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26 • Georgia Tech Golf 2004-05

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Tee Club SponsorsThanks to the generosity of Georgia Tech

alumni and friends, there is one more rev-enue-producing sport at the Institute. Footballand basketball have traditionally generated suf-ficient funds to pay for their operations and oth-ers, but golf has recently become a moneymaker.

Through the 19-year-old golf booster club,known as the Tee Club, and through the newerscholarship endowment program, the team isfinancially self-sufficient. This financial au-tonomy does not conflict with the overall mis-sion of Tech’s Athletic Association. On the con-trary, it helps free funds that would otherwisebe earmarked for golf for use in other sports.

The growth of Tech’s golf booster systemhas been extremely rapid in comparison to othertop programs in the country. Beginning in 1981,with the backing of Tech Director of AthleticsDr. Homer Rice, efforts were made to identify agroup of alumni who would and could providefinancial backing for a team that had not won atournament in 10 years.

Golf does not have the built-in fund-rais-ing advantages of some other sports, such asticket sales, game programs or an outfield fencefor which to sell advertising. The best way toraise funds is through contributions, and thatcomes primarily through the booster club.

The Tee Club began as a small committeemade up of distinguished Tech alumni that be-gan working with Dr. Rice on the revitalizationof the golf program in the early 1980s. Thisgroup provided the first private financial sup-port for the program, and within a year the com-mittee had grown from five to 12 members, andis now composed of 16 people.

A new, exciting way to become involvedwith Tech athletics had been initiated, and theboosters soon became too numerous to be calleda committee. The name was changed to the TeeClub, and its membership grew to approxi-mately 300 in just seven years.

Soon, though, it became evident that theTee Club could produce enough funds to coveroperating costs, but not enough to pay for schol-arships for the golfers. A scholarship endow-ment program was established and has grownto over $3 million, which is invested so that itsreturns can finance the education expenses ofTech golfers.

For their donations, supporters of Tech golfreceive many benefits, including playing in twoannual tournaments. Therein lies the greatestincentive for many alumni—being able to playthe game with some of the nation’s finest colle-gians. Golf is perhaps the only sport where twoindividuals of divergent talents are able to com-pete together fairly and enjoyably, and that iswhat attracts many donors to the program.

Golf is one of the few sports where alumnican actually interact with the players. They un-derstand golf, they like golf, they play golf, andit is the only sport where the kids can get outand participate with the alumni.

As a direct result of the Tee Club and theendowment program, the golf team is able todo many things now that simply would not oth-erwise be possible. The team has competed inrecent years in distant locales ranging from Tuc-

son, Ariz., and Pebble Beach, Calif., to Tokyo,Japan, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. This year, theteam will return to Kona, Hawai’i. Not the leastof the benefits, of course, is the ability to recruitnationwide, and Tech’s golfers can compete inthe best tournaments regardless of location.

The financial support allowed the coach-ing staff to attend national junior events for re-

cruiting and cover the cost of prospective stu-dent-athletes that visit Tech.

The Tee Club deserves much of the creditfor the golf team’s meteoric rise to nationalprominence.

It is the Tee Club’s goal to completely en-dow all scholarships and operating costs for thegolf program.

Captain’s Level - $5000Jim Dellinger, Cartersville, GAJulian Saul, Dalton, GAHugh Spruill, Atlanta, GAMarshall Wingo, Alpharetta, GAKarsten Manufacturing/John Solheim, Phoenix, AZMizuno Golf, Atlanta, GATitleist Golf/Wally Uihlein, Jim Ahern, Fairhaven, MATommy Hilfiger Golf/Hicks Lanier, New York, NY

Double Eagle Level - $2500Andy Bargeron, Dalton, GACharles Brown, Duluth, GABill Collins, Atlanta, GAJon Davidson, Jr., Columbus, GAGeorgia Tech Club, Alpharetta, GABeans Marsden, Atlanta, GAMurphy & Orr Exhibits, Forest Park, GAClaude Petty, Atlanta, GA

Eagle Level - $1500Gene Brooks, Atlanta, GACandler Broom, Decatur, GACarey Brown, Atlanta, GAFrank Brown, Rome, GACarlton Forrester, Birmingham ALTom Goetter, Pensacola, FLDave Hopson, Cumming, GAJim Lemon, Norcross, GAJon Martin, Atlanta, GAJeff Metcalf, Atlanta, GAGeorge Smith, Duluth, GABrian Upson, Griffin, GAButch Woodyard, Dunwoody, GAVince Zarzaca, Flowery Branch, GA

Birdie Level - $1000Taz Anderson, Atlanta, GAArt Brannen, Atlanta, GAHarrison Brown, Cleveland, TNStewart Cink, Duluth, GARichard Cravey, Atlanta, GAMorris Ewing, Atlanta, GATerry Hall, Alpharetta, GATravis Huffines, Alpharetta, GAWes Latimer, Canton, GABrannon Lesesne, Atlanta, GAScott and Emily Mikkelsen, Woodstock, GATom Newberry, Atlanta, GAFoster and Linda Pound, Ft. Myers, FLBill Rogers, Atlanta, GAMike Spears, Atlanta, GAMilton Stewart, Lecanto, FLBuck Stith, Atlanta, GA

Par Level - $500Jay Babb, Atlanta, GABuddy Baker, Florence, SCHarry Beck, Marietta, GARusty Bennett, Duluth, GAGeorge Brodnax, Decatur, GAWalter Brown, Charlotte, NCBill Carroll, Gainesville, GAJohn Carter, Atlanta, GAJohn Chapman, Atlanta, GAJimmy Cleveland, Atlanta, GADallis Copeland, Barnesville, GADee Copeland, Barnesville, GAMorris Copeland, Cumming, GAAdam Cranford, Nashville, TNRichard Creel, Acworth, GABill Danielson, Norcross, GAChris Demetree, Alpharetta, GAJohn Dillon, Atlanta, GAMichael Ely, Alpharetta, GATom Gambino, Atlanta, GAJim Hale, Dunwoody, GABob Hochman, Duluth, GAGary Howell, Lilburn, GAScott Howell, Alexander City, ALJoe Irwin, Marietta, GAJim Jarboe, Decatur, GAMike Johnson, Alpharetta, GAJoe Lane, Wisconsin Rapids, WIDavid McCarty, Norcross, GABob McDonnell, Suwanee, GAJay McLendon, Doraville, GAScott Minge, Rome, GAConnor Nelson, Atlanta, GAJess Newbern, Roanoke, VAJohn Newman, Cartersville, GAJohn Norton, Gainesville, GABill Nygaard, Duluth, GASkip Oliver, Alpharetta, GAJerry Pass, Atlanta, GABill Ploeger, Columbus, GACarl Reith, Atlanta, GAJack Rowan, Long Beach, CABill Smith, Roswell, GARuss Smith, Tucker, GAJohn Stanford, Atlanta, GAMike Thomas, Greensboro, GAJim Thorne, Chamblee, GAWendell Turner, Gainesville, GAHarry Wells, Jasper, GAJanice Wittschiebe, Atlanta, GAGardner Wright, Rome, GADan Yates, Atlanta, GA

2004-05 Sponsors


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ech Scholarship Program

Robert G. Dennis ScholarshipNamed for loyal Tech supporter Robert G.Dennis to help fund the education of a Yel-low Jacket golfer from the State of Geor-gia, pursuing a degree in engineering.Contributor: Mr. & Mrs. G.C. Bovard

David Duval ScholarshipNamed for one of Tech’s most successfulplayers. Duval, who is one of only fourcollegiate players to receive four-time firstteam All-America honors, and both he andTech were NCAA runner-ups in 1993. Heis tied for Tech’s career lead in victorieswith eight, including two ACC Champi-onships. He helped Tech win three ACCChampionships and play in four straightNCAA Tournaments.Contributor: R. Joe Taylor

Dellinger-Barnes ScholarshipNamed for Atlanta golf enthusiasts andTech graduates Jim Dellinger and TommyBarnes.Contributor: Jim Dellinger

Dennison-Plaxico EndowmentNamed for former Tech golf coaches H.E.Dennison (1939-55) and Tommy Plaxico(1956-81). Interest from these proceedsfund the Tech golf program operating bud-get.

“Dixie”Dunbar EndowmentNamed for local golf enthusiast and Techletterman George “Dixie” Dunbar, recog-nized as the catalyst responsible for thegrowth of the Atlanta Golf Classic. Dixiehas also been a major booster of junior golfin the metro area.

Watts Gunn ScholarshipNamed for 1927 All-American and na-tional collegiate champion Watts Gunn.Contributors: Watts Gunn, John Imlay, PhilMalonson

Carl Reith ScholarshipNamed for one of Tech's most special golfsupporters. His varied contributions to thegolf program will have a lasting impact.Mr. Reith received the distinction of be-coming a Georgia Tech honorary alumnusin 1964 for his fundraising efforts.Contributor: Carl Reith

John Imlay ScholarshipNamed for Georgia Tech graduate and one

of Atlanta’s leading businessmen, JohnImlay, Jr. He is a 1994 inductee to the Tech-nology Hall of Fame for Georgia and aloyal Tech supporter.Contributor: John Imlay

Robert Tyre Jones ScholarshipNamed for the Tech alumnus and Golf’sgreatest amateur player, Bobby Jones.Contributors: Skeet Rymer, John Maddox

R.J. “Doc” Noonan, Sr. ScholarshipIn memory of Dr. Raymond J. Noonan, Jr.,a loyal Tech supporter and faithful “Doc”to many of the great Tech athletes of the‘70s and ‘80s.Contributors: Tom & Kim Noonan

Mize-Bargeron ScholarshipNamed for former Tech golf letterman and1978 NCAA participant Larry Mize, whowon the 1987 Masters.Contributors: Ivan Allen, Andy and PatsyBargeron, Gene Brooks, Charlie Brown, E.V.Dunbar, Walt McMahon, Claude Petty,Charles Yates

Homer and Phyllis Rice ScholarshipNamed in honor of Tech’s Director of Ath-letics from 1980-97. Dr. Rice is the creatorand developer of the Student-Athlete To-tal Person Program, Center for Sports Per-formance, Triple Option Offense and Atti-tude Technique Philosphy. During his ten-ure, Tech won a national championship infootball, went to a Final Four in men’s bas-ketball, was a national golf runner-up andplayed in the College World Series cham-pionship game.Contributors: Jon & Merrilee Martin andHugh & Gerry Spruill

Neil Riley ScholarshipIn memory of Neil Riley, Georgia Tech classof 1927, founder of Tech Steel, a longtimegolf enthusiast and loyal Tech supporter.

Yates ScholarshipNamed for Charles Yates, 1934 nationalcollegiate champion and All-American atGeorgia Tech, and his brother Dan Yates,Georgia Tech Hall of Fame member.Contributors: Charlie Brown, Jim Dellinger,John Maddox, Gerald O’Connor and Dan Yates

Jack Zeigler ScholarshipNamed for Tech alumnus and active Char-lotte, N.C., Tee Club member Jack Ziegler.Contributor: Jack Zeigler

ACADEMICS AND

ON-COURSE SUCCESS

GO HAND-IN-HAND

FOR TECH GOLF

Georgia Tech’s golf team hasachieved equal success both on

the course and in the classroom inrecent years. In the fall term of2004, Tech had eight out of its ninemembers achieve Dean’s List sta-tus with a 3.0 or above grade pointaverage.

Since Bruce Heppler arrivedas Tech’s coach, at least four mem-bers of each team have made theAtlantic Coast Conference Aca-demic Honor Roll, which recog-nizes student-athletes who recordat least a 3.0 grade-point averagefor the entire academic year. Since1999, at least five have made itevery year, and as many as sevenhave been listed in a given year.

Five Tech golfers have beennamed All-America Scholars bythe Golf Coaches Association ofAmerica, which honors juniorsand seniors who record a mini-mum 3.2 GPA, play in 75 percentof their team’s events and post astroke average of 77 or lower.

“When I was hired, the mis-sion statement of Georgia Techgiven to me put academics as theNo. 1 priority of the Institute,” saidhead coach Bruce Heppler. “Andthat is exactly what we do. I thinkthe chief example is that the 1990national champion football teamhad every single one of their mem-bers graduate with their respectivedegrees. It is our philosphy to re-cruit academically-inclined stu-dent-athletes who want academ-ics to prepare them for life.

“Once a student-athlete hashis or her academics in order, thengolf comes very easy. We try tomake every effort to make a play-ing and practice schedule eachyear that is suited to give our stu-dent-athletes academic success.Since I have been here, every se-nior that has gone through Geor-gia Tech has earned their degree.I have to give credit to those indi-viduals for making graduationtheir top priority. It is a tribute tohow hard they have worked andit is the vision the Institute has forthem.”


Carpet Capital CollegiateGeorgia Tech's annual Carpet Capital Col

legiate, which was played for the 15thtime last fall, attracts many of the nation’stop college programs and annually has oneof the naiton’s toughest fields on one of themost challenging golf courses that hostcollege events.

“Many of the coaches who have par-ticipated in previous events feel it is thebest regular season event in college golf,”said Tech head coach Heppler. “With theexcellent ACC and SEC teams in the tour-nament, outcome plays a significant rolein which teams are selected for postseasoncompetition.”

Georgia Tech has won the event sixtimes, including three in a row most re-cently between 1999 and 2001, and hasbeen the runner-up five other times.Clemson has four victories, first in 1993and most recently in 2002, while Floridaand Georgia have won the tournamenttwice each.

Florida won the inaugural CarpetCapital Collegiate in 1989, rolling to a 14-shot victory over Tech. The Gators, rankedNo. 1 most of the year, finished second inthe NCAA Championship. In 2002, even-tual national champion Clemson won thechampionship by two strokes over Au-gusta State.

Individually, future PGA stars such asTech’s Stewart Cink and NC State’s TimClark have won medalist honors, butformer Yellow Jacket Bryce Molder sur-passed them by winning the event threeconsecutive times between 1998 and 1999.

Three different formats have beenused for the event, with the 1990, 1993,1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 tournamentsplayed under the standard collegiate low-four-of-five-score system. In 1989, the lowfive of six scores by round were used forteam totals, while the four low scores oneach hole were used in 1991.

The Carpet Capital Collegiate isplayed at The Farm, the 6,896-yard, par-72 course designed by Tom Fazio in RockyFace, Ga., just outside the city of Dalton.The tournament takes its name from thecity, which is home to some of the largestcarpet manufacturers in the world. TheFarm, has been recognized by Golf Maga-zine as one of the nation’s premier new fa-cilities.

The original idea for the tournament,conceived by former Tech coach PuggyBlackmon and born with the help of manyTech alumni in the Dalton area, was to pitthe six best teams each from the AtlanticCoast Conference and the SoutheasternConference, with the winner laying claimto being the best golf conference.

The event was envisioned as a tributeto amateur and collegiate golf in the South,particularly Georgia, where Bobby Jonesand The Masters have contributed to theheritage of the sport.

The event has grown to include suchnationally prominent programs as Ari-zona, Arizona State, Oklahoma, OklahomaState, Southern California, Stanford, Texasand UCLA outside of the ACC and SECparticipants. Better than half of the tour-

Tournament RecordsINDIVIDUALLow Round: 64 (8-under), Pat Moore, North

Carolina, 1991, Troy Matteson, GeorgiaTech, 2002

Low Tournament Score: 203 (13-under),Jason Hartwick, Texas, 2003

Highest Winning Score: 217, Rhys Davies,East Tennessee State, 2004

Largest Margin of Victory: 5 strokes, PatMoore, North Carolina, 1991; Rhys Davies,East Tennessee State, 2004

TEAM (regular format)Low Round: 276 (12-under), Georgia, second

round, 2003Low Tournament Score: 850 (14-under),

Georgia Tech, 2000, Clemson, 2002Highest Winning Score: 887, Auburn, 1997Largest Margin of Victory: 14 strokes, Florida,

1989; Georgia Tech, 1995; Clemson, 1996Slimmest Margin of Victory: 1 stroke, North

Carolina, 1990; Auburn, 1997, Georgia Tech,2000

nament participants each year are rankedamong the nation’s top 25 teams.

The permanent Carpet Capital Colle-giate champions trophy is named forLowell Fritz, golf professional at DaltonGolf and Country Club. Fritz has long beendedicated to junior golf and the youth ofthe Dalton area. Boys or girls, members ornon-members, Fritz has taken a personal,almost parental interest in his pupils, tak-ing many hours of his personal time toteach the game of golf. Few people havedone as much to inspire young people toenjoy golf for a lifetime.

Annual Tournament ResultsYear Team Champion (Score) Runner-up (Score) Medalist (Score)1989* Florida (377-381-357—1115) Georgia Tech (382-370-377—1129) Bo Fennell, Georgia Southern (71-75-69—215#)

Bruce Kennerson, Duke (73-71-71—215)1990 North Carolina (282-287-308—877) Georgia Tech (279-302-297—878) Mike Sposa, Tennessee (68-67-74—209)1991+ Georgia Tech (289-276-278—843) North Carolina (281-276-292—849) Pat Moore, North Carolina (70-64-74—208)1993! Clemson (290-283—573) Georgia Tech (288-291—579) Danny Ellis, Clemson (70-67—137)1994 Georgia Tech (288-291-301—880) Texas (284-294-307—885) David Seawell, South Carolina (69-68-73—210)1995 Georgia Tech (295-278-303—876) Stanford (293-304-293—890) Stewart Cink, Georgia Tech (74-65-73—212)1996 Clemson (278-296-295—869) Wake Forest (292-290-301—883) Tim Clark, N.C. State (69-70-73—212)1997 Auburn (289-309-289—887) Texas (285-304-299—888) Oscar Sanchez, Wake Forest (73-72-68—213)1998 Clemson (285-286-284—855) Georgia Tech (287-288-289—865) Lucas Grover, Clemson (69-71-72—212)

Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech (74-69-69—212)1999(spring) Georgia (290-275-293—858) Georgia Tech (281-285-294—860) Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech (66-71-67—204)1999(fall) Georgia Tech (279-288-283—850) Florida (287-287-288—862) Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech (68-68-68—204)

Clemson (282-291-289—862)2000 Georgia Tech (286-280-304—870) Clemson (283-287-301—871) Kyle Thompson, S. Carolina (69-69-70—208)2001 Georgia Tech (280-282-296—858) Tennessee (283-289-296—868) D.J. Trahan, Clemson (69-69-72—210)2002 Clemson (287-282-281—850) Augusta State (294-281-277—852) Troy Matteson, Georgia Tech (72-64-69—205)

Bill Haas, Wake Forest (66-70-69—205)2003 Florida (295-277-281—853) Clemson (289-279-290—858) Jason Hartwick, Texas (71-65-67—203)

Texas (295-282-281—858)2004 Georgia (290-297-292—879) Wake Forest (301-292-288—881) Rhys Davies, ETSU (74-70-73—217)*Six-man teams, low five scores counted toward team score.; +Low four scores on each hole (rather than each round) counted toward team score; #Won playoff; !First round cancelled due to rain.

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