Exclusive Interview with 1977 GGO Honorary Chairman Woody Durham

Woody Durham, a Mebane native, became Channel 2 WFMY-TV Sports Director in 1963. He was appointed GGO Honorary Chairman in August of 1977 by Wade Peoples. He recently took a few moments to reflect on his year as Honorary Chairman and answer a couple of questions for the Greater Greensboro Open Blog.

ggoblogger:An article entitled, “GGO Bottle Collection”, in the 1974 Greater Greensboro Open Program states “the Jaycees in conjunction with their G.G.O again proved their effectiveness in formulating successful publicity surrounding their tournament.” It would seem that more than anything else, the decanters were seen as a way to promote the tournament. As WFMY's Sports Director, at the time, was this a successful campaign?

Woody Durham: "I think the decanters were a successful way in which to promote the GGO. There may have been other events to use a similar promotion, but I was not aware of another golf tournament—at least in the southeast—doing what the Ezra Brooks Distillery of Frankfort, Kentucky, proposed to the Greensboro Jaycees. I am not certain of the actual start date, but I still have three (3) decanters in my office. They are from 1972, 1975 and 1977, naturally."

ggoblogger: You were the 1977 Honorary Chairman for the Greater Greensboro Open. The event was held at Forest Oaks for the first time that year. Can you tell me how the local community dealt with the change in venue?

Woody Durham: "I think the change in venue back in 1977 was met with mixed reaction. Of course, the sponsoring Greensboro Jaycees were not about to limit ticket sales to the GGO, and Sedgefield had reached its capacity.

The players complained that a more modern and longer layout was needed for the tournament. In addition, Sedgefield had for years made its profit with the sale of tickets which the Jaycees provided as part of their agreement, but that agreement was about to expire and Sedgefield wanted cash instead of tickets.

I’m not sure of the amount in question, but John Hughes, the owner of Forest Oaks, was able to structure a financial arrangement which was agreeable to both sides. However, once the tournament switched, it was difficult to find any golfer who had been in favor of the move.

Certainly the atmosphere was different, and it took several years for Forest Oaks to acquire its own GGO identity. Nevertheless, the switch in venue was needed since the Jaycees were adamant about not limiting ticket sales."

ggoblogger: Can you share with me your favorite GGO moment?

Woody Durham: "I have two favorite GGO memories. The first, in 1973, came when I played in the GGO Pro-Am at Sedgefield with Chi-Chi Rodriguez—who went on to win the tournament by one shot over Lou Graham—and Foster Brooks. Between the two of them, with Forest doing a different drunk routine on every tee, I laughed my way through the entire round.

The second, in 1977, came at the end of the tournament when some of my best friends, all of whom were former GGO General Chairman, threw me in the Forest Oaks pool. It was keeping with a GGO tradition, and there was I, a local TV sportscaster who had done what I could for the tournament through the years, getting dunked just like the coporate giants and community leaders who had served as Honorary Chairman before me."