A century after Frederick Douglass Golf Course first opened its fairways to provide Black residents with a dedicated space for recreation during an era of segregation, the historic grounds hosted a new generation of players looking to make their mark on the green.
More than 100 local youth gathered at the iconic east side course, located at 2901 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue, on Aug. 29 to participate in the Bank of America Golf with Us Clinic and Play Day. For many of the young attendees representing the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Indianapolis, 100 Black Men and Edna Martin Christian Center (EMCC), the weekend event marked their very first time picking up a golf club.
To guide them through their initial swings, chips and putts, the aspiring golfers were joined by a trio of legendary professional athletes. Basketball Hall of Famer and Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings partnered with Super Bowl champion and Colts Ring of Honor member Jeff Saturday to lead the morning instructional stations alongside local teaching professionals. Both Catchings and Saturday used the hands-on sessions to share practical golf techniques while emphasizing broader life lessons in discipline and perseverance.
The event aligns with a broader corporate push to eliminate the historical financial and access barriers that have traditionally surrounded the sport.
“This is part of our Golf with Us initiative,” President of Bank of America Indianapolis Andy Crask told the Indianapolis Recorder. “It’s a national initiative where we get kids ages 6 to 18 involved in golf in ways that they’ve never been able to do before.”
In the afternoon, World Golf Hall of Famer and 10-time major champion Annika Sorenstam took over to conduct an advanced demonstration for young athletes representing Indiana Golf, Youth on Course, First Tee and the PGA Jr. League. Concurrently, Bank of America activated its partnership with Watson Links, providing 18 juniors and mentors with a guided, on-course playing experience.
Through a partnership with Youth on Course, the national program provides registered youth with access to tee times for $5 or less at thousands of participating courses, alongside discounted simulator rentals and free professional lessons. To date, more than 187,000 young people have signed up for the program nationwide, including nearly 1,500 youth in the Indianapolis area.
“Investing in youth is one of our core values, and to be able to bring young people into something to show that this is available to them is important,” Crask said. “They’re going to learn a lot about golf (during the event) from mentors and professionals. The things they are going to learn here today are great for golf, but we also hope they will take them into their communities.”
Ensuring the momentum generated at the centennial celebration continues, Bank of America is providing ongoing financial support to the PGA of America REACH Foundation, guaranteeing that local youth have the resources to continue developing their skills through future clinics and classes in Indianapolis.
Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
