. And I think that’s something that served me very well.” And, true to his word, that is indeed the case.

Steele’s built himself into a legit brand in golf, racking up over 233k followers on Instagram. What helps is how he stands out on the course – it’s gotten him collabs with big-time athletes like NBA All-Star Steph Curry and NBA champ J.R. Smith. By just being himself out there on the links, he’s expanded his reach big time.

However, as inspiring as Steele’s journey is, he isn’t the only person in the golf world to deal with intense racism.

Tiger Woods once opened up about the racism in golf

In 2022, during his emotional induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame, Tiger Woods got choked up recalling the racism he faced growing up and the rock-solid support of his parents. “I didn’t get here alone,” Woods said, tearing up a bit. “I had unbelievable parents, mentors and friends who supported me in the darkest of times and celebrated the highest of times.”

Woods has shared how racism shaped his experiences in golf growing up, like when he wasn’t allowed in clubhouses and had to change shoes in the parking lot. “You had to be twice as good to get half a chance (so) I made practice so hard, hurt so much, because I want to make sure I was ready come game time. I was not allowed into the clubhouses. The color of my skin dictated that… As I got older that drove me even more.”

His mom, Kultida, brought the toughness, his dad taught him golf, and Woods says he wouldn’t be a legend “without the sacrifices of mom and dad, who instilled in me this work ethic to fight for what I believe in, to chase after my dreams.” And that work ethic paid off big time – like on April 13, 1997, when he won his first major at the Masters in historic fashion.

At just 21, Woods was the first Black golfer to win a major pro golf championship, and he did it in a blowout – winning by a record 12 shots.