Out of the Rough

The long-overdue biography of golfing pioneer Ted Rhodes.After winning The Masters in 1997, Tiger Woods paused to express gratitude to three African American golf pioneers. One was Ted Rhodes. As prolific as Woods would go on to become, his success paled when compared to that enjoyed during the 1940s and 50s by Rhodes. In Out of the Rough: Ted Rhodes and His Fight Against Golf’s Color Barrier, Dan Taylor tells the remarkable story of Rhodes’s life and career. He details Rhodes’s impoverished background, how he was barred from golf courses in his hometown by Jim Crow laws, and his rise to prominence in the sport. Relegated to the all-Black United Golfers Association by a “Caucasians Only” membership policy adopted by the PGA tour, Rhodes shattered course records. Befriended and supported by heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, Rhodes blazed a trail for Black golfers, becoming the first in more than fifty years to play in the US Open, suing for his right to play in the PGA, and becoming the first Black professional golfer to play in a PGA tournament and on the circuit. Ted Rhodes was one of the most impressive talents golf has ever seen, a man who achieved greatness amidst immense obstacles and a pioneer whose game and character opened doors for future generations of Black golfers. Out of the Rough is a long overdue tribute to this golfing icon.