African Americans in Golf

Victories 

Making History On and Off the Golf Course

"A Missing Link In History: The Journey of African Americans in Golf"

"African American Golf History Brain-Aerobics" Activity Books

African American Caddies on the LPGA Tour, PGA Tour, and Champions Tour

Fact: There are approximately 500 active members on the 2012 LPGA Tour players roster, and approximately 400 active members on the combined 2012 PGA Tour and Champions Tour players rosters. Each Tour player has a caddie, which equals to about 900 caddies. Out of the 900 caddies, less than one percent are African American. This month we recognize Otis Moore and Mike Troublefield.

Otis "Buck" Moore 

Tour caddie for Olin Browne, Champions Tour member. Otis Moore was on the bag for Browne's 2005 PGA Tour victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship, and 2011 U.S. Senior Open Championship win. 

Mike "Country Club" Troublefield

LPGA Tour caddie. This year, 2012, marks Troublefield's 13th year caddying on the LPGA Tour. He caddied for M.J. Hur's Safeway Classic win in 2009. He is the only African American caddie on the LPGA Tour. Troublefield was given the nickname "Country Club" by legendary African American professional golfer Jim Dent.

The majority of African American caddies on professional (major and mini) tours is estimated to be five percent or less. Some of the more common reasons for this drastic decline are: (1) many Caucasians no longer consider caddying a position of servitude—it is now accepted as a profession, and (2) caddies receive considerably higher salaries compared to when the caddy force was 90%–100% African American.

Many well-qualified African American caddies have been overlooked and replaced by "other" caddies. 

To all African American caddies, past and present...thank you for your presence, passion, and perseverance!

Otis Moore, Champions Tour caddie; Moore caddies for Olin Browne.

Mike Troublefield, LPGA Tour caddie