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Local golfers play on Hartwell’s famed golf club, which opened to the public in 1923.
The Hart County community gathered Feb. 16 to celebrate a truly remarkable milestone in the history of golf.
Located on the southwestern side of Hartwell, the Hartwell Golf Club was established in 1923 and celebrated 100 years of continuous service to the local community with a ceremony on the property.
The celebration was spearheaded by Larry Torrence, a Hartwell native who’s been working in golf course marketing and development for more than forty years.
“Today, we want to recognize the community that helped support this concept, and the fact that the Hartwell Golf Club has turned into what it is and also the fact that they’ve been doing it for 100 consecutive years,” Torrence said. “When we first started planning this, it’s amazing the number of people of which I spoke to that didn’t know the Hartwell Golf Club was 100 years old.”
The milestone was also lost on Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) Executive Director Matt Vanderpool who was on hand to present the golf course with a plaque honoring the significant milestone.
“I must admit, a few months when I was informed of the Hartwell Golf Club being 100 years old, I was familiar with the golf club but didn’t have an appreciation of the history and what this golf course has meant to the community for the last several years,” Vanderpool said.
Vanderpool painted a picture of what golf looked like in Georgia when the Hartwell Golf Club opened its fairways.
“As one looks back to 1923, there were about twenty golf courses scattered around the state of Georgia. Most of them were private,” Vanderpool said.
Vanderpool stated that in 1923 the GSGA just held its sixth amateur championship at the Idle Hour Club in Macon and famed amateur golfer and Augusta National’s President in Perpetuity Bobby Jones had just won his first United States Open.
Regarding the history of Hartwell Golf Club, it’s hard to find a public municipal golf course in the state that has operated continuously like this one has.
Savannah’s Bacon Park Golf Course opened in 1926, which was followed by the Augusta Municipal Golf Course in 1928, and the College Park Municipal Golf Course outside Atlanta in 1929.
Given Hartwell’s size at the time, with a population just over 2,300 people according to the 1920 census, Torrence says the Hartwell Golf Club’s endurance is truly remarkable.
“Considering the population of Hartwell in 1920, and of course also at that time the lake [Lake Hartwell] was not even conceived,” Torrence said. “They successfully started something that we enjoy today.”
Torrence confirmed the impression the Hartwell Golf Club had on the community by reading a statement from the lease for the facility.
“The golf club agrees this property described herein shall be used only for a public golf course and further shall be operated in a manner to provide the maximum benefit for the residents of Hart County for the lowest possible cost consistent with any golf club plan to make improvements,” Torrence read.
Many of Hartwell’s leaders were on hand to take part in the monumental occasion. Mandy Floyd, branch manager for the local YMCA, said it was an honor to be at the club.
“I don’t personally play golf, but I serve a community that loves golf, and we have lots of members here that come and work out at the Y so they can improve their golf game,” Floyd said.
Hartwell mayor Brandon Johnson said he learned to play golf on the grounds at the Hartwell Golf Club.
“I was just a country boy, and my dad would drop me off with a $5 bill,” Johnson said. “That was a few years ago, and that would get you all the golf you could play and get you a hot dog and Coke at the turn.”
Johnson said he spent a lot of time at the course with lifelong friends that bonded over the game of golf, and noted, “If it wasn’t for Hartwell Golf Course there would be zero chance that I would play golf. The affordability was really key.”
Hart County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsey Ingle said the Hartwell Golf Club holds a special place in her heart.
“This is the first club I played when I moved to Hartwell, so there are a lot of great memories for me,” Ingle said. “We are so excited to celebrate with you, and support with whatever you need.”
Hart County Board of Commissioners Chairman Marshall Sayer offered his congratulations and recognized those who are continuing to keep the golf course going today.
“I appreciate those now who are continuing this process, because without those dedicated committed men of yesterday, we wouldn’t be celebrating 100 years today,” Sayer said.
Sayer also expressed gratitude for the club allowing teams from Hart County Middle and High Schools to come out and play, saying it was a very big asset for the youth of Hart County.
Sayer also jokingly noted the contract between golf and government.
“The difference between golf and government, a golfer can’t improve his lie,” Sayer said.
Hartwell City Councilman Dan Leard said he was lucky enough to play this course as a small kid with his grandmother and grandfather.
“This place has meant so much to my family, and I want to thank everybody,” Leard said. “I got to work here when I was in high school, and they have continued to grow the game and the passion.”
Vanderpool summed up what the golf club means to Hartwell.
“It’s not only a celebration of the Hartwell Golf Club but a celebration for Hartwell and all of you,” Vanderpool said. “One of the great things about the game of golf is it’s truly the game of a lifetime, and I’m sure there are a lot of you in this room who played your first round of golf at Hartwell Golf Club.
Torrence said moving forward, the club plans to grow the game of golf for Hartwell’s youth.
“It is one of the best sports you can pick up and enjoy for your lifetime,” Torrence said. “In golf a downhill, sidehill 4.5 foot putt is a downhill, sidehill 4.5 foot putt for anybody. You can continue golf for your entire career and enjoy it for your entire career.’’
Torrence mentioned that the Hartwell Golf Club had been a retailer of Coca-Cola products since its inception in 1923.
“I talked to Coca-Cola, and asked them how many of their retail outlets in the state of Georgia have been successful customers for 100 years,” Torrence said. “The response I got was interesting, it was ‘WOW!’ The impact this club has had not only on golfers, but the economic impact it has had and continues to have, is a lot to be proud of.”