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39-451: In the late 1980s, Tennessee's amateur golf organization and its professional golf organization were competitors, and their relations were often antagonistic. A particular bone of contention was over which group would secure the potential profits in computerized golf handicapping services. After years of squabbles and frosty relations, an executive, Dick Horton , who had worked for each of these two organizations, with intimate knowledge of both,

78-404: A $ 4 fee to every pro-am entry fee, getting into the golf handicap business, and starting golf camps– ideas that no other candidate had. "When he left, we kind of looked at each other and said, 'I think we've got our man'", said Joe Taggert, selection committee member." Other selection committee members were Willie Gibbons, Bill Hunt, Cotton Berrier, Bill Garner, and Hollis Morlow. After landing

117-517: A golf professional, Jones attended Cornell University , undergoing a customized course of study that would allow him to pursue his interest in golf course design, during which time he designed nine holes of the university's golf course, now known as the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Cornell University (he designed the other nine holes in 1954). While at Cornell, Jones joined Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) Fraternity. Jones

156-647: A junior tour sponsored by PGA tour member Brandt Snedeker ; a Ben Hogan Tour event; and the Nashville Golf Open Web.com Tour event. Snedeker himself was a youngster in Junior Golf and knew Horton then. Snedeker said, "We have a bunch of kids who are going to be on the ( PGA and LPGA ) tour because of the pipeline Dick started." In 1992, Horton visited Chattanooga philanthropist and Coca-Cola heir Jack Lupton with four bold requests: Lupton agreed and pledged $ 5 million, provided that

195-483: A vital role in the success of Golf House Tennessee. Gill, a scratch golfer, became very interested in raising funds for the foundation. He began hosting an annual golf tournament in 1993 known as "The Vinny" (The Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational), whose primary beneficiary is the Tennessee Golf Foundation. As of 2018, tournament had raised over $ 8 million for Junior Golf to pay for staffing of

234-572: The Jets vs. Sharks while wielding pitching wedges ". In the mid-1970s computers were just becoming widely used and Horton found that the PGA (professionals) and the TGA (amateurs) were in head-to head competition for the computerized golf handicap business, each negotiating with competing vendors. Horton helped convince the two factions to join forces, pick one vendor and divide the proceeds. The TGA golfers saw

273-524: The 1950s, Jones' annual income was reported as being $ 600,000—according to Golf Digest , no one other than Ben Hogan earned more money from golf at that time. Jones' clients included U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower , for a putting green at the White House and a single hole at Camp David , as well as the Rockefeller family , Aga Khan and Hassan II of Morocco , for private courses. He

312-536: The Golf House. The first design did not suit benefactor Jack Lupton, who wanted the course to "require use of every club in the bag". Cupp went back to lengthen one hole to 226 yards (thus requiring a Driver ), and to make double greens (one green serving two golf holes) to accommodate Lupton's request. The course was named "the Little Course at Aspen Grove". A 64-bed dormitory was built nearby to house

351-503: The Junior Golf Camp attendees. Musician Vince Gill is another key player in the success of this endeavor. Gill, a scratch golfer, began hosting an annual golf tournament in 1993 known as "The Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational" whose primary beneficiary is the Tennessee Golf Foundation. This tournament has raised over $ 8 million for Junior Golf to pay for staffing of the golf academy and for "The First Tee" projects and

390-687: The TGA (Tennessee Golf Association); the professionals consisted of the PGA Tennessee (branch of the Professional Golf Association ). The combination became the "Tennessee Golf Foundation", which began operations in the Golf House Tennessee facility in 1995. In 2000, the TGA(men) and WTGA (Women's Tennessee Golf Association) merged, making one governing body at Golf House Tennessee for all amateur golf in

429-590: The Tennessee Golf Association (TGA) and the Tennessee Section PGA ( Professional Golf Association of America ) . He was one of the first fifteen full-time PGA Section executive directors in the U.S. and he gained national attention by bringing together golf's formerly competitive and often-contentious factions: professional golfers (PGA) and amateur golfers (TGA). He became executive director of both organizations and eventually

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468-557: The Tennessee Golf Foundation's temporary headquarters while the land next door was being developed. The house and adjacent land was known as "Aspen Grove"— built in 1830s by Thomas McEwen who fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the Indian wars. Expanded and restored, it was named " Golf House Tennessee " and became the 21,000 square foot centerpiece of all golf operations in the state and opened in April, 1995. As of 1995, Golf House Tennessee

507-728: The United States in the 1930s. Many of these, such as the 1936 course at Green Lakes State Park (see photo), were built using labor provided by the Works Progress Administration . Shortly after World War II , Jones got his first major assignment designing the Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta in collaboration with golf legend Bobby Jones . At Bobby Jones' request, Jones redesigned the 11th and 16th holes at Augusta National Golf Club . Despite

546-493: The United States, where they arrived in East Rochester, New York . Jones worked as a caddie at The Country Club of Rochester and accepted a job as golf professional at Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club in nearby Sodus Point, New York . He met Donald Ross as a youth and, taking up the game, recorded the best score of all the amateur golfers at the 1927 Canadian Open and set a course record at Rochester. While working as

585-644: The Vince Gill Junior Tour. Gill received the PGA Distinguished Service Award in 2003, the PGA's highest honor. Lupton invited Horton to serve with him on the board of the "Arnold Palmer Golf Company". Horton saw it as a possible conflict of interest, but received permission from his other golf endeavors and took the position. He served for 5 years and said it was an unforgettable experience to sit on quarterly board meetings with Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez . Over

624-615: The course and sold golf balls he fished out of the lake. He played on his high school golf team and competed in several New York State junior championships. He attended Wake Forest University with hopes of playing college golf there, but failed to qualify as a walk-on . Horton graduated from Wake Forest cum laude in 1971 with a major in Latin. After obtaining a teaching certificate, he taught seventh and eighth graders and coached baseball in Winston-Salem, North Carolina . He knew this

663-460: The early administrative success the PGA was having and inquired whether they might share Horton's services. With some concern over a previously strained relationship, the PGA agreed to "lease" his services to them. The final arrangement was to have the PGA technically be Horton's employer, but let the amateur TGA pay part of his salary and that Horton would have the title of "executive director" of both organizations. The existing TGA secretary/treasurer

702-667: The famous amateur golfer Bobby Jones with whom he worked from time to time. Jones received the 1987 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. Also in 1987, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame . Robert Trent Jones was born on June 20, 1906, in Ince-in-Makerfield , England , to Welsh parents. At age five or six, Jones emigrated with his parents to

741-556: The foundation would raise money from other sources that would start an endowment fund. Thus the Tennessee Golf Foundation, a non-profit, was incorporated in 1990 with Horton as president. A 15-acre tract with an ante-bellum home was purchased adjacent to the Vanderbilt Legends Golf Course in Franklin, Tennessee , near Nashville. The Vanderbilt Legends course, designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite , served as

780-425: The golf academy and for "The First Tee" projects and the Vince Gill Junior Tour. Gill received the PGA Distinguished Service Award in 2003, the PGA's highest honor. Dick Horton § Golf House Tennessee Dick Horton Richard J. Horton (born 1949) is an American golf administrator who was inducted into the 2019 Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame . Horton served for 35 years as the executive director of both

819-431: The golf pro at Fall Creek Falls State Park in central Tennessee offered Horton the site to become the "PGA Junior Golf Academy", one of the nation's first. It had 98 boys the first year and Horton rented the cabins for them at the park. After 21 years there the golf academy was moved to new facilities. As of 2018, the junior golf program has had more than 15,000 graduates . Horton initiated other golf programs including

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858-588: The interview, Horton visited Jack Horner who had a similar job in North Carolina. Horner gave him some tips on what the job entailed along with an outline of what Horner had been hoping to accomplish. Later, at Horton's job interview, he found that the Tennessee PGA officials needed administrative help but were not exactly sure about what they wanted him to do, so Horton revealed a plan for the future based on his North Carolina visit. He spoke of adding

897-433: The job, Horton said, "They said there was [only] enough money to pay me for six months. I had those six months to somehow raise the other half of my salary." That 1973 budget of $ 3,500 by the Tennessee PGA has grown to $ 22 million for the state's collective golf organizations in 2018. When hired for these positions in 1973, Horton was one of only 15 full-time PGA executive directors in the United States, but for Tennessee, he

936-601: The men's and women's amateur groups to unite. In 2000, the TGA(men) and WTGA (Women's Tennessee Golf Association) merged, making one governing body for amateur golf in the state. The trend continued in other states. Horton was one of the first in the nation to organize youth summer golf camps which introduced many youngsters to the sport. The rise of skilled young players helped assure the sport's future popularity, identifying future golf champions and golf teachers. Junior golf in Tennessee came into being in 1974 when Dave Noble,

975-542: The similarity of their names, the two men were not related. To make this distinction clear, Robert began using the middle name "Trent" shortly afterward. In 1955, Gene Hamm helped Jones build the Duke University Golf Course in Durham, North Carolina . He moved from there to Delaware to continue work with Jones, and then in 1959 moved back to Raleigh where he began his own design career. During

1014-568: The state, including pro golf, amateur golf, women's golf, junior golf, and turfgrass research. It was the only facility of its kind at the time. Horton's success influenced other states to follow his blueprint. Tennessean sportswriter Joe Rexrode calls Horton "the Godfather of Tennessee Golf". Horton was born in 1949 in Hamilton, New York , a small town that is the home of Colgate University , about 40 miles southeast of Syracuse . His father

1053-427: The state. The Golf House Tennessee complex includes: Chattanooga philanthropist and Coca-Cola heir Jack Lupton pledged $ 5 million to the project, provided that the foundation would raise money from other sources that would create an endowment fund. Thus, the Tennessee Golf Foundation, a non-profit, was incorporated in 1990 with Dick Horton as president. Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill played

1092-552: The years he has been recruited to work for other states (California, Florida), or be director of the inaugural Ben Hogan Tour (later known as the Nike Tour ) all of which he declined. He is a member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews , Scotland and was president of the International Association of Golf Administrators. Horton retired in 2018, after 45 years of golf administration. In 2019, he

1131-400: Was a photographer who made composite photographs for college fraternities. His mother worked for Colgate, and this gave him access to the university's golf facilities. At age eight, Horton began playing at a nine-hole course owned by the university and later worked many summers at another university course called "Seven Oaks Golf Club", designed by Robert Trent Jones . Horton mowed and watered

1170-475: Was able to convince them of advantages of merging operations. The concept, begun about in 1990, required extraordinary fundraising efforts because neither of the merging entities had much money. Philanthropic aid from Jack Lupton and Vince Gill was vital. The project's success in Nashville drew national attention, and served as a model that was later adopted by several U.S. States. The amateurs consisited of

1209-471: Was able to put all of the state's collective golf operations under one roof. Starting as a one-man operation in a bedroom office, he took the sport of golf in Tennessee from a largely structureless environment into the era of modern commercial golf. A skilled fundraiser, he secured donations that opened the door to advancement of golf administration— he created a single golf complex called " Golf House Tennessee " which served to administer all golf activities in

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1248-1276: Was commissioned in 1990 to design a set of 18 courses in Alabama, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail , the largest single golf design contract in history. In 1979, the Northern California Golf Association selected Robert Trent Jones Jr., son Jones Sr., to design the Poppy Hills Golf Course situated in Pebble Beach, California . Jones Sr. had previously crafted the Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Pebble Beach, and during this project, he received valuable assistance from his son. Their combined expertise has led them to design of over 400 golf courses worldwide. Jones continued to design golf courses in his later years until health problems prompted him to retire to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida , where he died on June 14, 2000, at age 93. His final course,

1287-485: Was inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame . Robert Trent Jones Robert Trent Jones Sr. (June 20, 1906 – June 14, 2000) was a British–American golf course architect who designed or re-designed more than 500 golf courses in 45 U.S. states and 35 countries. In reference to this, Jones took pride in saying, "The sun never sets on a Robert Trent Jones golf course." He is often confused with

1326-463: Was married to Ione Jones, who died in 1987 and with whom he had two sons: Robert Jr. and Rees , both of whom became golf course architects. Jones went into business with Canadian architect Stanley Thompson after concluding his studies at Cornell, and with him designed courses in Canada. Following his partnership with Thompson, Jones went into business on his own and began designing local courses in

1365-532: Was not what he wanted as a career. He got a golf-related job in junior golf for a while, but the Atlanta-based company went out of business; however, it was through that position that he heard about a golf administration job opening in Nashville . In 1973, at age 24 and with a Beatles haircut , Horton applied for a job in Tennessee as a golf administrator— an interview was scheduled. In preparation for

1404-560: Was the first paid employee. Taggart and Gibbons gave him some hand-me-down items, a mattress, and some dishes with a local country club logo. He rented an apartment and worked as a one-man office in a bedroom with the PGA paying for part of the rent. It took four years before Horton got an actual office. In 1993, Horton and his staff moved to the Legend's Golf Club in Franklin, Tennessee. In 1973, Horton met his future wife, Connie Prince, who

1443-558: Was the only facility of its kind. The original structure now houses the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame . The added administrative center, named for Horton, also contains the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the Volunteer Chapter Club Managers Association of America, and the Women's TGA (WTGA) among others. Golf architect Bob Cupp was told to design a par-three course adjoining

1482-539: Was told to surrender everything to Horton, including all the records and organization's bank account. Retired USGA official Larry Adamson said, "Some people just have people skills and Dick was honest, he was straight, he was able to look at both groups and tell them the benefits of being together." As of 2002, Tennessee was one of only four U.S. states to have joint administration of pros and amateurs. This model has been copied by several other states and several have hired Horton's people to run them. Horton also persuaded

1521-523: Was working at the pro shop at Nashville's Hillwood Country Club. They were married in December, 1974. Their daughter, Margaret, became a skilled player in her youth, and Horton admitted that having a daughter sparked his interest in his creating a girls' junior golf camp. It is well-known in the golf world that professional golfers and amateur golfers often have a contentious relationship. Sportswriter Joe Rexrode said, "... from what I can gather, it's like

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