Lionel Ballard first met Jim Dent decades ago during a mid-winter tournament at Rogers Park Golf Course. It was a yearly tournament that was part of the Chitlin Circuit.
He was in middle school and watched as the 6-foot-2 man decked out in tailor-made pants with alligator shoes got out of his white Cadillac.
"I didn't know him at that time. I said 'I'mma keep an eye on this guy and see if he could play,' " Ballard recalled.
So he went up to him to see what kind of equipment he had.
ALSO READ: Jim Dent, a Tampa-area resident and pioneer for Black golfers, dies at age 85
"He said 'kid, you want to shag some balls? I said sure. He said 'Well get this shag bag and go out in the field and I'll let you know what to do,' " Ballard said.
Dent hit some balls and kept pushing Ballard further back to retrieve them. He was where he almost couldn't see him, and he continued to hit balls. And then "Mr. Dent" told him to go even further.
"I said, 'Wait a minute now ain't nobody never hit the ball that far,' " he said.
He took two steps back and thought he was far enough back.
He was wrong.
"He pulled out this club, and when he hit it, I said, "Oh shoot. He want me to go back there. He hit it so far. I never seen nobody hit the golf ball that far," Ballard recalled.
After this, Dent asked him if he knew how to caddy. Ballard responded with no, and he didn't want to make a mistake since he was new to the game.
"He said, 'Son, you'll be alright, just get my bag, and I'll tell you where to go and what to do,' " Ballard said.
That was the start of mentorship and a lifelong friendship between the pair that lasted until Dent passed away in May following a stroke.
On Friday, loved ones like Ballard crowded into a room at Rogers Park Golf Course to remember Dent's legacy.
They gathered together to eat, talk and reminisce as speaker after speaker read poetry or spoke about how the pro golfer poured into them.
Who was Jim Dent?
Although he was one of the PGA Tour's longest hitters and a trailblazer for African American golfers, Jim Dent was a "down-home" and "natural" guy.
Ballard said Dent was a small-country boy out of Augusta, Georgia, who had "a talent that God gave him."
According to the Associated Press, Dent grew up in the caddy yards of Augusta, eventually working at the Masters. He'd play at a course known as "The Patch." He entered a few United Golfers Association tournaments, which was a league devoted to Black players, and eventually earned his PGA Tour card in 1970.
The AP also reported that this was along with players like Lee Elder, Charlie Sifford and Pete Brown who all served as pioneers during a time when Black players were denied access to most courses.
"He played for many, many years. He told me he made so many consecutive cuts that he could play golf on any PGA course in America because he had earned that dollar. He made a living on the tour," Ballard said.
But he would always come back to Tampa and treat Rogers Park as his home, Ballard said.
Dent served as a mentor to young golfers at Rogers Park and was a board member for First Tee of Tampa Bay, a golf program for underserved youths.
Family and friends described Dent's great style, kindness and generosity toward others. He was also known for his sense of humor.
"He was always doing some kind of joke. He would always go in my golf bag and mess with my equipment. I said, 'Jim, any manufacturer in the business will send you clubs. Why are you messing with my cheap stuff?' But that's the way he was," Ballard recalled.
He added that "Mr. Dent" was the nicest man anyone could ever meet. But on the course, he was a "lion."
"He didn't take no prisoners. He wanted to attack everybody that was out there. He was out there to try to win, make a living, which he did," Ballard said.
'Big Boy's' lasting legacy
Dent mentored many kids financially, mentally and physically. He would give equipment like golf clubs to the youth at Rogers Park over the years. He also took time to work with any kid who would walk up to him and want to learn how to swing.
"He always spent time to try to teach younger players what he knew and how to play the game," Ballard said. "He'd tried to teach how to hit the ball high, how to hit the ball lower, how to curve the ball."
For himself, Ballard said that Dent helped him think about being a productive and successful person. Seeing his talent and style inspired Ballard to work hard and make a name for himself.
Overall, Ballard said, if you take a trip to Rogers Park and ask anyone what they thought of Mr. Dent, you'll hear many stories, and not one of them would be negative.
"Jim was a special friend to me, and I know we going to miss him," he said.
From people he tried to get to play on tour to kids he helped go to college, every person there was touched by the life of Jim Dent. And during his celebration of life, First Tee of Tampa Bay announced that there will be two $10,000 scholarships in his name.
As time ticks on, his legacy will forever be ingrained not only in the hearts who knew him but for generations to come.
"At sunset, Mr. Dent, just sit back, relax and cast your rod. No more drives to hit, no long putts to make," a poem read. "Big Boy, thank you for your legacy you created. For a minute you appreciate. Most of all, thanks for the laughter so many of us shared with you time and time again."
