Jim Dent Memorial Golf Classic

The Jim Dent Memorial Golf Tournament

The Jim Dent Memorial Golf Tournament celebrates the life and legacy of Jim Dent ,Augusta native, Paine College alumnus, and one of the most accomplished Black golfers of his generation.

Born in Augusta in 1939, Dent got his start the way many golfers of his era did in the segregated South: caddying at Augusta National and Augusta Country Club as a teenager, at a time when he was not permitted to play the very courses; he carried bags on. He honed his game on a rough, hand-cut course known as "The Patch," and in 1959 earned a football scholarship to Paine College, where he played defensive end for the Lions. The pull of golf proved stronger than football, and Dent left school to chase the game full-time, working odd jobs up and down the East Coast for years before finally turning professional in 1966.

He went on to compete on the PGA Tour before finding his greatest success on the Champions Tour, where he won 12 times between 1989 and 1998 and became known as one of the longest hitters of his era. Mr. Dent won the "World Long Drive, 1975 and 1976". He was also the "Distance leader" for his entire time on the PGA tour. Along the way, he was inducted into both the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Dent passed away in May 2025 at age 85, but his connection to Paine College endures; his grandson, Andrea Lacey, PGA golfer, currently serves as the head golf coach carrying his legacy forward at his alma mater.

Proceeds from this tournament go directly toward building the Paine College Golf Program; helping fund the scholarships, equipment, coaching resources, and competitive opportunities needed to grow the sport at Paine and give student-athletes the same chance Dent once had to turn talent into opportunity.

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