In the clubhouse at Blackstone National Golf Course there hangs a large black-and-white photo by Neil Leifer from April 6, 1972. In the background, a birdie putt drops in on the 16th hole, on his way to a fourth green jacket, Jack Nicklaus raises his putter in the air. In the foreground, balancing on one foot, with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth, Willie Peterson dances, his finger pointing at the sky. Peterson was on Jacks bag for five of his six Green Jackets.

Thirty-threeyears later, 2005, same location as Willie and Jack, but its Tiger and Steve Williams, his caddy of many years, dancing on the 16th green celebrating what would become Tigers fourth Green Jacket. Theres a compelling symmetry in the two shots white golfer with black caddy, then, and years later, a black golfer with a white caddy.

Both photographs capture something that transcends racial politics: We see two people above any temporary concerns and human imperfections: These folks are joined in a love in a moment when everything works, everything is going their way. Showing the love.

The arc of history bends toward justice, as Martin Luther King Jr. wrote. And it may be true, but looking at the pictures in the aftermath of the slaying of George Floyd, its difficult to see it as proof that the tensions between races could go away in a moments time.

Even if, just before Jack and Willie were dancing on the 16th green, Shirley Chisholm became the first African American to launch a presidential bid. Even if, one month earlier, on March 10-12, The first National Black Political Convention takes place in Gary, Indiana, and about 10,000 African-Americans attended. If our world is suddenly "woke" by Black Lives Matter, can we look back and see progress as the way forward now? Might golf lead to a new spirit, a way forward?

As pointed out by Orin Stam in caddying for the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra has laid out in his book, "Golf for Enlightenment," the ball presents a readout of your karma. Golf is a way to transcend, Chopra writes. Golf allows us to defeat the voice of self-criticism and end the frustration that holds in check deeper, darker, fears.

If you are flush, and into this sort of thing, you can head west to the Chopra Center for Well-Being, combining golf and spiritual instruction in Carlsbad, California. I wont be going, but this idea of golf and karma interests us here.

Its reported the co-founder of Augusta National, Robert Clifford once said, As long as Im here, the golfers will be white and the caddies will be black. There is no conclusive evidence that he made this statement, but we do know that when Clifford had racist views and was still president at Augusta when the first African-American played in the Masters, Lee Elder was forced to rent two houses during the tournament, so that he could move between them in an effort to protect himself from attacks by racists. When asked about Elder playing in the tournament, Augusta National co-founder Clifford Roberts was quoted as saying, "To make an exception would be practicing discrimination in reverse."

Two years after Elder made his Masters debut, Roberts committed suicide by shooting himself on the banks of the par-3 course at Augusta.

The PGA itself had a Caucasian only policy until 1961. There are still courses in the south called plantations and one, The Secession Golf Club, seems to celebrate South Carolinas secession from the federal union. The No Blacks, No Jews, No Gays mentality defined Anglo-Saxon society in America for many years and dies hard. In the United States there are private clubs with initiation fees in excess of $50,000, and a smaller number that top $100,000. To this way of thinking golf is a way to mark a special identity and to isolate from social inferiors; in other words: classism and racism. And in the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, Trayvon Martin and others, its difficult trying to make some sense of the ugly history and contradictions of the game.

Maureen Dowd in the New York Times called it a game for white guys with big guts pretending to exercise. And sociologist Thorsten Veblens trademark concept of conspicuous consumption frames some of why folks dislike the ancient game. I do know some who embrace the pricey equipment, elaborate etiquette, and pay excessive amounts for golf vacations to Hilton Head or Guadalajara. This capitalist, consumption aspect to the game can be seen as political as well. After seizing revolutionary power in 1959, Fidel Castro saw the game is an expression of elitism and closed courses. (JFK was reported to be the finest of golfers among U.S. presidents.)

And China is among foreign powers looking for ways to show disdain for American global capitalism and its excesses of money and injustice. In 1979, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping came to the U.S. seeking assistance from President Carter to help open China's economy. For U.S. executives to invest in China they'd want a golf course there. At a stop in Seattle, President Carter introduced Deng to Robert Trent Jones Jr., then the world's top golf course architect, who would go on to build courses in China. Not anymore. The current regime is shutting courses and has prohibited party members from golfing during work hours.

This classist and racist history is not why I got into golf. I am one of eight children, born in Paterson, New Jersey, to a mix of German and Irish and Scottish families who were second generation. I am no millionaires son. I remember government issued peanut butter and cheese, and "learned" golf on dirt patches and at first played only for the two weeks my dad had off each year when we camped in the Adirondacks. Working and raising a family myself, I couldnt afford lessons or leagues until I was in my 50s, so its not class status that allowed me to love golf early on. And despite these ugly histories and contradictions, Ive loved the game since I first found my grandfathers hickory sticks. I wonder why?

In "Why Golf?" Bob Cullen suggests one answer to golfs appeal lies with evolutionary psychology. Since early sapiens left the trees and forests for the better hunting of the grasslands, Cullen suggests that natural selection has left us with a gene pool disposed to attraction to wide-open grasslands. He writes that we love the wide-open spaces because we are reenacting the steps taken by some hominid a hundred thousand generations in the past, steps that helped him or her become our ancestors.

We have protection in our clubs and a bag for snacks and a ball, which might replicate the rocks we used to keep predators at bay. When we hit a ball that goes straight, we feel a deep satisfaction that we just brained a saber-toothed tiger. Its not that much of a stretch, when you consider how driven we are by instincts. But are those same instincts what drive us to be fearful of differences, like skin color? Sexuality? Culture? Can we not only admit our fears bout ourselves, but about others and our differences?

These are important questions and, as golfers, this is a moment in time when the spirit of helping, of confronting our deepest fears can diversify the game and invite more people into what we know to be a lifelong pastime. Toward that end, here are a few shared recommendations:

1) Hire more black and brown people. According to a 2015 report called "Golf Diversity and Inclusion," American golfers are 77 percent male and 80% white. And golf-industry workerseveryone from caddies to greenskeepers are 90%vmale and 88% white. At the same time, golf is a $70 billion business with 2 million jobs. From club owners to managers to the LPGA and PGA and European Tours, golf should make a concerted effort to hire black and brown people. There are folks who are working on this, including Steve Mona at the World Golf Federation. Hiring practices that attract black and brown people would bring in more black and brown golfers.

2) Golfers should invite their black and brown and women friends out golfing. While some clubs have social leagues that are not competitive, these can be vehicles for inviting out folks to learn the game or just have some fun on the wonderful landscapes we visit. Hold family friendly and low costs clinics, throw in a free round.

3) Be the one to say hello. At the club I play at, there are people of color who play and hit the range. I go out of my way to say hello, to compliment a swing or a shot. Practice anti-racism. I am not a racist is not enough. We have to actively practice anti-racism in our workplaces and social lives and sporting lives. Encourage the kids hacking away at the range. Invite a friend out to the club, if only for a beer. Be the one to say hello.

In thinking about caddies and golf and race and class, I came across a job description from "The Book of St Andrews Links" by Andrew Bennett, 1898. A caddie is not, and ought not, to be regarded as a machine for carrying clubs at the rate of a shilling per round. He occupies, or ought to occupy, the position of competent adviser or interested spectator. He should be as anxious for the success of his side as if he were one of the players, and should watch each move in the game with benevolent, if critical, interest, always ready with the appropriate club, and, if need be, with appropriate comment.

So, this dream of shared dreams and shared anxieties, the idea that golf, or education, or economics can lift us from humble and poor origins to the very height of our world, to a shared crown, all of this is very much a part of admitting the ugly truths about racism and classism in the traditions of all of these fields whether its golf or education or baseball or economics. We not only have to admit the difficulties of the past, we need to actively work to reverse them.

In what is considered the finest tribute to a caddy "Daniels in the Lions Den" Gene Sarazen writes about Skip Daniels (Dan), who caddied for "The Squire" when he won the 1932 Open Championship. Both men were from humble, even poor backgrounds. In a moving tribute to the ability of Skip Daniels to steer him through the travails and tragedies of golf toward The Claret Jug, Sarazen writes about an earlier tournament, seeing the limo carrying the Prince of Wales who would come present to Walter Hagan the trophy.

When it was his turn, Sarazen asked that his caddy be allowed to receive the trophy with him, but the elders said, Against tradition. But while on the podium, looking out for Daniels, Sarazen sees Daniels riding a bicycle to the ceremony, with a grandson on each handlebar! Afterwards when their families celebrated, Sarazen recounts, I gave Dan my polo coat and said Id see him next year at St. Andrews.... It was the last time I saw Dan.

Sarazen got word a few months later that Skip Daniels caddy, father, grandfather, Open champion a poor man like Peterson, like Williams, like Johnson and many others who rose to witness the very pinnacle of achievement in golf had passed on. The essay ends: When old Dan died, the world was poorer by one champion.

Not only a fitting tribute, a fitting ending. Our mortal natures make it imperative that we seize the moment and put our stamp on our time. Such is the moment now: Its not only time to admit the ugly truth about racism and classism in golf, but its the time to do something about it: Reach out and listen, face our deepest fears, lift our brethren up, be the one to say hello.

Mark Wagner, Ph.D., is director of the Binienda Center for Civic Engagement at Worcester State University

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As I See It: Dealing with golfs ugly history and contradictions - Worcester Telegram