Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 9-20-19

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
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Rogers Park Chosen As ‘Florida Historic Golf Trail’ Of The Month
G. D. ROGERS
... Donated land for Rogers Park
Last week, Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee announced that Rogers Park Golf Course has been chosen as the featured course on the “Florida Historic Golf Trail” for the month of September.
Ms. Lee said, "We are pleased to feature Rogers Park Golf Course as a new addition to the Florida His- toric Golf Trail. Located next to the Hillsborough River, this once segre- gated course was listed on the Na- tional Register of Historic Places in 2014."
During the segregation era, the property that is now home to Rogers Park Golf Course was an African American community park. After church on Sundays, many families would spend the day on the swings, slides, baseball field and picnic area. The park is named after African American businessman and philanthropist Garfield Devoe Rogers, who donated the land to the City of Tampa for a park and golf course. The park was dedicated in 1951.
That same year, Tampa Mayor Curtis Hixon gave permission to a group of African American caddies who worked at Palma Ceia Country Club to build a 9-hole golf course at Rogers Park.
The work was led by Willie Black, originally of Albany, Geor- gia, who had previously helped
WILLIE BLACK
... Professional Golfer
build several golf courses in Geor- gia. Black directed a group of vol- unteers to remove trees and shape the land by hand. Work on the 9- hole course was completed in 1952 and Black became the first Head Golf Professional at the course.
In 1961, the course was ex- panded to 18 holes when an addi- tional 9 holes were constructed on an adjacent parcel of property to the west of the park. After the golf course was desegregated in 1963, it became a golfing destination for amateur and professional golfers throughout the nation.
In 1976, the City of Tampa gave management rights to the newly formed Tampa Sports Authority and a $400,000 renovation project began with Ron Garl as the de- signer. In November 2014, the orig- inal Rogers Park Golf Course site became the fourth golf course in Florida to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kennie Sims, Vice President of Golf Operations said, “It is truly an honor to have Rogers Park Golf Course selected as the Florida His- toric Golf Trail's featured course for September 2019.
“We are extremely proud to manage a golf course with such his- torical significance.”
Today, the 18-hole, par 71 Rogers Park Golf Course features
ROGERS PARK GOLF COURSE
five sets of tees playing from 5,000 to 6,800 yards. The course offers a great golfing experience for golfers of all skill levels.
For more information on Rogers Park Golf Course, visit their web-
site.
To learn more about the Florida
Historic Golf Trail, visit floridahistoricgolftrail.com or find us on Facebook at @FloridaHis- toricGolfTrail.
ROGERS PARK GOLF COURSE