To get the most out of the any new golf exploration, understanding the history and tradition of the course, city, and culture is always a great place to start. This is the beginning of what I found:
The copy on The Honors Course homepage states it best:
Opened on July 2, 1983, the Honors Course was created to honor the game of amateur golf. The course is located just north of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee in a community known as Ooltewah. In keeping with its philosophy, the course has hosted many amateur tournaments including the USGA Men’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Championships, the Curtis Cup Matches, and the NCAA Men’s Div. I Championship.
Their logo is of the Martin Condon State Amateur Trophy — that is about as pure as it gets.
Founder and creator of The Honors Course is a man by the name of Jack Lupton. A good friend of Bobby Jones, his vision for The Honors Course was to “honor” Tennessee golf and particularly Tennessee amateur golf…definitely a friend of Bobby. He is the visionary not only behind one of the Game’s most hallowed grounds but also much of Chattanooga’s growth as a city and community. If you want to take a few moments to understand the depths of his vision, involvement, and philanthropy, I’ve linked a video from the Tennessee Valley PBS station about him and highly recommend it.
Jack Lupton has edge and that is transparent when interviewed in this 1986 interview with The Chattanooga Times.
He talked about the Riverpark. About skepticism and change. About the rich and the poor, the black and the white, the city and the suburbs. About how his father gave away money, and how he does. Mostly, however, he talked about his vision of Chattanooga. Here it is.
This is just the beginning of my research but this is what I have for tonight. There will be a few more about the course and culture as the tee time this Saturday approaches.
