National Black Golf Hall of Fame
Inductees of 2023
ANDRE SPRINGS
Andre Springs, a native of Charlotte, N.C. entered Fayetteville State University (FSU) in 1975 and became the first freshman to win the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) Golf Championship in addition to being named FSU’s Most Outstanding Freshman. He was also honored as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic (NAIA) All-American and All-CIAA Tournament team member. As the most valuable player for three consecutive years, Springs assisted his team to four consecutive CIAA team Golf Championships. The Fayetteville Observer credited him with the title of “Mr. CIAA Golfer”. Springs earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Fayetteville State University in 1979. In 1990, Springs was the first golfer to be inducted into FSU’s Hall of Fame and the first student athlete of his class.
Along the way, Springs has become a CIAA Hall of Fame inductee, a aCIAA Golf Coach of the Year, a Livingstone College Hall of Fame inductee, A Fayetteville State Hall of Fame inductee as a player and first black person to manage golf courses in Cleveland, Ohio.
LAREE PEARL SUGG
LaRee Pearl Sugg is the athletic director for Richmond University since 2005. Before joining Richmond, Sugg became the third African American woman to play on the LPGA Tour in history. Sugg played on the LPGA tour from 1995 to 1996 and 2000 to 2001 with multiple appearances at the United States Women’s Open Championship and Women’s British Open. Apart from the LPGA, Sugg played on the LGPA Futures Tour, Ladies European Tour and Ladies Asian Golf Tour during the 1990s. During her career, Sugg won the 1998 Aurora Health Care Futures Classic. She also was third at the 1993 Singapore Ladies Open and 1997 Indonesian Ladies Open.
STEPHEN HAMBLIN
In his 39 years as Executive Director of the American Junior Golf Association and a Class A Member of the PGA of America, Stephen Hamblin, has witnessed the development of some of the most talented golfers in the world: Tiger Woods, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Stacy Lewis, Nelly Korda, Inbee Park and Mariah Stackhouse, to name a few.
Hamblin’s leadership has been the impetus to important programs such as: an industry-leading pace of play system, an unmatched tournament experience, sponsorship to keep costs low and value high for members, the ACE Grant program, strict Code of Conduct policy and a thank-you note writing program. He has also been instrumental in the AJGA’s investment of more than $2.5 million in DE&I initiatives. He has accomplished all of this while remaining true to the original mission and purpose of the AJGA: fostering the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.
CARL JACKSON
Carl Jacksonis a golfcaddieat theAugusta National Golf Club. He has caddied at everyMasters Tournament, except one, since 1961 holding the record for the most appearances, at 54, of a caddie at this tournament.He has caddied forBen Crenshaw39 times including on the two occasions on which he won the tournament.
Jackson started caddying at Augusta National in 1958[2]and caddied for the first time at the Masters Tournament at the age of 14 in 1961, caddying forBilly Burke. In 1964, he caddied forBruce Devlin, who finished fourth that year and in 1970 forGary Playerwhen he finished third. He first caddied for Crenshaw in 1976, when Crenshaw finished second, and continued to caddie for Crenshaw at the Masters until 1983 when Augusta National dropped the requirement that players use its caddies. Crenshaw kept Jackson on as caddie. Crenshaw won the Masters Tournament twice while Jackson was his caddie, once in 1984 and then again in 1995.[1]Jackson was supposed to caddie for Crenshaw in the 2015 Masters, buthad to pull out on Thursday morning due to sore ribs. Jackson’s younger brother, Bud, caddied for Crenshaw instead. Jackson greeted and gave an emotional hug to Crenshaw after Crenshaw finished the 18th hole on Friday. Crenshaw announced the 2015 Masters, his 44th, would be his last.