Erellon Ben Davis

Erellon Ben Davis was born February 19, 1912 in Pensacola, Florida to Ellis and Belle Davis. He was the youngest of five children; three brothers (Russell, William and Henry), and one sister (Beatrice) who all preceded him in death. He confessed to Christ at an early age. In June of 1953 he was joined in holy matrimony to Ruby Nell Day. They were inseparable for the next 57 years until she preceded him in death in 2010.

Ben moved to Detroit in 1925 and graduated from Northern High School in Detroit. He began his professional golf career in 1936 at the Pine Crest Driving Range in Ferndale, Michigan. He began teaching golf at Rackham Golf Course, in Huntington Woods, Michigan in 1952 where he would become a Class A Head Professional.

Ben taught golf at Rackham for over 50 years. He was also the Head Pro at Palmer Park Golf Course in Detroit for a number of years. In 1968, he was the first African-American Head Golf Pro at a municipal golf course in the country. Although he began teaching golf in Michigan in 1936, it would be 30 years before he would break the color line of the Michigan PGA.

Ben held the course record at Rackham for eight years. He became the first African American admitted to the Michigan PGA in 1966. He won the Michigan Senior PGA Championship in 1974 and the U.S. National Senior Tournament in 1979 in Las Vegas. He was inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in 1992. The Ben Davis Youth Golf Tournament was established in 2000 by the Detroit Recreation Department. In 2012, he was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame. Over his expansive career his many students included boxing legend Joe Louis and Detroit Piston’s Hall of Famer Bob Lanier.

Ben leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews, friends, and other family members.

The family would like to thank the staff of MediLodge of Southfield and Hospice for their excellent care and concern.