Caddying On the Color Line (How Black Caddies Defined and Redefined Golf in the South)

“ The story told in  Caddying on the Color Line  is painful, inspiring, and ultimately beautiful. Thank you, Craig Gill and Back Nine Press, for getting this story out and in the open, where it belongs. I stand in awe of the people Gill portrays, for the pain they endured to make a living at the game, to play the game, and to find homes in the game.”

— MICHAEL BAMBERGER

New York Times-bestselling author of  To the Linksland,  Men in Green, and  The Second Life of Tiger Woods

“ Caddying on the Color Line  illuminates a profound yet long-overlooked chapter in golf's history, weaving together the stories of men who carried not just golf bags, but the weight of systemic inequity on their shoulders. Through meticulous research and intimate storytelling, Gill reveals how Black caddies navigated the complex social dynamics of a white game, developing an expertise that shaped the sport while confronting daily indignities with quiet resilience. By amplifying these long-silenced voices, Gill offers not just a historical account, but a deeply human story of dignity and fortitude against the backdrop of America's struggle with racial justice.”

  — JOEL BEALL

Senior Writer for  Golf Digest, author of  Playing Dirty

“ Deeply researched and beautifully told,  Caddying on the Color Line  adds a rich new chapter to the story of how African Americans helped shape the game of golf.”

  — STEPHEN PROCTOR

Author of Monarch of the Green and The Long Golden Afternoon

“ Caddying on the Color Line expands our understanding of the history Black caddies. Gill moves beyond the stereotypical role these caddies played on the golf course. He shows that caddying was a labor choice that African American believed was an improvement over the drudgery of exploitative farm labor. Similar to Black jockeys in horseracing, Black caddies used golf to create new labor and athletic opportunities.  Caddying on the Color Line  reminds readers that Black caddies were bag carriers, but also experts, labor activists, and athletes. This is a major contribution to African American sports history.”

— DERRICK E. WHITE

Author of  Blood, Sweat, & Tears: Jake Gaither, Florida A&M, and the History of Black College Football

“ In telling the fascinating and poignant story of Black caddies, Craig Gill reminds us of the backstory of unheralded workers who were crucial to the success of golf in the United States. Gill, with enviable sensitivity, reveals the ambitions and disappointments of generations of Black caddies, before explaining their eventual disappearance from most of the nation’ s golf courses. Golf enthusiasts and non-golfers alike will find much to ponder in this timely book.”

— W. FITZHUGH BRUNDAGE

William Umstead Distinguished Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“ In a more just world, people like Howard Wheeler and J.C. Hamilton— caddies who later became two of the first great Black golfers— would be remembered today like the first great Delta blues musicians are. And yet, the early figures of African American golf have largely been forgotten.  Gill explores the complex, problematic, and proud history of these largely unknown golf heroes in a straightforward and honest approach.  Caddying on the Color Line  helps us remember.”  

— JIM HARTSELL

Author of When Revelation Comes and The Secret Home of Golf