“Anything short of perfect was always unacceptable to him,” Larry says. The squad was undefeated in 1932 and outscored its opponents 332-0. And, as a 5-foot-9, 200-pound sturdy force, was its captain. He was the only African-American on his high school football team. All aspects of it.”īill Powell was quite an athlete. The club saw how aggressive and hungry those boys were to work, and they cleaned up fast. “The caddie master noticed them, and so they also began to work for the maintenance crew. “He and Berry carried two bags at once to make more money (35 cents per bag),” Larry says. Photo courtesy of the Powell familyīill Powell became a caddie when Edgewater opened. “Dad told me he would light up when he saw that course,” Larry says.īill Powell was presented with the PGA of America’s Distinguished Service Award in 2009. Powell was just 9 when he learned that Edgewater Golf Club was being built just 7 miles from his home.
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From the doorstep of his home on Pennsylvania Avenue in Minerva, Ohio, where he was raised, he could see a patch of land where the Ku Klux Klan burned crosses.īut the son of a Bible-reading father and the grandson of Alabama slaves also grew up near what would become his future passion. Powell, really, it was meeting history.” A dream is bornīill Powell was no stranger to the racial divide that held sway in the country during the early part of the 20th century. I mean, he just took it to a new level of appreciation,” says Franco Harris, the iconic running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who was on the receiving end of the “Immaculate Reception” in a 1972 AFC divisional playoff game - as well as golf lessons from Bill Powell. “He had that determination, that drive, all for the love of the game. 6 at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego during that event’s Opening Session, which is presented in partnership with Syngenta.Ī football legend who was at the center of one of the most famous plays in the sport’s history understands the importance of how far Bill Powell’s imagination and grit took him. They’ll officially receive the award Feb. The latest distinction comes in the form of GCSAA’s highest honor, the 2019 Old Tom Morris Award, which has been presented annually since 1983 to an individual - and now a family - who, through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf, has helped to mold the welfare of the game in the manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris. What the Powells achieved at Clearview has been applauded and recognized on many occasions. “At a small operation like this, it was critical for the survival of Clearview. “I can’t emphasize enough that this course would not be here without the help of so many people,” Larry says. His acts of bravery and a determination to overcome racial injustice helped shape his legacy, and a slew of people through many decades have kept the dream alive. Larry’s sister, Renee Powell, is the club’s PGA professional.īill Powell - an agent of change - was a 37-year GCSAA member when he died at 93 in 2009. “Dad said the only card here is the scorecard,” says Powell’s son, Larry, a 44-year GCSAA member and Clearview’s superintendent since 1971. Fondly dubbed “America’s Course” because Powell wanted a place where anyone could play, Clearview was the first and remains the only golf course to be designed, constructed and owned by an African-American.Īlthough Powell was victimized by racism, he never played the race card. Using his bare hands to do much of the grueling, endless and seemingly impossible tasks, Powell opened Clearview Golf Club with nine holes in 1948. When they found a dilapidated dairy farm that suited their eye near the tiny village of East Canton, Ohio, something massive emerged. Powell and his wife, Marcella, searched for a piece of land in 1946.
Rejected for a GI loan meant to help service members buy a home, Powell turned to his brother, Berry, who took out a second home mortgage, and two African-American doctors to assist in financing his golf dream. He was prohibited from playing on a golf course because of his color. Powell faced discrimination in many ways. African-Americans such as Powell encountered a country still far from colorblind. Simply by wanting to play golf, he learned it hadn’t. A devoted family - courageous and fearless - ensured its longevity.Īfter serving his country in World War II, Bill Powell returned to the United States, hoping the racial climate had changed. There was zero chance, however, that it would totally wash away what happened there 70 years ago. Photo courtesy of the Powell familyįorty-seven years ago, a flood wiped out 12 bridges at Clearview Golf Club. From left: Billy Powell, Marcella Powell, Larry Powell, Bill Powell and Renee Powell, circa 1960.
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