By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer
Willie L. Simmons, Jr. loved golf, even when being Black kept him off the green. Simmons wouldn’t accept racism as par for the course and spent a lifetime creating opportunities for others in the sport.
Simmons passed away on March 8 at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated service. Simmons was born in West Monroe, Louisiana on August 15, 1930. He moved to Oakland as a teen and later to Sacramento.
Simmons served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953 and was stationed in Germany. He later served as an Army and Air Force civilian and saw more of the world working for the U.S. Department of Defense. He retired as General Superintendent of Electronics in 1986.
Simmons married the love of his life, Pauline, in 1953 and the couple, longtime members of Shiloh Baptist Church, had five children — Lorraine, Lorretta, Linda, LaVerne, and Willie III.
Simmons founded the Northern California Minority Junior Golf Association, Inc. in 1990 to
introduce underprivileged and at-risk youth to golf and expose them to positive social experiences that promote character development and inspirational values. He also encouraged young people to pursue golf on a collegiate level and beyond. He hosted instructional camps, tournaments and offered scholarships. He was happy to see local players Willie Toney and Cameron Champ carve out their own lanes in the PGA.
Simmons’ efforts to share the fundamentals of the game with future generations earned him support from top organizations such as The PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association of America), the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) and The United States Golf Association’s foundations.
The local Haggin Oaks Golf Course posted a tribute page to Simmons on its website.
“Willie Simmons was a Sacramento golf icon, he was a true pioneer, a mentor, and a cherished friend to many in the golf community,” wrote Mike Woods, Haggin Oaks’ Director of Golf. “His unwavering commitment to the game and its growth, particularly among underprivileged youth, was truly inspiring.”
The OBSERVER honored Simmons as a community sports legend in 2008, presenting him with one of its Medallions of Honor. He was recognized by the Sacramento Black Golfers Club in 2022; Simmons was a founding member when the group was known as Sacramento Counts.
In 2021, a then 91-year-old Simmons told The OBSERVER that he still played 14-15 holes of golf every Tuesday, crediting the fun of it with keeping him active. He regularly played in and donated money to the Roberts Family Development Center’s annual Golf Scholarship Classic. Co-founder Derrell Roberts counted Simmons as a mentor and friend.
“Mr. Simmons was a role model for me and took me under his wings some 30 plus years ago,” Roberts said. “He was a good man, a godly man, a good husband and a good father. He was an example of being a strong Black man who also cared for people.I will miss him, for sure.”
Persis Ingram, a member of the SacTown Lady Golfers, recalls meeting Simmons about five years ago and cherishes his willingness to share his golf experiences with her, a novice at the time.
“I learned about how much he loved the game,” Ingram said. “Mr. Simmons encouraged and inspired me to practice and improve my game.
The SacTown Lady Golfers have joined with the Sacramento Area Black Golf Club to preserve Black golf history during “Just Let Me Play” tournaments.
“Among the golf community, I recognized Willie Simmons as a revered elder statesman,” Ingram said. “During his early years,regardless of not being welcome on “white “ courses, he persevered and found a way to become an admired, skilled ‘Blacknificent’ golfer.”
A celebration of life service for Simmons has been set for April 3 at Shiloh Baptist Church, located at 3565 9th Avenue. A reception at the Oak Park Community Center, 3425 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, will follow the service. In honor of Simmons’ love of sports, attendees are being asked to wear their favorite golf shirt or a sports team jersey.
In lieu of flowers, monetary donations may be sent to the NCMJGSA Scholarship Fund via mail to P.O. Box 246152, Sacramento, CA. 95824-6152 or via Zelle using email norcaminorjrgolf@cs.com.