Breaking Down Barriers: Golf Makes Inroads in Detroit’s High Schools
In a city where basketball and football reign supreme, Shaun Horne stands out as a rarity among his Detroit high school peers. He’s one of the few students who plays golf, a sport that has traditionally been out of reach for many Black youth in the community. With only about 50 out of 14,000 high school students in Detroit’s school district playing golf on school teams, coaches and community groups are taking ambitious steps to change this narrative.
The biggest challenge, according to Jesse Hawkins, coach of Renaissance High School’s golf team, is exposing Black youth to the game. "In my community, when we were growing up, golf was just not a recognized sport," Hawkins said. "It wasn’t something that was well-respected by our community, let alone invested in." This lack of recognition and investment has contributed to the low participation rates among Black students in Detroit.
However, there are signs of change. The National Golf Foundation reports that about 25% of the 28.1 million Americans who played golf on a course in 2024 were Black, Asian, or Hispanic. This shift is, in part, due to initiatives like the Rocket Classic, a PGA event held in Detroit that has steered nearly $10 million to local charitable organizations, including $800,000 for programs that teach kids how to play golf.
The Rocket Classic, sponsored by Dan Gilbert’s Rocket Companies, has been instrumental in bringing golf to Detroit’s youth. Trina Scott, vice president of Civic and Community Affairs at Detroit-based Rock, emphasized the importance of making golf accessible to Black and brown youth. "How do we attract them into seeing this as a possibility? One way is by making it accessible, and the other way is by making it accessible but also eliminating the barriers," Scott said.
As Detroit continues to work towards increasing diversity in golf, the story of Shaun Horne and his peers serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that access and opportunity can have on a community. By breaking down barriers and providing resources, organizations like the Rocket Classic and First Tee of Greater Detroit are helping to create a more inclusive golfing community, one that reflects the diversity of the city itself. As golf continues to grow in popularity, it’s essential to ensure that all youth, regardless of their background, have the chance to participate and thrive in the sport.
