Thirty Ink reposted this
NBA Athlete | Producer, Investor, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Gold Medalist
On Wednesday we marked the conclusion of Season 3 of the Underrated Golf Tour, with Izzie Kelly and Jaden Soong being crowned the 2024 Curry Cup Champions. It's been an incredible journey watching an idea written on a napkin evolve into a thriving junior golf tour now in its third year and continuing strong. Many of you know about my deep passion for golf, but I also want to share the inspiration behind why the Underrated Golf Tour was created. Golf, as it stands, is a predominantly white sport, designed to benefit certain groups over others. One of the biggest challenges facing the golf world is the lack of access for underrepresented communities—whether it’s the limited availability of golf courses, the high costs associated with the sport, or simply the lack of opportunities to pick up a club and give it a try. The statistics speak volumes: only two Black men are ranked in the top 100 golfers worldwide, and just one Black woman is in the top 300. Less than 2% of all golfers are Black or Latinx. Renowned Black players like Tiger Woods are few and far between. Youth sports have lifelong benefits—enhancing cognitive skills, increasing the likelihood of attending college, boosting career success, and improving mental health. Recognizing these troubling statistics and understanding the positive impact sports can have on children fueled my passion for bringing equity, access, and opportunity to the game of golf. Golf should be a sport for everyone, which is why the Underrated Golf Tour is building a new foundation from the ground up. While golf is at the core of what we do, our mission extends far beyond it. By offering specialized programming, coaching, and networking opportunities with brands and corporations, we aim to change these statistics and increase participation in overlooked communities. #UnderratedFounder #LinkedInSports
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Your vision became a reality, and now, we are changing the world of golf.
I would like to know if Steph wrote this post. It's sad that people moan about accessibility and suggest that it's somehow based on race. Golf is expensive because it requires a significant piece of land, water, groundskeepers, and considerable long— and short-term maintenance of the playing surface. Golf clubs are commercial enterprises and will take anyone's money regardless of race.
Congratulations on another incredible season and evolving the golf space year after year.
I love this! Many times discrimination is systemic and unconscious. It's not that one person doesn't want someone of this gender or that race in a space, it is because in past generations they were not allowed in those spaces. The barrier to entry is hard, the feeling of isolation is uncomfortable. It takes *intentionality* to change generational bias. I love the intentionality of your change. Thank you for including women. As a female sports photographer, I always appreciate men who help women enter spaces that they are under represented in
An inspiration on and off the court 🙌
Bring some of that to Oklahoma City, OK. We have the golf coourses here. Tiger Woods came here several times and there are some golf activities for young golfers. Horace Stevenson with his Little Giant Golf Tournament was one such avid golfer who made golf a reality for many young folks and some of the frateral organizations of color here sponsor golf tournaments as fundraisers. It is a growing golf community. Thanks for your efforts. We want to collaborate with you, if possible. I am Anita Arnold - in Oklahoma City.
So happy Black Girls Golf was able to witness the magic of Underrated Tour. Stephen Curry , what you’re doing for Junior golf is unmatched.
I completely agree, Stephen! A long time coming. Thank you for giving back to well deserving youth. PLEASE please please 🙏 bring back Holy Moly!!! Our favorite family show!
Hopefully we'll see you in the Midwest. Giving exposure to another sport is a beautiful thing. Especially in the Moline Quad City area we've got some great golf courses. And when you take in all four cities and the surrounding rural area we've got a ton of inexpensive well-kept golf courses.In Case you didn't get it that's a hit come on down. Continued success
Your passion and vision for creating equity and access in youth sports and your commitment to specialized programming, coaching, and creating networking opportunities is inspiring. The lifelong benefits of sports, from cognitive development to improved mental health, are undeniable. Thank you for leading this important initiative and for working to ensure that the positive impact of sports is accessible to all!