A Club Without a Course, A Community With Purpose

How do you become one of the oldest and now largest predominantly black golf clubs in the world without owning a golf course? By building around people and purpose. In this episode of The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf, host Matt Considine and cohost Dr. Kevin Moore sit down with Ralph N. Paulk, president of Tire Town Golf Club in Akron, Ohio, to talk about one of the most meaningful golf stories hiding in plain sight.Founded in 1950, Tire Town began at a time when few local clubs allowed Black golfers to play. Today, it is known as the largest predominantly Black golf club in America — but Ralph is quick to make clear that size is not the point. The real story is what the club has become: a community built through golf, service, youth development, scholarships, volunteerism, and a stubborn belief that the game can open doors when people are willing to do the work.The conversation dives into:Tire Town’s origins at Good Park and Ridge Top, and why those courses matter in Akron golf historyWhat it means to be a club without a course — and why that idea resonates so deeply with NewClubRalph’s life in the Marine Corps, sports journalism, boxing, and covering legends like Arnold PalmerHow Tire Town grew from a golf group into a broader civic force with junior programs, scholarships, and community partnershipsWhy representation at places like Firestone Country Club matters, and how Tire Town members are changing who feels present in golfThe intentional growth of women’s leadership, junior involvement, volunteerism, and racial diversity inside the clubGolf as a foundation — not the whole house — for helping young people build confidence, discipline, opportunity, and a larger sense of what is possibleConnect with our guest🏌️ Ralph N. Paulk — Tire Town Golf Club: https://tiretowngolfclub.net/ — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/ralphpaulk_trib | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-n-paulk-0834817/Follow The Bag Drop📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebagdrop 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/thebagdropgolf 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBagDropGolfListen to The Bag Drop🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf/id1430328006🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xRWtUBJH8RazdLw14oaGH🎧 Transistor: https://thebagdrop.transistor.fm/Join the NewClub community🌍 Website: https://www.newclub.golf📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newclubgolf/🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/newclubgolf📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@newclubgolf💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newclubSupport our Partners🐝 NewClub: https://www.newclub.golf🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com🌐 Golf Blueprint: https://www.golfblueprint.comChapters00:00 Introduction, spring golf energy, and Sweetens Cove03:11 Introducing Ralph N. Paulk and Tire Town Golf Club10:41 Ralph joins the show12:12 Ralph’s first introduction to Tire Town14:40 Growing Tire Town beyond golf17:31 Women’s leadership, diversity, and intentional growth20:23 Ralph’s path from the Marine Corps to sports journalism24:54 Arnold Palmer, Akron golf, and stories beyond the scoreboard29:23 Tire Town’s 1950 origins and golf access in Akron36:58 Tire Town colors, Goodyear roots, and the Akron identity40:20 From golf club to community service engine42:19 Firestone, volunteering, and changing who feels present46:14 Why golf works as a foundation for young people50:06 Opening the doors without losing the legacy57:19 Service, family, and the Marine Corps01:00:04 Ralph’s writing, Charles Follis, and untold sports histo