The distinct sound of a golf club hitting the ball can be heard faintly above a DJ blaring hip-hop and Afrobeats as friends, new and old, enjoy themselves at the Langston Golf Course & Driving Range in Northeast Washington, DC, on a crisp October evening.
About 250 people attended the meeting Social Golf Association‘s Range Night event, which invites everyone from golf enthusiasts to absolute beginners to put aside for one evening all the problems plaguing the nation’s capital and release some pent-up stress by hitting golf balls, enjoying tasty dishes from Black-owned food trucks and making new connections.
The Black-led social group has hosted several events at the historic Langston Golf Course, one of the few public golf courses allowing black Americans to play in the Jim Crow era. The golf course has provided the organization with a safe space for black golfers.
Several attendees were directly affected by the U.S. government shutdown and say the event helped them cope with the stress caused by the Trump administration’s plans to reduce troop levels.
“This is a great event, where we can come together as a community and take our minds off things,” said Ronaldo, a government official affected by the shutdown who gave his nickname out of fear of retaliation.
Ronaldo lives in Virginia, a state hit hard by President Donald Trump’s attack on government workers and the ongoing shutdown. was phased out after a bloc of moderate Democrats caved on an agreement. Nearby Prince George’s County, Maryland, was also the predominantly black county where several Range Night visitors said they lived disproportionately affected.
“Although it’s a stressful time at the moment, we can come here and really focus on the ball. Golf is more of a mental sport than a physical sport, so you have to clear your mind to make sure you hit the ball directly the way you want to,” Ronaldo said.
“It’s a stress reliever. If I leave my TV on CNN, Fox or MSNBC all day, it’s just rhetoric. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” said G, a laid-off worker who lives in Northeast Washington and attended Range Night and did not want to give his full name for fear of retaliation. “But for this event to happen at this time, I think it’s a great opportunity to bring people together. They gave discounted tickets, so that helped.”
“It gives Topgolf, but black and affordable.”
Founded in 2023 by avid golfers Cirilo Manego III, Colby Vaughn, Shallum Atkinson and Yvesner Zamar, the Social Golf Association, or SGA, aims to make golf more accessible and offer inclusive events not only for fans of the game, but also for those curious about the sport.
“We started SGA because we wanted to create a golf community that was authentic, that brought in a wide range of golfers at all skill levels and connected that culture to a sport that could use more of it,” said Atkinson, an attorney.
The Social Golf Association is an active participant in the local community, organizing golf tournaments, “Daddy Caddy” outings and networking events that attract members of Congress who enjoy a round of golf. Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) attended a golf tournament hosted by the group last year.
“We built SGA to make golf feel like it belongs to everyone – to bring new energy, real connection and a sense of culture to a game we love,” explains Manego, the CEO and co-founder of the Social Golf Association.
Proceeds from Range Night went to the HBCU Golf Tournament hosted by the nonprofit in October Bison Impact Group.
Now that the shutdown appears to be nearing its end, the deal to reopen the government is also aimed at that reverse the shooting of federal employees since October 1. But that doesn’t mean they can’t still let off steam on the green.
“What started as casual rounds of golf has quickly grown into a movement of social golfers who are passionate about the space we helped create and the way SGA is impacting the game,” says Atkinson.
