AUSTIN, Texas — Since the now famous words, “Let Them Play” were ushered at Lions Municipal Golf Course in 1950, Austinite Leroy Wormley has made the most of those opportunities. Wormley said he “used to caddy here before I was even allowed to play here.”
“Growing up less than 1.5 miles from the course, where I have come from to where I am now,” Wormley said. “To not be able to play to being able to play it makes a big difference.”
A key figure in the local Black and golf communities in Austin, the 85-year-old continues to advocate for the preservation of “MUNY,” the first integrated golf course in the South and a staple of the civil rights movement, earning a historical designation in 2016.
“History is not all that well known to us; we need to make it well known to us and we need to make sure history isn’t forgotten, but we build on it,” Wormley said. “If we keep it, it’ll always be a historical place for Austinites and those that come in the future.”
However, many worry about that future. The 141 acres of prime real estate are part of the Brackenridge Tract owned by the University of Texas and there’s concern for a development plan that would make the current five-month rolling lease with the city its last.
“We need to preserve that legacy, amplify why this golf course in important not only to the African American community but to the American story,” Johnson said.
The local fight from community leaders and the Muny Conservancy has brought national ones to their cause, including NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, who flew in last month to drive this message home.
“This is a local community fight, but it has national implications, and we want to provide whatever support possible,” Johnson said. “It’s a place for conversation and a golf course can bring people together.”
Spectrum News 1 Texas reached out to UT President Jay Hartzell for comment on the story and did not hear back.
For Wormley and countless others, they hope the school hears their message: Making a significant profit is far less significant than the historical and life lessons that can be learned on this golf course.
“My advice to the younger generation is they don’t have to worry about letting them play,” Wormley said. “They need to take advance of being able to play and go play. And by having a course like MUNY in the heart of town, it’s readily available and has everything you could need.”