by Johnnie Grant

It was 1945 at age 11 that Billy Gardenheight, Sr. first developed an interest in the game of golf. 

Money was scarce for everyone at the end of World War II. For school-aged children there was little or no income, and caddying at local golf courses was a way to earn money. “My mother was very apprehensive about me caddying, because golf had no meaning to her. I told her that I would earn $1.25 to $2.00 for carrying golf bags for 18 holes, so she reluctantly allowed me to go,” said Gardenheight.

The next morning Gardenheight took off from school, caught the Jack Bryson bus with friends Arizona and Isaiah Williams, and went to caddy at the Biltmore Forest Country Club. Little did he know that it would be a laborious and cumbersome experience for him at such a young age. “As I learned to caddy, I had to deal with some racially verbal abuse from the golfers, but as I carried the golf bag(s), I began to study the art of the game of golf. After school was over and homework was done, the neighborhood boys and me would gather throughout the neighborhood of East End.

“It was there on the streets of Dirt Eagle, George Washington Carver, Knob, Latta, Hildebrand, Beaumont, Hazzard, Clemmons, and College Streets, we fashioned our own fairways,” says Gardenheight. “You could hit a full five-iron up the hill, and a seven- or eight-iron coming back down. Mountain St. School (now the Asheville Board of Education Building), was our PGA Track. Most of us had a five- or seven-iron that we got from the golfers we caddied for as gifts – and yes, some irons were the result of ‘caddie-revenge.’ If you were ever a caddie – you would know what I mean!” mused Gardenheight.

At 15 Gardenheight started playing a good solid game of golf, shooting a score in the 70s. “The older guys would get me out of school to play as their partner in money matches. If we won, we would split the winning, and if we lost they would pay. The pressure of losing was not an issue for me – this was my strength. I simply was hooked on playing golf; the money just made it that much more exciting!”

After the Supreme Court Ruling in 1954 on public parks, Asheville’s Municipal Golf Course was to be opened to both black and white golfers. “Blacks could only play on Mondays when the course wasn’t being used by the white golfers. But, after that ruling I got up the following Sunday morning, called my friend Boyce Layton, and we went to play 18 holes of golf. Although we were not attacked, it was not a pleasant experience for either of us. In fact – on some holes, it was downright frightful!”

Billy Gardenheight, Sr Tournament Director, Skyview Golfer’s Association. Photo: Urban News

The next morning the local newspaper headline read: “Negroes showed up to play golf,” which started a frenzy that had the City of Asheville in an uproar about the golf course. During this course of events, the word spread quickly that the local public Municipal Golf Course would be sold. “Shortly afterwards,” says Gardenheight, “attorney Reuben Dailey, Mr. Charles Collette and myself made an appearance before Asheville City Council. Attorney Dailey was very eloquent in his resounding appeal citing the reasons the golf course should not be sold. After the presentation, Mayor Earl Eller stated, ‘Don’t you boys worry, we’re not gonna’ sell that golf course – go on back home.’”

Shortly thereafter, word spread around town that blacks could play every day. However, lack of acceptance still caused some black players to be quite apprehensive, and in some instances they showed a real fear of personal harm, and were threatened with losing their jobs. “It was a real scary feeling – just to play the game of golf,” said Gardenheight.

“In 1954, I began to tour the golf circuit and participate in black golfing tournaments in Winston-Salem, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. I can remember the prize money averaging around $300 to $500 for the professional division. Needless to say, this is what convinced me to turn professional, since I was consistently shooting in the 70s. In 1970, I relinquished my professional status after getting a good steady job,” said Gardenheight.

Over the years change did come to Asheville as African American golfers continued to play at the local public course. Two of the greatest and most renowned local and circuit golfers were Harry Jeter and John Brook Dendy. Gardenheight recounts the play-by-play action of the tournament plays of these two men.

“In 1979, Harry Jeter shot a yet-to-be-broken course record at Asheville’s Municipal Golf Course. It was a blazing 62, from the blue tees at 6,480 yards. Jeter had a bogey on the 13th hole of his record setting round, to go with birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 17th, and 18th holes. That same year he entered nine tournaments, and won seven first place finishes in a row,” recalls Gardenheight.

Pro golfer John Brooks Dendy (now deceased), a Morehouse College graduate, earned the title of “National Open Champion in 1937 at Jacksonville, Florida. Starting the round with a hole in one on a par four hole, the second hole – an eagle three, and the fourth – with a birdie, to date that fete has not been. I fondly remember all of the great African American golfers of this region, and throughout the country,” recalls Gardenheight.

As Mr. Gardenheight gazed around the inside of the club house at the Municipal Golf Course, he shared some words of encouragement he wanted the local youth to know: “As I look back on my experiences and ponder the future, the potential for young African-American golfers is tremendous. In my era, we HAD no outlet and had to start as caddies – it is there we learned the rules of the game, and developed the discipline to play.”