Rackham Golf Course

February 8, 2008

Rackham is a classic golf course in Huntington Woods, Michigan. Designed by the legendary Donald Ross, it was built in 1924 and donated to the city of Detroit with the understanding that it always would remain a golf course. Unfortunately, Rackham has been under threat recently from developers.

A little African American history month lesson: Rackham is a course with historic significance. It’s one of the few places where African Americans could enjoy the game. Joe Louis was a frequent visitor. And Rackham Pro Ben Davis was one of the first—if not THE first—African American course instructors in the country (Davis, who was still with us at this writing, still plays there frequently at the age of 96.

This photo is from the Flickr collection here. It’s one of the most beautiful golf course photos I’ve ever seen.