A History of the University of Georgia Golf Course

The University of Georgia (UGA) Golf Course is a significant landmark within the university's athletic facilities, offering recreational and competitive opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the general public. Its history is intertwined with the university's growth, recreational initiatives, and commitment to athletic excellence.

Origins and Planning

The concept of a University of Georgia Golf Course emerged in the mid-1950s. In the summer of 1956, Physical Education and Recreation Professor E. B. Smith communicated the need for such a facility to then-University President O.C. Aderhold, highlighting the increasing green fees at local golf courses and the restricted access for faculty members. Dr. Smith underscored the educational and recreational advantages of a university-operated golf course, aligning with the post-war focus on lifetime sports and the benefits of physical activity. He deemed the golf course project "possible, feasible, and practical.”

President Aderhold responded by suggesting that a golf committee be created to explore the possibility of a university golf course.

In the summer of 1957, Dr. Smith assembled a golf committee. The committee included:

Dr. E.B. Smith, Professor, Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Dr. C.C. Murray, Chairman-Sub Committee on Site and Construction
Mr. J.D. Bolton, Comptroller
Mr. B.C. Kinney, Plant Operations
Dr. J.E. Gates, Dean, Business Administration
Coach Wallace Butts, Athletic Director
Coach Howell Hollis, Business Manager Athletic Department
Professor Hubert Owens, Landscape Architect
Dr. B.W. Gabrielson, Professor, Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Dr. R.T. Bowen, Jr., Associate Professor, Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Mr. Tom Paris, Paris Dunlap Hardware Company, Gainesville, GA

President Aderhold and Dr. John A. Dotson were involved from the UGA Executive Office.

The golf committee convened for the first time on September 16, 1957. A sub-committee was tasked with identifying a suitable land site for an 18-hole golf course. Their preferred option was property owned by Mr. Malcom Rowe, located east of the University Horticulture farm. Mr. Rowe supported the construction of a golf course on his property with the potential for developing the land surrounding the golf course for residential purposes. The committee considered land purchase options and a land exchange idea. The university-owned land was desirable for Mr. Rowe's housing development. Mr. Rowe would give some of his property for the development of the golf course in exchange for the property he desired to develop. To validate the feasibility of the land exchange, Mr. Rowe suggested hiring renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. to develop plans for the property.

Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Course Design

Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was a prominent figure in the golf world. By the end of his career, he had designed or redesigned over 400 golf courses in the United States and 35 other countries. His prolific career led to the saying, “The sun never sets on a Robert Trent Jones golf course.” Jones had previously co-designed Peachtree Golf Club with Bobby Jones and redesigned holes 11 and 16 at Augusta National Golf Club. During the planning of the University Golf Course, Jones was also working on 36 holes at the Atlanta Athletic Club and the Stonemont Course at Stone Mountain Golf Club.

Mr. Jones made four trips to Athens and created multiple plans for the Rowe property, with Plan F being chosen by the golf committee as most suitable. Plan F clearly pointed out the area of the golf course and the proposed area for Mr. Rowe’s housing development. In September 1960, the committee recommended Plan F to President Aderhold. While all agreed that Plan F was best and that the university needed a golf course, no final decisions on the project were made at that time. There was still some discussion as to the best way for the University to obtain the necessary land from Mr. Rowe. While gaining momentum, the idea of a university golf course still lacked the support necessary to bring it to fruition.

Approval and Construction

In early 1961, a report on Outdoor Education and Recreation at UGA by a Mr. Bradford and Dr. Masters supported expansion of the university’s outdoor facilities and programs. They recommended a two-pronged plan that addressed the need for year-round facilities and programs for outdoor recreation and recruiting the necessary faculty and staff for support. This report outlined the benefits of a university golf course and a recreational area on the east side of campus. That recreational area is the current day Intramural Sports Complex off College Station Road, which also contains Lake Herrick. Mr. Bradford and Dr. Masters were guided by the 1958 Brumbaugh Report that stated the university’s objective was “to develop the physical well-being of each student, providing adequate facilities and opportunities for this development, and encouraging participation by all students….and to provide them with opportunities for constructive recreation.”

The golf course project received the green light in September 1962. The University of Florida announced that its athletic association was purchasing Gainesville Golf & Country Club for the use of the university students, faculty, and staff. A land exchange with Mr. Rowe was finalized, and internal resources were sought for the construction of the golf course to keep costs down. A gap in the written communications about the golf course between E.B. Smith and O.C. Aderhold must have taken place between 1963-1965, as the next golf course related document in President Aderhold’s personal records is an informational piece on the University of Georgia Recreation and Research Center. In this report, most of the suggestions from the Outdoor Education and Recreation statement from 1961 have been put into action. Intramural fields, a 20-acre lake, and the golf course were all under construction at this time. Project timelines were admittedly slow due to the use of in-house resources to save costs. From eyewitness accounts, the golf course project was also slow moving, but perhaps more so from very wet weather throughout construction than anything else. The clubhouse construction project began in 1967. At that time, it was known as the golf headquarters building.

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Funding the Golf Course

Beginning in 1964, fifty cents from each student’s activity fees was being transferred into the intramural program to fund construction of the golf course. By the time the activity transfer fee for the golf course construction project ended, $87,081 had accumulated in an agency account. Per the December 30, 1968, letter from John Green, Vice President for Business and Finance, to then-University President Fred Davison, the financial cost of the new golf course was paid for using the following funds:

Funding Category	Amount
Unexpended Plant Funds	$90,000
Sale of Land to Navy School	$60,000
Auxiliary Enterprises
Cap and Gown Income	$15,000
Vending Machine Income	$99,101
Miscellaneous	$3,100
Student Activities
$0.50 Assessed Fee	$87,081
Student Activity Savings	$70,000
Total	$424,452

Opening and Early Recognition

The golf course officially opened for play on August 31, 1968. The formal opening ceremony took place on Friday, September 27, 1968. University President Fred Davison presided over the ceremony, with President Emeritus O.C. Aderhold, Athletic Director Joel Eaves, and Georgia Governor Carl Sanders in attendance. Dr. Davison, Dr. Aderhold, and Governor Sanders made brief remarks, followed by Dr. Aderhold hitting the ceremonial first drive off the number one tee. Invited attendees then played 9 holes on the new University Golf Course.

The University Golf Course quickly gained recognition as one of the finest campus courses in the United States and the university was eager to host competitive events on its new layout. In 1971, the golf course hosted the Division of Girls’ and Women’s Sports Intercollegiate Championship, which was the equivalent of today’s NCAA Women’s Golf Championship. Since then, the course has hosted the women’s national championship an additional 5 times: 1981 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Championship, and the 1983, 1984, 1993, and 2013 Women’s NCAA Championships. Named in honor of women’s intercollegiate sports pioneer and former Associate Athletic Director at UGA, Liz Murphey, the tournament attracts one of the best competitive fields of the spring season.

Throughout its history, the golf course has hosted numerous non-collegiate tournaments to promote the game and facility to an audience that now spans nationwide. Junior golf, amateur golf, and professional golf events are common at the UGA Golf Course. From 2010 to 2013 the Web.Com Tour called Athens home for the Stadion Classic at UGA. This particular tournament was the first PGA TOUR Co-Sponsored event organized, hosted, and operated by an institution of higher learning.

Golf Team Successes

The University of Georgia Golf Program has a rich tradition and history of success, which dates back to the inception of the program in 1924. Since opening in 1968, the UGA Golf Course has played a significant role in that success as host course for both the men’s and women’s teams.

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To date, the Men’s Golf team has a league-high 26 SEC Championships, while the Women’s Golf team has a league leading 11 titles to their credit. The men’s team won the NCAA Championships in 1999 and 2005. The women’s team captured their NCAA Championship in 2001.

Renovations and Improvements

To enhance and improve the playing conditions of the UGA Golf Course, renovations were undertaken in 1990 and again in 2006. In 1990, golf course architect John LaFoy renovated the green complexes and added in some of the Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design features that were left out during the original construction. A modern irrigation system was also installed that greatly improved the condition of the course’s multiple varieties of grass.

In May 2006, Love Golf Design of St. Simons Island was hired to renovate the green complexes and add 21 new tees to both lengthen and shorten the golf course to improve playability for all golfer abilities. The new championship Bulldog Tees stretched the course to almost 7,300 yards and provided the best collegiate and professional golfers with a very stern test. The golf course reopened in December 2006 to rave reviews.

Accolades and Recognition

The UGA Golf Course has received numerous accolades during its 55+ years of existence. It is a fixture in Golfweek Magazine’s collegiate golf course rankings, coming in at #26 in 2022. In the state of Georgia, the UGA Golf Course is ranked as the 12th best public golf course to play by Golfweek Magazine.

Course Policies and Information

Eligibility

Everyone is eligible to play at the UGA Golf Course, including UGA alumni, UGA faculty and staff, UGA students, and the general public.

Tee Times

Tee times can be booked up to 2 months in advance via the Booking page.

Rain Check Policy

An 18-hole rain check is issued if play has not begun on the 5th hole. A 9-hole rain check is issued if play has not begun on the 13th hole when playing 18 holes, or the 5th hole when playing 9 holes. For Twilight fees, an 18-hole rain check is issued if play has not begun on the 5th hole, and a 9-hole rain check is issued if play has not begun on the 9th hole. No rain check is allowed once a Twilight fee customer has begun play on their 9th hole.

Dress Code

The dress code policy requires collared shirts and prohibits denim, sweat pants, gym shorts, or cutoffs for men. Women must wear a collared shirt/blouse and are also prohibited from wearing denim, sweat pants, gym shorts, or cutoffs. Appropriate winter golf attire is acceptable on the golf course. Denim, sweat pants, T-shirts, and gym shorts are allowed at the Driving Range.

Photography and Filming

The UGA Golf Course does not accommodate photo shoots for homecoming, prom, graduation, or other occasions. Golf course access is reserved for customers who are actively playing rounds of golf or using the driving range. Individuals taking photos on the course would interfere with the activities of customers and staff and risk injury from errant golf balls and uneven terrain. The UGA Golf Course also does not accommodate the filming of videos for organizations, class projects, or other purposes for the same reasons.

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