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| When
Jackson Park Golf Course opened in 1899, it was the first public golf course
west of the Allegheny Mountains and was free to play. The course has been
the host venue for the Chicago City Amateur for 119 years, an event won
five times by golf legend and Evans Scholarship founder, Charles “Chick”
Evans. Long a beacon for inclusivity, Jackson Park has been the home of
numerous African-American golfers and leagues, most notably the Bob-O-Links
Junior Golf Club for children ages 8 to 17. Bob-O-Links was founded by
the Chicago Women’s Golf Club, the oldest African-American women’s golf
club in the nation, in 1954. In addition, the Jackson Park Golf Association
(JPGA) was created in 1989 as an anchor for minorities’ long-standing use
of the course.
 “We had Tiger Woods join us in 1994 as an example for our young people, and our work continues into the future as we provide college scholarships and more opportunities. With Jackson Park as the backdrop, we’re living JPGA’s mission to provide values, resources, services, opportunities, and community sustainability,” said Tracy Raoul, JPGA Chairperson, President of Ebony Ladies Golf League, and Director with the Chicago District Golf Association and the Illinois Junior Golf Association. Today, the Chicago Park District continues to keep green fees affordable at Jackson Park, with an 18-hole walking rate of just $36. The course remains a fixture of the Windy City recently hosting the 119th Chicago City Amateur as well as the 51st Junior Amateur Championship and is home to new caddie program, helping local youth discover the life-changing benefits of caddying. In September, Troon golf ambassador Cheyenne Woods will host a golf clinic for Chicago youth at the Jackson Park Driving Range on Saturday, September 7, while the course’s 125th summer celebration will culminate at the JPGA’s Scholarship Invitational on Sunday, September 15. “Chicago’s city flag has four stars on it, signifying really important events in the city’s history. If there were a Chicago golf history flag, Jackson Park would absolutely be one of the major milestones. It’s not just the number of years, it’s the place in peoples’ lives and in our Chicago community that Jackson Park serves,” said Matt McIntee, Senior Vice President for Troon and Regional General Manager for the Chicago Park District’s golf facilities. Indigo Sports, a Troon® company, manages the eight golf facilities owned by the City of Chicago, including Jackson Park, Columbus Park Golf Course, Diversey Driving Range, Douglass (Anna & Frederick) Park, Marquette Park Golf Course, Robert A. Black Golf Course, South Shore Golf Course and Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course. For more information on Chicago Park District Golf, visit www.CPDGolf.com. About
Troon
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