Renee Powell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Renee Powell |
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Powell in 2018
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| Personal information | |
| Born | May 4, 1946 Canton, Ohio |
| Height | 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | East Canton, Ohio |
| Career | |
| College | Ohio University Ohio State University |
| Turned professional | 1967 |
| Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 1 |
| Best results in LPGA Major Championships |
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| Western Open | T33: 1967 |
| Titleholders C'ship | DNP |
| LPGA Championship | T20: 1969, 1976 |
| U.S. Women's Open | T33: 1966 |
| du Maurier Classic | 78th: 1980 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| National Afro-American Golfers Hall of Fame |
1986 |
| National Black Golf Hall of Fame |
2006 |
| African American Golfers Hall of Fame |
2007 |
| PGA of America Hall of Fame |
2017 |
Renee Powell, born on May 4, 1946, is a famous American golfer. She played professionally on the LPGA Tour. Today, she is the head golf pro at her family's Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio. Renee was only the second African-American woman to play on the LPGA Tour.
Renee's father, Bill Powell, built his own golf course. Renee grew up in Ohio and started playing golf very young. As a teenager, she won many awards. She also led the women's golf teams at Ohio University and Ohio State University. In 1967, she became a professional golfer.
In the 1970s, Renee moved to the United Kingdom to play more golf. She joined the British PGA. In 1977, she made history by being the first woman to play in a men's golf tournament. Renee retired from playing in 1980. After that, she worked as a TV commentator. In 1995, she became the head professional at Clearview Golf Club.
Renee Powell is a member of the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame. She also belongs to the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. In 2017, she was added to the PGA of America Hall of Fame.
Contents
Renee Powell's Early Life
Renee Powell was born in East Canton, Ohio. She grew up in a Catholic family. Renee started playing golf when she was just three years old. Her father, Bill Powell, was the first African American to build his own golf course in the United States. He made small golf clubs for Renee when she was a child. He was also her first golf teacher.
Renee's early life was calm and happy. She played many different sports when she was young. These included archery, ballet, and basketball. She also helped take care of the Clearview golf course. She even drove a tractor to help maintain it.
Renee's Youth Golf Achievements
Renee played in her first amateur golf tournament at age 12. She won her division in that tournament. Three years later, in 1960, she had already won 30 youth golf trophies. By 1961, she had 50 trophies! She played golf every day on her father's course.
Renee won many important tournaments. These included the Great Lakes Bantam Golf Tournament and the Columbiana County Open. She also won the Sixth City Ladies tournament three times. The Akron Beacon Journal newspaper called her the "Queen of the Bantam Golf Show."
In 1962, Renee was the first African American to enter the U.S. Girls' Junior tournament. She surprised everyone by winning her first round. She won the Akron Tire Town open for the third time in 1963. In 1964, she won a "sudden death" match in another women's tournament. She was a top player in the United Golf Association (UGA) National Open in 1964. She went on to win the amateur title that year.
College and Leadership
Renee graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1964. She then went to Ohio University (OU). Later, she transferred to Ohio State University (OSU). At OU, she studied speech and hearing therapy. When she moved to OSU, she changed her major to sociology.
Renee was the captain of the women's golf team at both universities. At OSU, she became the first African American to lead a major university golf team. When she wanted to play in the Ohio State Golf Association tournament, OSU supported her. They said they would leave the organization if Renee was not allowed to play.
Renee Powell's Professional Golf Career
Renee Powell played in more than 250 professional golf tournaments. In 1967, she joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). She was only the second African American woman to play in the LPGA.
Facing Challenges on Tour
When Renee was a new player in the LPGA, she faced many challenges. Some people sent her threats because they did not want a Black woman playing golf. Sometimes, she was not allowed to stay in the official hotels for tournaments. When she traveled with Canadian golfer Sandra Post, they worked together. They tried to make sure Renee could get a room.
There were times when Renee and Sandra were not served at restaurants. They would leave hungry. Renee would sometimes joke, "I didn't want to tell you, but it's because you're Canadian." Renee did not earn enough money from golf alone. So, she also worked for Wilson Sporting Goods. She also gave golf lessons and shows. Her parents were happy to help her with money too. By 1969, the LPGA made it clear that their tour was open to everyone. They announced this in towns they visited to prevent problems for Renee.
International Play and Service
Renee won the 1973 Kelly-Springfield Tournament in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. She set a course record with a final score of 67 strokes. She visited Africa 25 times. While there, she taught golf to important leaders and other people.
In 1971, Renee went on a USO Tour. This included meeting soldiers in Vietnam during the war. She was good friends with fellow golfer Patty Berg. Patty encouraged Renee's career. She also gave her advice on how to hold golf clinics.
Playing in the UK
Renee moved to the UK in the 1970s to improve her career. She played her first round at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1975. For a short time, she was the first female head professional at Silvermere Golf Club. Renee later joined the British PGA. In 1977, she became the first woman to play in a British men's tournament. She played in the Surrey PGA Championship. She also designed golf clothes for Harrods, a famous store. Renee called herself "the lone ranger." This was because she was the only important Black female professional golfer.
Retirement and Legacy
In 1980, Renee retired from the LPGA. During her time there, she played in over 250 professional golf events. After retiring, she became a television commentator for ABC and CBS.
In 1995, she became the head professional at Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio. Her father started this club in 1948. It was a place free of unfair treatment based on race or social class. The LPGA recognized Renee's work at Clearview in 2000. They named the course one of 75 Girls Golf Club sites. Renee also runs a program called Clearview HOPE. This golf program helps female war veterans. It is a fun, healing, and free program for veterans in Northern Ohio.
In 2019, Renee Powell was chosen for the PGA of America board of directors. She was the first at-large member.
Renee Powell's Awards and Honors
Renee Powell and her family received the Jack Nicklaus Golf Family Award in 1992. This award came from the National Golf Foundation (NGF). In 1996, she was chosen as a member of the PGA of America. The LPGA gave her a Service Award in 1999. In 2003, she received the First Lady of Golf Award from the PGA.
Hall of Fame Inductions
In 2013, Renee Powell was added to the Stark County Amateur Hall of Fame. She won a Black Enterprise Women of Power award in 2016. Renee was later inducted into the PGA America Hall of Fame in 2017. Her father had also been inducted. This made them the only father and daughter to both receive this award. When she was inducted, Renee said it was "extremely special" to be in the Hall of Fame with her father. She said he was her only teacher for many years.
University and Club Honors
Renee received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of St Andrews in 2008. In 2015, she was invited to be one of the first women members of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. At a special lunch at the club, she brought her friend, Franco Harris, as her guest.
In 2016, the women's golf team at the University of St Andrews named their tournament after Renee. In 2018, Renee returned to St Andrews for a ceremony. Two new student dorms at the university were opened. One of them was named after her. Renee and her family received the Old Tom Morris Award in 2019. This award came from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
Images for kids
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Renee Powell in 2018
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The beautiful greens at Clearview Golf Club
