PGA Tour star Jordan Spieth makes significant Tiger Woods donation
Spieth pledged a £195,000 grant towards the construction of a junior putting green at Cobbs Creek Golf Club, a public venue in West Philadelphia that has been a haven for Black golfers for more than a century
Former world No. 1 golfer Jordan Spieth has pledged a generous £195,000 grant towards the renovation of the historic Cobbs Creek Golf Club – a project led by Tiger Woods. The funds are earmarked for the construction of a junior putting green.
The public golf course in West Philadelphia has been a hub for Black golfers for over a century, welcoming players of all races, ethnicities and genders during times of widespread American segregation. In 2021, it was nominated into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame.
Cobbs Creek Foundation President Jeff Shanahan expressed his gratitude for the partnership with the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation, stating: “We are grateful and thrilled to partner with the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation as we take another significant step towards providing a world-class and inviting public golf experience that welcomes players from every background and at all levels. The creation of a junior putting green represents a pivotal moment in our efforts to revitalize the Cobbs Creek Campus and provide transformative opportunities for the youth in our community.”
The 340-acre site, situated on the western outskirts of Philadelphia, has been a vital resource in the Black community for nearly two centuries. Research from Friends of Cobbs Creek Golf Course, in collaboration with the Delaware County Historical Society, revealed that the current greens are built over a significant stop on the Underground Railroad, owned by Quaker abolitionist Samuel Rhodes.
The “Olde Course” opened its doors decades later, becoming a top-notch venue for golfers of colour. It served as the home ground for the United Golfers Association and nurtured Charlie Sifford, the first Black athlete to join the PGA Tour full-time in 1961.
Sifford is a personal hero to Woods, sparking his interest in Cobbs Creek after years of mismanagement and a fire that destroyed the clubhouse in 2016.
State Sen. Vincent Hughes said: “Cobbs Creek was the place where Black and brown golfers could golf when they were not allowed to golf anywhere else. Its historical significance, because it fought against discrimination, it fought against racism and it opened its doors and its greens and its tees to Black and brown golfers requires us to make sure that we treasure it.”
