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Clearview Golf Club was created in 1946 by Bill Powell, an African American who served the United States in World War II.
After facing discrimination on a golf course when he returned, Powell decided to take it upon himself to create a course that anyone could play on, and not have to worry about discrimination. It was truly a course for everyone.
“You can see out over a long, long distance and you get such a clear view of the landscape,” said Renee, Powell’s daughter. “But my dad was such a visionary person, too. He had such a clear view of the future and what should be and what could be and what we could all work towards.”
The first nine holes at the East Canton, Ohio course are completely handmade by Bill and his wife, all by themselves. The back nine came in 1978, and in 2001, the course was made a National Historic Site.
The Clearview Legacy Foundation is a not-for-profit organization and was created to carry on the legacy of Bill, Clearview, and the spirit of golf. The foundation’s mission uses golf to educate young people, seniors, people belonging to a minority, female military veterans, and others with mental or physical disabilities. Included in that are programs such as Clearview H.O.P.E that allow women veterans to play golf for free, year-round, or help patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia to stimulate their minds through golf. The foundation also focuses on preservation, building a place to teach the history of golf, and the Clearview course to anyone who comes through.
“The honor is really for the sacrifices my family made, for those who came before me, men and women who fought the fight with good hearts and great devotion,” Renee said in an essay for LPGA.com. “What I do now is for them. And for those who will follow.”
To support Clearview Golf Club and the Clearview Legacy Foundation, you can check out their website here.
Photo credits: Michelle Wie West’s Instagram
