Just as he did 16 years ago at the Lexington Country Club, former University of Kentucky basketball star Sam Bowie is testing whether another all-white club in Lexington — Idle Hour Country Club — is sincere when it says it has no prohibition against black members. Instead, Idle Hour officials said the only reason it has no black members is that none have ever applied.
Well, that’s no longer the case. Bowie has applied for membership to Idle Hour. The former UK and NBA star said he has no interest in being the club’s “token” black member who is allowed in just to end criticism of the club. Instead, he said he wants to join because his family has friends who are members of Idle Hour and he is an avid golfer.
In 2006, Idle Hour officials said the private club was open to black members but none had never applied. In 1993, officials at Lexington Country Club said the same thing, and Bowie forced them to back up those words with action. He now is trying to force Idle Hour to do that same, and one suspects he will succeed. After all, Bowie is wealthy, well known in the community, a superb athlete and an above-average golfer. The fact that he is black should have no bearing on his membership.
