“Tiger was so dominant for 20 plus years, and what he accomplished was so historic, yet the floodgates for minority golf didn't really do what I think everyone expected it to,” Amari said. “Obviously, there's a lot more Black golfers playing now, but it hasn't been the norm at least to see Black players competing year-round on the PGA or LPGA Tour. I hope that that's what happens this time around with the next generation.”

Golf is a somewhat inaccessible sport in relation to other athletic youth programs many kids try from a young age. Even a basic introduction can cost thousands of dollars, and if the end goal is making it to the big leagues, the investment can climb into the tens or even hundreds of thousands. From equipment to lessons to tee times over an entire amateur career, golf remains one of the hardest and most expensive sports to play.

But the expansion and addition of programs like LPGA*USGA Girls Golf in communities that haven’t had exposure to the game in the past is definitely a step in the right direction.

For Amari, her introduction to the game as a kid from Southern California came via Youth on Course, a program through which young people can play a round at courses across the country for $5 or less. Initiatives like these, where juniors can be introduced to golf without breaking the bank, demonstrate how intentional access can directly shape pathways into the sport.

Lakareber recalls her experience with the First Tee from her early golf days in Houston and how impactful it was, “having a place you could drop your kids off and then pick them up when you’re ready. Programs like this facilitate helping parents who have to work or run errands on the weekends.”

Lakareber continued, “When (my sister and I) started playing, you could get this little card, and you could go to any public course in Houston and show it and play nine holes. I think they got rid of this program because there were too many kids, but things like that changed my golf career.”

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