Battle's record 60 celebrated at Hilaman golf course

Tiger Woods never shot 60. But the late Aaron Battle did.

And future generations of golfers at Hilaman Golf Course will be reminded forevermore thanks to a plaque unveiled Friday at the city owned golf course.

About 75 family members, friends and city officials attended a ceremony that honored the course-record 60 shot by Battle in 1988. The plaque, which will hang in the Hilaman clubhouse, features a photo of Battle, a 2002 Tallahassee Democrat story about his feat and the circle-filled scorecard from his round.

Battle, who spent 44 years as a physical education teacher in Gadsden County schools, died of prostate cancer in January. He was 74.

The all-time PGA Tour record low score in competition is 59. The legendary Woods' best round in competition is 61. No other golfer is believed to have ever shot better than 63 at Hilaman, which is on Blair Stone Road.

"It's crazy, (Battle's score) will never be broken," said Jan Auger, Tallahassee's director of golf. "Since the city took over Hilaman in 1981, 1.25 million people have played here — and there's been only one 60. By Aaron Battle."

The ceremony, on the next to last day of Black History Month, honored a black man who took up golf as a caddie in 1950s segregated St. Petersburg. A multi-sport star at all-black Gibbs High, Battle attended Stillman College (Ala.) on a golf scholarship.

Battle was a revered coach and teacher, known to all as "Coach." He was renowned as a mentor to hundreds of young men — and golfers of all ages. Battle organized trips to dozens of tournaments around the Southeast for groups of black golfers. His son, Eddie, said he and his father never really bonded until the son took up golf in his late 20s: "He wasn't the kind to show emotion unless he was working with a kid or talking about golf."

"He was not only a pillar on the golf course but in the community," said Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. "The fact that he honed his game as a young man in a time of limited access to golf courses for people who looked like him, makes his career all the more remarkable."

Battle, who was still shooting in the 70s as late as December, posted his Hilaman record on April 5, 1988. Battle shot 29-31 from the "tips" of the then-6,364-yard Hilaman golf course. He posted 10 birdies and an eagle — with the eagle coming on the uphill, dogleg, par-5 No. 6 hole at Hilaman.

Auger, then a cart attendant at Hilaman, remembered Battles' golfing buddies — in an era before cell phones and social media — commandeered carts after the round to ride around the course telling other golfers about Battles' feat. Arrie Battle, his widow, recalled her husband and his partners "tore it up" partying after the round, and he fell asleep in an easy chair when he got home.

"He started playing golf when he was 10," she said. "He loved his golf."

Friday's ceremony was spearheaded by Tony Leavell, a Tallahassee photographer who also paid for the plaque and an accompanying shadow box for Battle's family. Leavell played golf with Battle for years and felt the record deserved more recognition.

"I think if anyone else had gotten the record, it would already be up on the wall," Leavell said. "This is what we do in Black History Month, so it's known this man holds the record."