Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Rhode Island’s only black golf pro said there “needs to be a better pipeline” to expand diversity in the golfing ranks in Rhode Island — and a willingness in the golf industry to innovate.
Russel Johnson, who grew up in Mt. Hope on the East Side of Providence, currently runs the Ocean State Golf Academy and is Director of Instruction at Valley Country Club in Warwick, after working at top courses in Florida and around the country.
“I always thought professional baseball might be in my future,” said Johnson, who played baseball at Hope and then CCRI.
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That changed the first time he picked up a set of clubs in his 20s.
Now, his business model could average $10,000 a month in instruction alone with two professionals — and Johnson is looking to purchase his own golf course.
“A kid like me off Pleasant Street on the East Side didn’t know what golf was,” said Johnson. ‘If you know Rhode Island sports, you knew Jerry Morgan, a Hope High basketball coach for many years. He’d teach at Button Hole, and we’d laugh at the ‘old guy’ playing golf.”
Johnson said the lack of a “pipeline” for inner-city youth was a problem forty years ago — and persists today.
“There’s no pipeline, no root system for inclusion,” said Johnson. “I’m not saying you’re being purposely excluded, but just take in 1981 — Hope cut hockey. So I just ran track, and played baseball, my number one sport. You didn’t think about not having a golf team.”
“Problems in life start at high school,” said Johnson. “When you go to a Moses Brown, these kids have pretty much all been exposed to golf. Until it gets into the Providence school system, it won’t change, but I fear it never will. Classical might have a team but Hope and Central and Mt. Pleasant won’t even happen. And Mt. Pleasant is right next to Button Hole.”
Actress and producer Rose Weaver, who has been taking lessons from Johnson, spoke to how golf has been helping her during the coronavirus epidemic — and urges it could help many others.
“I’m taking lessons from [Johnson] and my game has improved a hundred percent in just a few lessons. Getting out on the course or driving range is helping me out of social distancing depression,” said Weaver.
“Golf is one of the few sports one can play without a mask, at least once you’re out there on the fairway,” said Weaver. “And even if you don’t have a lot of money, there are courses that teach and are fairly inexpensive to play.”
Leaving RI — And Coming Back
“I was 26 when I took up the game,” said Johnson. “I was selling Saabs in the late 80s in Massachusetts. Everyone in the dealership would play with me and bet me a $1 I couldn’t break 200.”
Johnson, who had tried out with major league baseball clubs, quickly proved them wrong.
“I didn’t have much direction in my 20s, like a lot of young men. I was selling cars, and just figured I’d keep selling cars,” said Johnson.
“The more I played, the more I loved it,” said Johnson, who then moved to work in golf retail in New England — before heading to Florida.
“I went down with a friend, and he didn’t pass the playability test, but I did,” said Johnson.
After working as a golf pro outside of Rhode Island for nearly years in Floridan and Arizona, Johnson came back to the state to look after his father — and said he really noticed how different the golf scene is in his home state.
“Right now, I am getting busier by the day,” said Johnson of his business and instruction. ‘What makes Rhode Island what it is, is that when we travel outside of Rhode Island, you always come back wanting more because Rhode Island is not very progressive. We tend to be slow. Mediocre. You don’t find trends here — Rhode Island is slow to change what we’ve always done.”
‘We’ve got a land of opportunity and no one has seized the moment. Golf here is status quo, the mentality is why should I do anything different,” said Johnson.
Johnson said he’s “not surprised” he’s the only black golf pro in the state.
“It’s not racism — it’s the opportunity that was missed long before me,” said Johnson. “Let’s look at demographics. We can look at social circles. That’s all you need to know. Just look at the top country clubs in Rhode Island, if you asked how many minorities are full-fledged active members. I don’t think you get to 25.”
Johnson said that he’s had “lengthy” conversations with friend and Black business leader Roland Snead around the issue of inclusivity.
“Roland and I have had long talks about this — about how to integrate — and it can be done,” said Johnson. “It’s going to take a grassroots effort [by clubs] to let people know we’re here, we want all of you, not just some of you.”
“If you look at why golf clubs are ailing — they’re only including one race of people,” said Johnson. “No one is going out into the community, to the black bankers, lawyers, doctors. To the Hispanics. To the Asians. There are people other than white people who play golf.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the challenges, Johnson said he thinks the future of golf is “strong.”
“I think that the bad courses will go away. It’s like the restaurants — if you have a progressive owner, you’ll do well,” said Johnson. “Look at Federal Hill. They decided to block off the street and when I was there last weekend every restaurant was busy. Around the country, golf is thriving and strong. Rhode Island golf hasn’t been a barometer. People don’t come to Rhode Island just to play golf.”
As far as the next generation is concerned, however, Johnson said access is key — but there are other factors.
“It goes back to accessibility. If the kids have the access, will they play like their grandfather did? We’re now up to Generation Z. Maybe they don’t want to be out playing for 5 hours. They’ll be in the tech space. Maybe golf will dip for 20 years,” said Johnson.
“Golf pros will be there — but you have to think differently, and do things differently,” said Johnson. “On my radar is to purchase a course in the next 5 years.”
Will it be in Rhode Island?
“Likely not,” said Johnson. “I’m looking for year-round opportunities.”
Updated Tuesday 11:32 AM
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