Maggie Hathaway Golf Course selected for multi-million dollar revamp
When you think of golf legends Arnold Palmer or Tiger Woods may come to mind. But, in South LA it's always been about Maggie Hathaway.
"I believe she is the only black woman that has a golf course named after the entire United States," said Danny Bakewell Sr., publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel.
Tucked in the back of Jesse Owens Park, the par three golf course is a humble gathering spot for the community.
"She was a pioneer," said Glen Porter, area vice president of the Western State Golf Association.
Hathaway wanted to make the sport accessible for everyone and in doing so, she made sure that the course did not require an astronomical fee to be a member. In fact, the course doesn't require membership at all.
"She said 'No, it's not a white privileged sport, because I'm not white and I'm not privileged but I play golf and I play golf well,' " recalled Bakewell Sr. " 'It's something that we all need to learn how to do because it's a very wonderful sport.' "
For years, Bakewell and his paper covered Hathaway's many talents including her Hollywood success. She later became a columnist for the paper, where she wrote about golf and social activism. She eventually became one of the founders of the NAACP Image Awards.
"Maggie was recognizing people who needed to be recognized," said Bakewell Sr. "So, that the community would have role models that they, in fact, could emulate.
Though she died in 2001, Hathaway's legacy lives on. This month, her golf course was selected to receive up to $15 million from the U.S. Open Community Legacy Project.
Porter said the donation will help them with upgrades to their buildings, create more youth programs and bring the entire facility up to par with her namesake.
"I know that the community in her name is going to be happy," said Porter. "I know a lot of the kids that come through the gates, and a lot of the adults — everybody is going to be happy."
