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  • George Bridgers, Willie Redmond, Lee Redmond, Melvin Dunn, Linwood Dancy, Earl Miller, Lou Belcher Ross Diggs and James Thigpen pose in front of Hilma Country Club Saturday. All pictured with the exception of Miller were caddies at Hilma more than 50 years ago.

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July 11, 2012

Hilma's black caddies return to course one last time

Staff Writer Calvin Adkins

TARBORO — On Saturday, George Bridgers grabbed his driver and walked 10 feet from the first tee and hit the ball that he said landed 10 feet from the hole at Hilma Country Club Golf Course.

"Right down the middle," he screamed after taking a big whack at the ball.

Jokingly Louis Belcher replied, "You probably shanked it in the woods."

As a teenager, Bridgers had done that very same thing more than 60 years ago, but he did it without permission from Hilma's all-white exclusive management and members.

More than 60 years ago, Bridgers was one of many black teenagers who caddied for Hilma golfers but were not allowed to play on the course.

Saturday was a different scenario, however, as Bridgers, who now lives in Durham, and his caddy friends still didn't have permission to play the course for a different reason.

The caddies returned to Hilma to play for the first time only to find the course was closed.

To their dismay, Hilma Country Club closed its golf course operation June 17 due to financial difficulties. Built in 1890, Hilma was the second-oldest golf course in North Carolina and the oldest non-resort course in the state. During the early 1950's black teenagers were hired as caddies for the upper class white golfers. Blacks were also hired to work inside the prestigious all-white member club house as cooks and custodians. None of the blacks, including the caddies, were allowed to play on the golf course.

Therefore, when former caddie Lou Belcher arranged for his comrades to play a round of golf at Hilma, many of them were excited about the idea. The caddies, who now live all over the United States, responded by accepting the invitation. It wasn't long afterward that news about Hilma's closing pierced their hearts. The only satisfaction they were given was a group photo of the caddies holding golf clubs surrounding the Hilma Country Club sign.

"That's the only reason I'm here," said Willie Redmond, of California. "I wanted to see the course again and see some of the guys that I caddied with and to play a round of golf. I'm very disappointed. I wanted to play on this course.

"I started caddying when I was 11-years-old. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to play golf here, but we learned to play golf by caddying. What happened after the golfers and the employees went home, we would go out and play on the course. No one knew about it but the caddies."

At that time, being a caddie was just a job for the young lads. They were paid little to nothing but it did help their families to get through hard economic times. Caddying also taught them valuable lessons as they learned to play golf and the etiquette rules that applies to the game.

"We learned the core value of golf — courtesy, respect, integrity, perseverance," Louis Belcher, of Virginia, said. "Some of them guys were heading in the wrong direction. If it wasn't for Hilma, there's no telling where they would have been. Now, the majority of them are productive members of society."

Belcher said about 60-70 caddies, who lived in East Tarboro and Princeville areas, graced the course of Hilma. Some of them lived on Edmondson Avenue and they earned the name, white line caddies, in references to the line of white houses, that were built just alike on that street.  

James Thigpen, of Spring Lake, said he started caddying in the 1940's. He has ventured back to Tarboro on several different occasions. but was never given an opportunity to play at Hilma.

"I caddied for just about all players in areas — Harvie Ward, (two-time amateur golf champion), Harvie Ward's father, Ben Carlisle," Thigpen said. "Long about then we were getting about five cents per hole. We may get a tip for 10 cents and the person you caddied for may buy you a nab and a soft drink — if you didn't lose a ball. If you lose a golf ball, you lose your tip.

"I'm defintelty disappointed that we will not play here because I was looking forward to it."

Melvin Dunn, of Maryland, was the longest tenured caddie who came back to play.

"I caddied from the time I was 10 years old until I was 20," he said. " Then, I moved inside and started waiting tables at the clubhouse. I was very disappointed to find out that we were not going to play here. I thought that I would get a chance to play where I had caddied so long."

The majority of Hilma's caddies attended the defunct Pattillo High School and went on to become extreme golf enthusiasts. For at least five years, the caddies returned back home during Pattillo's annual reunion and played a round of golf at The Links at Cotton Valley Golf Course in Tarboro. Belcher said the majority of the caddies became decent golfers.

"These guys were good athletes. They played two or three sports, Belcher said. The only reason they came out here (Hilma) was this was the only way of making some money. And we learned the game.

Ben (Saint Brown) was considered the best in the area along with Kolee who had a thorough knowledge of the game. We were Tiger Woods before his time but we didn't have anywhere to play."

 

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