'I'm still going': At 102 years old, golfer Herbert Dixon still has drive
At 102, there's not much that will stop Herbert Dixon from hitting the links - not even the bout with dehydration that caused him to pass out on the golf course earlier this month.
“I’m doing good now," he said, "and I will be back out there.”
On Saturday, Dixon will be honored at The Central Florida Business Diversity Council’s 4th annual Black Heritage Golf Tournament. While a family obligation will prevent Dixon from being in attendance, he is grateful for the recognition.
“It feels great and is an honor," he said. "A lot of people don’t get a chance to get (honored).”
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Dixon was born September 16, 1919 in Dade City and graduated valedictorian of his class at Union Academy High School in Bartow.
The centenarian began golfing at the age of 15 with his friend Richard Lewis. Dixon, who worked at Bartow’s Golf Course with his friend, was gifted a club by the man he caddied for.
Though Dixon is grateful to have had the opportunity to learn the game, finding a place play was not always easy.
According to Jerry Lewis, son of Richard Lewis, the only golf course Black people could play was the Rogers Park Golf Course in Tampa. During segregation Blacks could only play at the city golf courses in Polk County on Mondays from 7 a.m. to noon.
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Dixon said it is a blessing to now be able to play on golf courses where he once was banned.
“I feel honored and blessed because when I was coming up it seemed impossible,” said Dixon. “That’s the way it was and I just rolled along with the tides and waited 'til times changed. And now today things are much better."
Lawrence Hunt met Dixon in 2002 and said it took him five years to improve his game enough to play alongside him.
Hunt, 69, says playing one-on-one with Dixon was like a kid who never grows up spending time with his grandfather.
“I’m proud of the fact that this elite athlete would give me that kind of time," said Hunt. "It’s a humbling experience.”
One of the many lessons Lewis learned from Dixon was it did not matter how far you could hit a golf ball. If you could not putt and chip you will not do well in the game of golf.
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“He taught you have to have a good short game if you’re going to play the game of golf,” said Lewis.
Though people sing praises about Dixon, he does the same for golfers like Tiger Woods who came after him.
“He is a great inspiration to our Black people," Dixon said. "I’m proud of him. He’s someone I can look up to and say he made a way.”
“I haven’t had the honor to meet him yet," he added. "I just have to wait 'til my time comes.”
Dixon has won more than 55 tournaments during his career, including the 1951 North and South Tournament in Jacksonville. He has also been inducted into several halls of fame including the West Palm Beach Golfers, Sports Authority, Black Golfers and Polk County Sports .
"I’m very happy to accomplish the things that I have accomplished through the years," Dixon said. "And I'm still going, I have a few tournaments coming up.”
Breanna A. Rittman writes news features for The Ledger. Send your feature ideas to BRittman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Bartow's Herbert Dixon still golfs at 102 years old
