← Previous · All Episodes · Next →
A Club Without a Course, A Community With Purpose Episode 277

A Club Without a Course, A Community With Purpose

· 01:03:55

|
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 history
  • What it means to be a club without a course — and why that idea resonates so deeply with NewClub
  • Ralph’s life in the Marine Corps, sports journalism, boxing, and covering legends like Arnold Palmer
  • How Tire Town grew from a golf group into a broader civic force with junior programs, scholarships, and community partnerships
  • Why representation at places like Firestone Country Club matters, and how Tire Town members are changing who feels present in golf
  • The intentional growth of women’s leadership, junior involvement, volunteerism, and racial diversity inside the club
  • Golf as a foundation — not the whole house — for helping young people build confidence, discipline, opportunity, and a larger sense of what is possible
Connect 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

Listen to The Bag Drop

Join the NewClub community

Support our Partners
🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com
🌐 Golf Blueprint: https://www.golfblueprint.com

Chapters
00:00 Introduction, spring golf energy, and Sweetens Cove
03:11 Introducing Ralph N. Paulk and Tire Town Golf Club
10:41 Ralph joins the show
12:12 Ralph’s first introduction to Tire Town
14:40 Growing Tire Town beyond golf
17:31 Women’s leadership, diversity, and intentional growth
20:23 Ralph’s path from the Marine Corps to sports journalism
24:54 Arnold Palmer, Akron golf, and stories beyond the scoreboard
29:23 Tire Town’s 1950 origins and golf access in Akron
36:58 Tire Town colors, Goodyear roots, and the Akron identity
40:20 From golf club to community service engine
42:19 Firestone, volunteering, and changing who feels present
46:14 Why golf works as a foundation for young people
50:06 Opening the doors without losing the legacy
57:19 Service, family, and the Marine Corps
01:00:04 Ralph’s writing, Charles Follis, and untold sports history
01:03:31 What Tire Town hopes to be in 2036
01:09:01 Closing thoughts

What is The Bag Drop?
The Bag Drop features weekly stories from the culture, community, and characters shaping golf today. Produced by NewClub Golf Society, each episode blends authenticity and expert insights for passionate golfers at all levels. Special guests from clubs, courses and every corner of the changing landscape join us for thoughtful, in-depth discussions on all things golf.

What is NewClub?
Founded in 2017, NewClub is the premier private golf society in the United States. It blends the community and access of a private club with the variety and affordability of public golf. Members enjoy thousands of reserved tee times, competitions and events at exceptional partner courses across our local chapters, as well as signature trips and exclusive perks. NewClub is revolutionizing golf membership, making the game more meaningful for those who love it.

View episode transcript


Creators and Guests

Matt Considine
Host
Matt Considine
Founder of NewClub and our resident feel player. Matt’s junior golf career led him to the University of Akron where he met our co-host. During his junior year, Matt Studied abroad in Ireland and discovered golf societies. Subsequent trips to Scotland fed his passion for the history, ideals, and culture of accessible, affordable, and sustainable golf, a concept he would later bring to the U.S. with NewClub. Known for his interviewing style, quick wit, and compelling storytelling, Matt brings thoughtful, reflective conversations to The Bag Drop. His professional journey before NewClub included multiple leadership positions in growth-stage startups, where he managed teams responsible for more than $250 million in revenue. Matt actively gives back to the game as a Board Member of the First Tee of Akron and past chair of the Evans Scholar Foundation. Proudly based in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, Matt finds inspiration in family life with his wife, their three children, and their golf dog, Gypsy.
The Professor
Host
The Professor
NewClub's Chief Ambassador and every golf sicko's favorite educator. Kevin is a thoughtful and deeply curious host. His studied, constructivist approach adds intellectual enrichment and balance to the show. As a professor of Math Education at the University of Georgia, Kevin's background in applied mathematics and cognitive psychology uniquely informs his insights on golf strategy and performance. Originally from Ohio, Kevin was a Division I collegiate golfer at the University of Akron, where his passion for understanding mathematical thinking began. After earning his doctorate from Arizona State University, he combined his analytical expertise with his love for golf by co-founding Golf Blueprint, an organization aimed at helping golfers optimize their games through data-driven strategies. Kevin enjoys balancing deep philosophical discussions with simple pleasures, such as indulging his sweet tooth, cheering on college football, and spending relaxed evenings with his friends, his wife, and their beloved dog, Nole.

Subscribe

Listen to The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf using one of many popular podcasting apps or directories.

Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Pocket Casts Amazon Music YouTube
← Previous · All Episodes · Next →