{"id":481127,"date":"2026-02-21T03:27:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T03:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/481127\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T03:27:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T03:27:13","slug":"fred-perpalls-historic-usga-presidency-coming-to-a-close","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/481127\/","title":{"rendered":"Fred Perpall’s historic USGA presidency coming to a close"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Fred Perpall<\/a>, it\u2019s fitting that his last championship as president of the United States Golf Association (USGA) would have him greeting the winner of last month\u2019s Latin America Amateur Championship in Peru. <\/p>\n

As the first Black man to hold one of the most important leadership positions in golf, seeing Perpall at the Lima Golf Club acknowledging the winner, Mateo Pulcini, represented much of what the outgoing USGA president stood for: increasing diversity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a championship we do in this region of the world to try to inspire more golfers from alternative backgrounds,\u201d Perpall said in an early morning phone call from Lima. \u201cI hope my presence has been a good example that, whatever your background is, if you work hard there\u2019s room in the game for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The importance of Perpall\u2019s presence at a tournament in South America where the winning golfer from an \u201calternative\u201d background earned the life-altering opportunity to play in this year\u2019s Masters, U.S. Open and British Open tournaments?<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you have to see it to be it,\u201d Perpall said.<\/p>\n

Perpall, 51, has been seen the past three years by true golf fans. He is the tall, youthful-looking Black man who presented trophies to the past three U.S. Open Championship winners: J.J. Spaun (2025), Bryson DeChambeau (2024) and Wyndham Clark (2023).<\/p>\n

Leading the USGA hasn\u2019t been Perpall\u2019s only job. He\u2019s also the CEO of The Beck Group architecture and construction business.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt keeps me busy,\u201d said Perpall, whose leadership role with the USGA concludes at the end of the month. \u201cI hope people remember that I put my heart and soul into this job with the USGA because of what it meant to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

A late convert to golf, Fred Perpall is now president of the USGA \u2013 AndscapeRead now<\/a><\/p>\n

Perpall\u2019s leadership of the USGA coincided with an era that saw an increase in the number of golfers of color and female golfers<\/a>, as well as a growth in the number of Black golf influencers<\/a>, Black celebrities<\/a> and Black-owned brands. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a relationship specifically with the USGA because they have an official apparel,\u201d said Earl Cooper, co-founder of Eastside Golf. \u201cBut Fred, in spite of that, has worn our brand in spaces that we might not have access to. He has, with us, been very gracious with his time and perspective, and that\u2019s been huge and inspiring for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Perpall enters his final days of his USGA presidency (the new president will assume office at the end of the month), he spoke with Andscape about the past three years leading the organization. <\/p>\n

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n

\"USGAUSGA president Fred Perpall appreciates the Advocates Professional Golf Association for creating more opportunities for golfers of color. <\/p>\n

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

As USGA president, what are some of the accomplishments you are most proud of?\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m really proud that we started a lot of programs to help regular kids play golf \u2026 through our investments in the U.S. national development team. We think if you can play elite golf it doesn\u2019t matter the color of your skin or who your parents were. We\u2019ll have almost 1,000 kids participate, and we give grants to 50 kids based on financial need \u2014 $10,000 a year. We\u2019ve created a lot more pathways for kids to play elite golf, and I think that will change the face of American golf.<\/p>\n

We also started a pathways program to give kids leadership opportunities. This summer, we\u2019ll have 50 interns paid for by the USGA placed throughout the world. And these kids will come primarily from underserved backgrounds \u2014 mainly Black and brown kids. This is our fifth year doing this. <\/p>\n

Finally, we\u2019ve done some tough things to help the game. Standing firm on what we believe is a golf ball that goes too far<\/a> threatens the sustainability of golf. <\/p>\n

About that golf ball rollback (starts in 2028 for professionals, and 2030 for amateurs). A lot of weekend warriors have had a lot to say about that.<\/p>\n

This problem is primarily a problem for the elite golfers \u2014 the trampoline effect on the golf ball just takes it too far for the highest swing speeds. We shouldn\u2019t have to build bigger golf courses to accommodate a few hundred elite golfers. <\/p>\n

So I would say to my weekend warrior friends, you cannot swing it hard enough. And the good news is we\u2019ve gone through a series of testing now and the average golfer is not affected by the changes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

You spoke earlier about pathways to golf for Black and brown players. What do you think about the APGA (Advocates Professional Golf Association)<\/a> and the work that group has done since its 2010 launch?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m so excited about what the APGA is doing. I\u2019m excited about all of these alternative pathways that create more opportunities for golfers of color. <\/p>\n

Nothing in this country \u2014 not our churches, not our schools, not our businesses \u2014 gives you the opportunity to spend time with people who are not like you the way golf does. With golf, everything that is different about you fades away. That\u2019s what makes golf so special. <\/p>\n

APGA Tour aims to fulfill Black golfers\u2019 PGA dreams \u2013 AndscapeRead now<\/a><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve often said golf changed your life. How so?<\/p>\n

My mother worked as a cook at Lyford Cay Club, which is a very prestigious golf club in the Bahamas. When I was 15, 16 years old I met a bunch of the members there. That group at Lyford Cay Club had determined that all the goodness they were experiencing in the game of golf and coming down to the Bahamas in the winters, they wanted to share some of that with the kids in the community. <\/p>\n

So they established a scholarship to help many kids go to college, and I was one of those kids. They didn\u2019t just help me go to college. I got internships, I got invited to events. They didn\u2019t just invite me to the party, they also danced with me.<\/p>\n

When I was rising up in the USGA, they offered me an honorary membership. And I said I don\u2019t want to be an honorary member, I want to be an actual member. Would you just sponsor me for membership? And so I\u2019m very proud that I\u2019m the first scholarship recipient to become a full member of the club.<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s why I say before I was a golfer, golf had already changed my life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Is it true that you became a golfer as an adult?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yes, you could say I\u2019ve had a meteoric rise in golf. I became the CEO of my company<\/a> in 2013, and early in 2014 I joined a golf club. I was mainly using the bar and the dining room, but I noticed the real magic \u2014 the real fun \u2014 was out there on the golf course. So I got interested. <\/p>\n

I had an advantage \u2014 I started playing golf as a CEO and had the resources to join a good club, hire good instructors. My wife says I play golf eight days a week. I\u2019ve probably played 25 years of golf in the last 12 years.<\/p>\n

I went on to build a golf course<\/a> myself with others. You could say I\u2019ve thrown my life into the game of golf. And it\u2019s certainly given me a lot back.<\/p>\n

During your time as USGA president there was a steady increase of Black influencers and Black golf groups. How does it make you feel when you see that growing diversity?<\/p>\n

I love it. I run a very large company in my real life and people say to me \u2018You\u2019re such a buttoned-up guy and golf is a buttoned-up game. What do you say about the guy with the sleeve tattoos and the hat turned backwards?\u2019 I believe we need to meet people where they are. It\u2019s not our game to tell people what they need to look like, how they need to dress. We need to fling the gates of golf open. I\u2019ve tried to do that and embrace everyone. These [influencers] are doing cool things to encourage new people in, and we need to meet them where they\u2019re at.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s been the biggest challenge being the CEO of your own company while also being president of the USGA?<\/p>\n

The USGA probably takes about 20% of my business time and 80% of my personal time. There\u2019s no doubt you\u2019ve got to get your day job done, and Beck has thrived over the last three years while I\u2019ve been USGA president.<\/p>\n

What I do in golf is helpful for what I do in business. What I had to do was give up a lot of my personal time \u2014 those vacations and golf trips with the buddies. All my free time has basically been USGA time.<\/p>\n

I will say that as much as I\u2019ve given golf, the USGA has given me back a lot more.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure there are people who want the opportunity to play with the USGA president. Who are some of the big names that you\u2019ve played with? <\/p>\n

What\u2019s interesting about golf is it puts you with different types of people. I\u2019ve played with both President Trump and President Obama. One of my favorite golfing buddies is Michael Strahan. And I play a lot of golf with Larry Fitzgerald. These guys have become some of my best friends in the game. <\/p>\n

\"Bryson Fred Perpall (right) said he\u2019s played with many golfers (professionals and celebrities) over the years, including two rounds with 2024 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (left). <\/p>\n

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Whether I\u2019m playing with the president or with a Hall of Fame wide receiver, an NFL sack leader or a senator, I enjoy it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anybody who you haven\u2019t played with, but you would like to?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve played with most of the folks that I\u2019ve wanted to play with. Steph [Curry] has become a good friend, and I played two rounds with Bryson DeChambeau last week. So I can\u2019t really put a finger on that.<\/p>\n

Michael Jordan?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve played at his club. In one fun round with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Vick, there was a lot of trash talking, especially when Michael Jordan rolled up on us. But I\u2019ve never played 18 with him. <\/p>\n

When do you have your best times on the golf course?<\/p>\n

I play in dream foursomes all the time. My best days on the golf course, really, [are when] I just put my dad in the cart next to me and zip around, and just spend time with him. My dad is not a golfer, but he\u2019s turning 86, and if I could have an ideal way to spend a little time on the course, it\u2019s usually with him.<\/p>\n

What do you want people to most remember about your time as USGA president?<\/p>\n

I hope people will remember that I just didn\u2019t put my mind into it; I put my heart and my soul into it because of what it meant to me. I tried to lead in a way where I really focused on other people. I hope that all came through. <\/p>\n

Jerry Bembry is a senior writer at Andscape. His bucket list items include being serenaded by Lizz Wright and watching the Knicks play a MEANINGFUL NBA game in June.<\/p>\n

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