Jim Dent, one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters and a pioneering Black golfer of his era, died Friday at age 85. His grandson announced the news on Facebook, just a week before Dent’s birthday. According to the PGA Tour, Dent suffered a stroke shortly after Augusta National revealed plans for Tiger Woods to design a par 3 course at “The Patch,” the municipal course where Dent developed his game.
“What I learned about playing golf has probably kept me all through life,” Dent told the USGA in 2012. “You had to be honest. You had to work at it. You just couldn’t pick up today and not come back ’til next week. And if you broke a rule, you had to turn yourself in.”
Dent’s journey began in the caddie yards of Augusta, Georgia. He worked at Augusta National during the Masters while honing his skills at The Patch. His dedication led him to compete in United Golfers Association tournaments, a league for Black players, before moving to California to take lessons from former U.S. Open champion Johnny Goodman.
In 1970, Dent earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school. While he never captured a PGA Tour victory, he maintained a full schedule of at least 22 tournaments annually for the next 16 years. His closest brush with victory came at the 1972 Walt Disney World Open Invitational, where he trailed Jack Nicklaus by just two shots entering the final round. Nicklaus shot a 64 and won by nine.
Dent did claim the Michelob-Chattanooga Gold Cup Classic in 1983, a Tournament Players Series event for players who weren’t fully exempt. This came after the tour had switched to an all-exempt format rather than having most of the field qualify through Monday events.
Though he never qualified for the Masters, Dent made the cut in eight of his 11 major appearances—six at the PGA Championship and five at the U.S. Open.
What made Dent stand out was his tremendous power off the tee. He won the inaugural World Long Drive Championship in 1974, cementing his reputation as one of golf’s premier power players.
It was on the PGA Tour Champions (the senior circuit) where Dent truly flourished, winning 12 times after turning 50. Al Geiberger famously remarked after Dent shot 64 to win his first Champions event, “Jim Dent ought to be outlawed for the way he can hit the ball.”
“A lot of people will remember Jim Dent for how far he hit the ball, and he really did,” said Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions. “Yet his long-term success, especially on our tour, proved Jim was more than just long off the tee.”
Dent’s early life wasn’t easy. The fourth of six children, he lost both parents by age 12 and was raised by his aunt, Mary Benton. She initially opposed his caddying at The Patch, warning him, “If you learn how to caddie, you’re going to learn how to gamble.”
“Kids think they’re the smartest people in the world,” Dent reflected in the USGA story. “Second thing I learned how to do when I learned how to caddie was shoot dice and play cards. She was dead right.”
He worked at Augusta Country Club and recalled how caddies could play if they were willing to cut crabgrass from the greens. During the Masters, he caddied for players including Bob Goalby and Bob Rosburg.
In 2020, Augusta honored Dent by naming the road leading to The Patch as “Jim Dent Way.” Two years later, he was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame. His son, Jim Dent Jr., now serves as the head pro at The Patch.
Augusta National is currently investing in significant upgrades to the municipal course under architects Tom Fazio and Beau Welling. The renovations will include a longer, better-conditioned course with a new short-game area and clubhouse. Tiger Woods is designing a par 3 course called the “Loop at The Patch” to honor Augusta National caddies who played there—a fitting tribute to Dent’s legacy.
