Old and new students will come together this Friday to pick up their clubs and play a round.
The 39th annual Alumni Golf Classic will start at 1 p.m. Sept. 30.
The Classic was originally tied in with Homecoming as an informal way for alumni and friends to just show up and play. But in 1985, five of the players who had been participating decided to make it more of an actual event.
John Fry, an alumni, Pete Shoun, a retired P.E. professor, Bill Toohey, director of the Memorial Center, Steve Saddler, purchasing manager at ETSU and Bob Plummer, associate vice-president of the Alumni Office created the Homecoming Golf Tournament after some participants complained that the previous way of playing was too disorganized.
For years, the tournament was played the Friday before Homecoming. But because Homecoming was towards late October or early November, it was too cold for many who may have been interested.
“We decided to make the Tournament earlier when Bill Toohey and I were putting up the hole sponsor signs and my mustache literally froze before we were done,” said John Fry.
The tournament was then moved to the last few weeks of September or the first week of October.
The Alumni Golf Classic is broken down into several divisions. The Alumni Division is separated into two categories: the Gold division, for players with a 0-15 handicap, and the Blue Division, for a 16 handicap and up.
There is also the Student Division, a Women’s and a Faculty/Staff division.
The Classic has been played at almost every course in the Tri-City area, including Buffalo and Crockett Ridge, but has for the past few years been played at Meadowview.
The entry fee is $75 for alumni and friends and $55 for students.
The fee covers the cart, the greens fee and a buffet lunch. Any money that is left over goes towards the general scholarship fund.
Sponsors of the Alumni Golf Tournament include WJHL, 98.5 WTFM, and the Johnson City Press, who have all done advertising for the tournament.
“The tournament has really grown in the past 5-10 years,” said Fry. “Companies practically line up to sponsor a hole and be a participant.”
The grand prize for a Hole-in-One is a 2006 Buick Rendezvous. Two trips and a golf package (including clubs and passes) are also being given away to the two other hole-in-one winners.
Trophies will be given out to the first, second and third place participants in each division.
The Alumni Golf Classic will be a two person select shot competition. There will also be a “closest to the pin” competition and a men’s and women’s long-drive competition. There are normally between 80-100 players in the tournament and most of the participants have entered in a consistent manner.
“About 75 percent are true, loyal alumni friends of the university and play almost every year,” Fry said.
Information is usually sent out to anyone who has ever played in the Classic before, but information can also be obtained in the Alumni Office and also is posted in the Campus Recreation office.
“This tournament is just a good way for people to get together who love to play golf,” said Fry. “It can also be a good way to network if you’re an alumnus who’s a businessman.
“Special thanks to Rich Manahan, Bob Plummer and Joe Smith; they really are the backbone of keeping this tournament going.”
For more information or questions concerning the Alumni Golf Classic, contact John Fry at jfry@branhamcorp.com or alumni@etsu.edu.

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