Gentlemen’s Golfing Groups

Pictured from left to right: Scott Steward, David Reynolds, Mike Costa, Jim Horn, Smith Hays

 

Mike Costa

 

For just shy of four decades, Mike Costa and his friends have not only played golf together but also created and hosted a yearly golf tournament, called the Annual Championship of the Free World (COFW). What began as a two-man scramble with six golfers has over the years turned into an annual gathering of around 40 participants.

“We have always been close,” shares Costa. “This group grew even closer through our love of golf and because we are dedicated to playing this tournament each year. It’s a given. You are going to be there.”

Winners of the COFW receive a 3-foot-tall trophy, topped with a golfer in full swing, powder-blue Champions jackets, complete with the COFW logo, and access to the Champions Dinner, which golfers are only allowed to attend once they’ve successfully won a tournament.

Competition is so fierce at this yearly event that incidents have been known to occur with the highly-coveted trophy.

“One night at a party at the house of one of the victors, the trophy was sitting prominently on his mantel. It remains a mystery as to whom was responsible, but the trophy disappeared,” shares Costa. “A couple of days later, and continuing for about a month, ransom notes would show up with a picture of the trophy (the golfer blindfolded) and letters cut out of a magazine spelling out the demands for a safe return. Long story short, the trophy was eventually returned and the COFW took on new meaning.”

While the competition and numerous prizes are certainly fun, Costa admits that his favorite thing about golf is the camaraderie that is creates among old friends.
“A lot of us only see each other once a year, but we pick up right where we left off once we are together,” says Costa. “Golf keeps us connected.”

And, at the end of the day, Costa advises other golfers to not take the sport too seriously.
“Golf is a lot more fun when you roll with the punches and you don’t get upset with a bad shot,” finishes Costa. “Enjoy the course and who you’re with. That lesson only took me about 50 years to figure out.”

Pictured from left to right: Larry Eskrine, Marcus Jones, Ketha Richardson, Dwight Hill, Dedrick Hemphill, Mike Lacy, and Robin Davenport

 

Ketha Richardson

 

While Ketha Richardson’s first time on a golf course was over 23 years ago, his long-term golfing group has slowly developed over the past 10 years.

“It started when Dee Hemphill and I met at a golf tournament at Bear Trace. I was asked to play in the tournament by one of my church members,” says Richardson.

Following the tournament, Richardson and Hemphill exchanged contact information to play together in the future. After meeting up at Brainerd Golf Course, with more friends in tow, the group never looked back.

“That was the start of the group,” says Richardson. “As time went on and we met new people who we thought would be fun to play with, we would invite them to join us.”
In fact, Hemphill now sends out a weekly email detailing when and where they’ll be playing for the week. With over 30 names included each week, participation is first come, first serve.

As the group has played together, they’ve also taken a variety of golf trips – from Fall Creek Falls to Huntsville, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Richardson admits that playing helps him relieve stress, and time among old friends certainly helps, too.

“My favorite thing is the fellowship,” says Richardson. “We get out and truly enjoy each other’s company with no drama.”

In fact, over the years, Richardson’s golfing group has turned from a close-knit group of friends to a true family.

“These guys are my brothers,” Richardson shares. “We have been there for our children’s milestones. We’ve been there during tough times for one another. We celebrate birthdays and accomplishments. We are there when we need someone to just hear you out.”

For those looking to create a golf group of their own, Richardson advises that it’s not bad to be picky.

“Everyone who plays golf may not be the right ones for your golf group,” says Richardson. “Play a round or two with them. You can see how they approach the game. It’s meant to be fun and played with integrity. You will know pretty quickly if a person is a good fit for your group.

Pictured from left to right: Hugh Sharber, Gary Gerbitz, Ronny McNeil, and Crockett Cobble

 

Hugh Sharber

 

Hugh Sharber isn’t just a member of a long-time golf group – he’s a part of the McNeil/Gerbitz golf game at the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club, which has been played for more than 40 years.

Founded in the 1970s by Ronny McNeil and Gary Gerbitz, Sharber was invited to play in the well-established group after joining the club in 1988.

“It was then, and still is, a diverse and friendly game,” says Sharber. “The game had an early tee time on Saturday that was favorable for young dads, as I was at the time, and a 1 p.m. starting time on Sunday that allowed for church attendance.”

While friendly, Sharber admits that there is certainly competition and hijinks within the game, particularly around the fairness of the game itself.

“The frame is set by the golf professionals at the club,” says Sharber, “but always with the possibility that our founders might have a thumb on the scale!” Fanning the flames, McNeil and Gerbitz tell the group to enjoy the fair frames during the winter months that they spend in Florida.

Though the competition, and cash prize for the winners, are certainly fun, Sharber’s favorite part of the group, which draws from 25 to 30 different players, is the friendship that he has found within it.

“I enjoy the companionship with the other players and the competition within the game,” says Sharber. “As Gerbitz says unapologetically, the group is not for everyone, especially if you have thin skin or can’t take some kidding or ridicule.”

With almost five decades of group history, several of which Sharber has been present for, the McNeil/Gerbitz group has stood by each other’s side through many different stages of life.

“We started with young families and balancing time spent playing golf with pursuing our careers and family obligations, and now most all of our players are empty-nesters, and some have part-time residences in Florida or other states,” says Sharber. “We have changed and shared those changes over the years.”

At the end of the day, Sharber attributes the game’s success to Ronny McNeil and Gary Gerbitz who “are just as comfortable with change and inviting new members to the game as with dispensing ‘dogfight justice’ so that the rest of us can enjoy the game when the results go our way or complain if they don’t.”

Pictured from left to right: (Front row) Marty Lowe, Charles Patton, and Craig Warren (Back row) Terry Williams, Kenneth Jones, Ken Adams, and Brandon Culpepper

 

Kenneth Jones

 

As sports supervisor for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s and women’s golf teams, and a member of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee, golf is more than just a pastime for Kenneth Jones – it’s a way of life.

“My friend, who grew up playing golf, introduced me to the sport of golf in 2013. He was so determined to find something he could finally beat me at that he even gave me my first set of clubs,” shares Jones.

It’s safe to say that the obsession stuck. While Jones supervises many different teams at work, he also spends his spare time playing with an organization called 19th Hole, which he joined in 2016. Though, he admits his first impression was less than ideal.

“I hit a bad shot into the fairway of another hole off the tee. I walked over to hit my second shot and apologize,” says Jones. “We struck up conversation, and he brought up the organization he was playing with that day, 19th Hole. Despite that introductory shot, he invited me to join them for a round of golf the following week.”

Now, Kenneth is just one of 40 members in 19th Hole. With a mix of highly-skilled players, experienced competitors, and golf newbies, Jones admits that there’s never a dull moment within the group.

“You never know what you are going to get when playing with this group,” says Jones. “This makes every round competitive, adventurous, and fun, celebrating the good shots and laughing off the bad ones. In an environment like this, the camaraderie grows naturally.”

Jones says his games with 19th Hole have been filled with funny moments, like crashing a golf cart and seeing someone hit 12 balls in the water on the same hole, but his favorite memories revolve around the people themselves.

“Golf has a way of deepening friendships because it provides time for conversation and shared experiences. Spending hours together on a golf course, you naturally talk, joke around, and tell stories,” shares Jones. “Over time, these moments create lasting memories which, in return, create friendships on and off the golf course.”

Pictured from left to right: Scott Wilson, Tom Lewellan, Van Bunch, Lee Dyer, and Scott Kelley

 

Scott Wilson

 

While many prefer to golf in groups of four, Scott Wilson’s golfing group of five agrees the more the merrier. After being connected by Van Bunch, affectionately known in the group at “Captain Van,” the group has been playing in a fivesome ever since.

“It’s not how many are in your group,” says Wilson. “It’s how the group respects the game, the pace of play, the course, and the people with whom you share the course.”

Wilson and his group frequently play at Black Creek Club in various combinations of two, three, and four. Though Bunch is primarily responsible for connecting the golf group, several of the group knew of each other years earlier in high school.

“Four of us are Baylor alums and loyalists,” says Wilson, “and we’ve adopted Tom as an honorary Baylor alum.”

Playing as a fivesome isn’t the only unique aspect of Wilson’s golfing group. The group also loves to walk as much as possible while they play, sometimes as far as eight miles, though their true distinctiveness lies in how they play the game itself.

“We have an unusual set of rules for our ‘game.’ Van, as captain, is the gatekeeper/judge/jury for new rules and the game we play,” says Wilson.

From getting a par on the first hole (no matter how many shots it takes) to kicking balls into the fairway and replacing wayward balls, regulations are documented in the group’s rule guide, dubbed “A Zen Guide to Golf.”

On the last page of the book, the group’s playing philosophy is summed up in three sentences: “These are just a few rules with more to come. The beauty of golf is that the rules change daily. Just remember: No mulligans – that’s cheating!”

Turns out, an odd number of players, plenty of miles walked, and ever-changing rules are the perfect recipe for developing long-lasting friendships.

“The growth of these friendships is the best part of the experience,” shares Wilson. “I truly have grown to love these guys … they have been a true blessing in my life.”

For those looking to develop a golf group of their own, Wilson recommends focusing on the people rather than the game itself.

“Be open to the possibility of making important new friendships and don’t fret the quality of your golf game … that’s the least important piece of a great group,” finishes Wilson.

 

A Zen Guide to Golf

A guide to guide you through the rules of golf.

These rules are made to make the game bearable and the suffering to be just painful enough so that we return at least one to two times per week. If these rules are broken, then we will make new rules to be broken in their place.

Cheating – Verb; Act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game.

 

Let’s Play

Tee shot one (and two). Make sure one of these tee shots hits the fairway or can be kicked into said fairway. This is called starting out on the right foot or left. The object of this requisite is to get a par on the first hole. No matter how many shots it takes. Once we have settled in and feel comfortable finishing the first hole on a good note, we can ease into the following rules.

 

Rule 1: TV Ball

The most important rule. If a ball is wayward and too much trouble to look for or hard to kick, use any ball found of the same dimension or color. If color blind, disregard. No penalty.

 

Rule 2: Ten Step Rule

If the ball is hit on the other side of white stake (just using this as a reference because they have no meaning) use allotted 10 steps to get it back where you really hit it. Steps can be saved.

 

Rule 3: Short Putt Rule

If a short putt is missed, you can take the “gimme” that was given you – even if imagined.

 

Rule 4: Provisional Re-do

Provisional – Adj; Arranged or existing for the present, possible to be changed later. We can just say definitely.

Re-; A prefix in Latin used with the meaning again or again and again. It depends on how many holes you are playing that day.

Do – Verb; It again.

 

Rule 5: Closer Thee to God Tee Box

Much disputed rule – where to tee off from. If you run out of colored balls to move on up to, bring your own. We will call this the Closer Thee to God Tee Box.

 

Rule 6: Identify Your Ball

Identify your ball. Do not take a chance at hitting someone else’s ball. Pick up and take a close look at found ball. Clean so you can see the ID number. Set down gently as to not lose site of ID.

These are just a few rules with more to come. The beauty of golf is that the rules change daily. Just remember: No mulligans – that’s cheating!