{{Short description|Golf course in Macon, Georgia, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox golf facility | name = Bowden Golf Course | nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | name = Charles L. Bowden Golf Course<ref group="note">Charles L. Bowden was mayor of Macon from 1938 to 1947.</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://russelldoc.galib.uga.edu/russell/view?docId=ead/RBRL315CLB-ead.xml| title= Charles L. Bowden Papers| work= Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies| publisher= The University of Georgia| location= Athens, GA| quote= The collection documents the growth and development of the City of Macon primarily during the administration of Mayor Charles L. Bowden (1938-1947).| access-date= 2015-05-28| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180616200721/http://russelldoc.galib.uga.edu/russell/view?docId=ead%2FRBRL315CLB-ead.xml| archive-date= 2018-06-16| url-status= live}}</ref> | added = February 23, 2015 | refnum = 15000024<ref name=weekly/> }} | image = 1st. Hole Charles L.. Bowden Golf Course.jpg | caption = First hole of the course | coordinates = {{coord|32|51|48|N|83|34|9|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | location = 3111 Millerfield Road, Macon,&nbsp;Georgia, USA | establishment = September 1940<ref name="ghpd150320" /><ref name="golfga" /> | type = Public | owner = Macon-Bibb | operator = <!-- name of organization/company --> | holes = 18<ref name="golfga" /> | tournaments = <!-- notable tournaments held (if any) --> | greens = Bermuda grass<ref name="golfga" /> | fairways = <!-- type of grass used --> | website = [http://bowdengolfcourse.com/ BowdenGolfCourse.com] | course1 = <!-- individual course name, can leave blank if same as article title --> | designer1 = John C. Cotton | par1 = | length1 = | rating1 = | slope1 = | record1 = | image2 = <!-- a second image --> | imagesize2 = | caption2 = }}

'''Bowden Golf Course''', known formally as '''Charles L. Bowden Golf Course''',<ref name="gpb150312" /> is a golf course located in Macon, Georgia.<ref name="maconteleg150209" />

== History == The course was designed in 1938 by John C. Cotton, a Macon professional golfer, and built by labor supplied by the Works Progress Administration on the site of a former airfield in east Macon, known as Miller Field.<ref name="ghpd150320" /> Most of the growth in golf courses between 1933 and 1942 came from New Deal initiatives, changing the face of golf in the United States. By early 1937, more than $12 million of work at about 368 courses had been completed throughout the country. Macon was able to take advantage of this program, securing $55,000 of the $70,000 needed to develop the course. The local Junior Chamber of Commerce raised much of the rest through contributions and the sale of memberships.<ref name="nom"/>

The course was completed in September 1940. The property consisted of approximately 229 acres with an 18-hole course, a driving range and a putting green. Several cobblestone benches that were installed when the course was built are still present at some tees. New structures, including a replacement clubhouse, a golf cart shed, and maintenance buildings, were built in the 1970s and are not historically significant. Holes 1 and 10 are at the site of the former Miller Field.<ref name="nom"/>

In 1961, Bowden Golf Course became the first public facility in Macon to become racially integrated.<ref name="miaminews" /> In March 2015 the course was added to the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name="13wmaz150312" /><ref name="gpb150312" />

== Notes == {{reflist|group=note}}

== References == <references>

<ref name="miaminews">{{cite news |title=Georgians Integrate Golf Course |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19610607&id=pkYyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=POkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5790,3222102&hl=en |publisher=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=9A |date=7 June 1961 |access-date=13 April 2015 |language=en |quote=The Board of Aldermen has voted to voluntarily desegregate Macon's municipal golf course—the first public facility to be integrated in the city's 138 years of existence. }}</ref> <ref name="maconteleg150209">{{cite web|url= http://www.macon.com/2015/02/09/3577044_bowden-golf-course-gets-historic.html|archive-url= https://archive.today/20150413213900/http://www.macon.com/2015/02/09/3577044_bowden-golf-course-gets-historic.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= April 13, 2015|title= Bowden Golf Course gets historic listing|first= Jim|last= Gaines|date= February 9, 2015|publisher= Macon Telegraph}}</ref> <ref name="13wmaz150312">{{cite web|url= http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/macon/2015/03/12/bowden-golf-course-listed-on-historic-register/70203832/| title= Bowden Golf Course listed on Historic Register| first= Claire |last= Davis| date=March 12, 2015|publisher= WMAZ-TV}}</ref> <ref name="golfga">{{cite web |url= http://www.golfgeorgia.com/courses/macon/bowden-golf-course/ |title= Bowden Golf Course |publisher= WorldGolf.com |access-date= 2015-04-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150911221816/http://www.golfgeorgia.com/courses/macon/bowden-golf-course/ |archive-date= 2015-09-11 |url-status= live }}</ref> <ref name="gpb150312">{{cite web|url= http://www.gpb.org/news/2015/03/12/national-recognition-for-macon-golf-course-civil-rights-history|date= March 12, 2015|title= National Recognition for a Macon Golf Course With a Civil Rights History|first= Michael|last= Caputo|publisher= Georgia Public Broadcasting|access-date= April 13, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150419204141/http://www.gpb.org/news/2015/03/12/national-recognition-for-macon-golf-course-civil-rights-history|archive-date= April 19, 2015|url-status= live}}</ref> <ref name="ghpd150320">{{cite web|url= http://georgiashpo.org/node/2236|date= March 20, 2015|title= Charles L. Bowden Golf Course Listed in the National Register of Historic Places|work= Press release|publisher= Georgia Historic Preservation Division|access-date= April 13, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305152257/http://georgiashpo.org/node/2236|archive-date= March 5, 2016|url-status= usurped}}</ref> <ref name="weekly">{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/weekly-list-2015-national-register-of-historic-places.pdf|title=Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 2/23/15 through 2/27/15|date=March 6, 2015|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=April 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408005220/http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20150306.htm|archive-date=April 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="nom">{{cite web| url = http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1685852/bowden-nhr-application.pdf| title = National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Charles L. Bowden Golf Course| access-date = 2015-04-20| format = PDF| author1 = Maiyel Battin| author2 = Lynn Speno| date = December 2014| publisher = Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150427142848/http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1685852/bowden-nhr-application.pdf| archive-date = 2015-04-27| url-status = live}}</ref>

</references>

{{commons category|Bowden Golf Course}}

Category:Golf clubs and courses in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Works Progress Administration in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Sports in Macon, Georgia Category:Geography of Macon, Georgia Category:African-American sports history Category:African-American history of Georgia (U.S. state)

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