A Club Without a Course, A Community With Purpose

About this episode

The episode discusses the impactful story of Tire Town Golf Club, a predominantly black golf club in Akron, Ohio, and its community-driven approach to golf.

How do you become one of the oldest and now largest predominantly black golf clubs in the world without owning a golf course? By building around people and purpose. In this episode of The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf, host Matt Considine and cohost Dr. Kevin Moore sit down with Ralph N. Paulk , president of Tire Town Golf Club in Akron, Ohio, to talk about one of the most meaningful golf stories hiding in plain sight. Founded in 1950, Tire Town began at a time when few local clubs allowed Black golfers to play. Today, it is known as the largest predominantly Black golf club in America — but Ralph is quick to make clear that size is not the point. The real story is what the club has become: a community built through golf, service, youth development, scholarships, volunteerism, and a stubborn belief that the game can open doors when people are willing to do the work. The conversation dives into: Tire Town’s origins at Good Park and Ridge Top, and why those courses matter in Akron golf history What it means to be a club without a course — and why that idea resonates so deeply with NewClub Ralph’s life in the Marine Corps, sports journalism, boxing, and covering legends like…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Considine

Guest: Ralph N. Paulk

Topics covered

• history of Tire Town Golf Club
• community building through golf
• representation in golf
• youth development
• scholarships
• volunteerism

Keywords

• Tire Town Golf Club
• Akron
• black golf clubs
• community
• youth programs
• scholarships
• golf history
• representation
• volunteerism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tire Town Golf Club, Firestone Country Club

Places: Akron, Ohio, America, Good Park, Ridge Top

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