United Golf Association

The United Golf Association (UGA) was a group of African-American professional golfers who operated a separate series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks during the era of racial segregation in the United States. It was said to have started in 1925 when George Adams became a founding member^{[citation needed]} and in 1926 by Robert Hawkins, a golfer from Massachusetts.^[1] It was known affectionately as the Chitlin Circuit.^[2] and included many talented golfers such as Ted Rhodes, Bill Spiller, Pete Brown (golfer), Lee Elder, Willie Brown Jr, Zeke Hartsfield, Howard Wheeler and Charlie Sifford.^[2]

Women allowed to participate from the group's inception but only in 1939 did the first women's golfing organization seek affiliation when the Chicago Women's Golf Club, organized by Anna Robinson, applied to join. The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) had an article in its bylaws stating that it was "for members of the Caucasian race." Once this bylaw was repealed in the early 1960s and Black golfers were allowed to enter the PGA, the United Golf Association ceased to exist. It was formed in 1925 by a group of black businessmen on 12th Street branch of the Washington, D.C. The goal was to make the game an equal access and opportunity for all, to gather all black golfers golf association into one body.

Jimmy Taylor added the Mid Winter Classic at Rogers Park, Tampa to the circuit in 1963.^[3]

Contemporary golf association for African Americans include the African American Golf Association (AAGA), United States Black Golf Association, Western States Golf Association, Bogey Boyz, Black Jewels Ladies Golf Association and the African American Golf Foundation, Inc.

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