Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What's on ebay? 1983 Gary Player GGO Press Photo


"Original black & white wire/news photo of Gary Player at the 1983 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO). Photo is dated on back March 30, 1983 and features caption/photograph credit (Joseph Rodriquez). Approximately 7 x 9 inches Good condition with editor markings."

"A GGO Thing" Exclusive Book Excerpt Part 6

1974 ”Where Spring Means More… GGO ‘74”

The Old North State is the muse for the 1974 Greater Greensboro Open commemorative decanter. The stopper is a molded golf ball, slightly larger than regulation, complete with dimples. Its raised, mustard colored letters spell out “GGO”. The yellow matches the top and the base of this decanter that originally sold for $15.90 and went on sale in Greensboro State Liquor stores on April 1, 1974.

The GGO golf ball sits upon a bright red golf tee that highlights the details in the golf ball’s dimples. The words, “Greater Greensboro Open” appear in a decal just below the tee. North Carolina's state lines are well defined and the state is painted green. This provides a fitting background for the golf course map at the center of the state. A decal reads, “Greensboro, N.C.”, but upon close inspection, the collector will notice the golf course depicted on the bottle is left unidentified.

Of course the setting was the Sedgefield Country Club, but again this fact was omitted from this bottle. Red pin flags are placed across the course map and match the red of the golf tee above. This use of color helps to pull the decanter’s elements together.

In the left-hand corner of the decanter, another decal reveals the slogan, “Where Spring Means More…GGO ‘74”. This decanter’s design is a departure from the marketing efforts of the previous bottles. The state shaped design seems to claim the tournament to be a statewide event, not just something to be enjoyed within the local Greensboro community.

This design shows true vision and is perhaps a precursor to the regionalism that is currently being promoted by Greensboro’s leadership and the leadership of the Wyndham Championship. Paul Fulton, Jr. of Winston-Salem was named the 2007
Honorary Chairman for the Wyndham Championship-the tournament formerly known as the Greater Greensboro Open. According to a press release from the tournament’s media relation department, Fulton is the first honorary chairman selected from outside of Guilford County.

“The Wyndham Championship is the Piedmont Triad’s PGA TOUR event,” Bobby Long Chair of the Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation said. “That means our tournament leadership should reflect the diverse nature of our entire region. This tournament needs to touch all of the communities that comprise the Piedmont Triad.”

Fulton expressed the value of reaching out to the region. “This appointment is truly a great honor,” Fulton said. “The Wyndham Championship is the Piedmont Triad’s crown jewel of professional sports, and it’s gratifying to me to see our tournament reach out and grow throughout the entire region. I am humbled and proud to be associated with the rich history of this PGA TOUR event and look forward to the bright future that lies ahead.” As he accepted the appointment on March 27, 2007 Fulton admitted to the crowd that he still called the event the GGO.

In the same press release, Bobby Long continued to explain the tournament’s view of regionalism by saying, “Paul Fulton is a leader in the Winston-Salem community, and his selection as this year’s (2007) Honorary Chairman is one of the many ways that we are reaching out to the entire region. The Honorary Chairman is more important than ever before as we become a regional event Last year’s honorary chairman, Mike Haley, was instrumental in many of the positive changes we made with the tournament. Mike and Paul are the kind of people that understand what it takes for our tournament to grow and compete nationally.”

In much the same way the 1979 caddie decanter would later predict the rain that would come to the 1979 GGO Pro-Am, perhaps the 1974 GGO decanter predicted the tournament’s desire to reach out on a much larger scale. This transition was realized in 2007 when for the time in the tournament’s 69-year history the name Greensboro did not appear in its title. The Wyndham Championship held its inaugural event of the first time. The Wyndham’s program books even listed the place the event was held as “Forest Oaks Country Club-Piedmont Triad, North Carolina."

(March 27, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters. To celebrate this anniversary "A GGO Thing" is now on sale on Amazon.com for only $9.00.)

Monday, January 30, 2012

"A GGO Thing" Exclusive Book Excerpt Part 5

1973 “springtime is GGO time!”

The 1973 decanter’s size sets it apart from the other bottles in the series. While the decanter has a few odd proportions its obvious theme of the golfer swinging a golf club fits well into the promotional nature of the GGO commemorative decanters. The demand for this bottle was incredible and caused a few unexpected problems for the local ABC stores that sold them in March of 1973.

It may come as a surprise to GGO decanters collectors that the bottles where seen as a “headache” to the local ABC Board responsible for selling them. In a report dated Monday, March 26, 1973 in The Greensboro Record, members of the ABC Board describe the sale of the GGO bottles as a “headache”.

Alexander Parker, chairman of Greensboro’s ABC Board said “Too many problems are created over these bottles which are only put on sale once a year.” Collectors and GGO partygoers that were acquiring five-gallon liquor permits and then buying the collectible bottles caused one of these problems by the case.

Parker told reporter Mike Forte that because the bottles were being sold by the case, they sold out within an hour. Because of this, many people were just not able to purchase their own decanter. According to the article, it made some customers “irate”.

Greensboro’s ABC Board had discussed making a ruling to control the sale of the bottles but because they contained liquor they were controlled by state statute and the local board had no power to overrule the state law.

Parker went as far as to state publicly that, “at this time it looks like we are going to get out of the collector item business.” He felt at the time this action was the only way to solve problems from the Sunday, March 25, 1973 sale of the GGO decanters. It was reported that 6,000 bottles were sold within 45 minutes.

Members of the ABC Board felt as those they had been fooled into granting the five-gallon permits. Don Mason, ABC Manager was quoted as saying, “We were flimflammed”. It appears that several fans of the collectible bottles had applied for the five-gallon liquor permits saying they were hosting GGO parties and then used the permits to buy the bottles a case at a time.

At that time state law prohibited an individual from purchasing more than a gallon of liquor at one time. Mike Forte’s article does point out that these collectors did not break any laws as the permits did not specify what kind of liquor could be purchased.

In an effort to combat the problems of the 1973 commemorative decanter sale, the ABC Board devised an aggressive plan to stop individuals from using loopholes allowing them to buy the decorative decanters a case at a time. The effects of the 1973 GGO decanter sale would continue to be felt throughout the remaining years of the GGO commemorative decanter promotion. The sale of the 1973 GGO decanter changed the way in which the bottles would be sold for the next eight years. The effects of these changes would be felt in, not only the way in which collectors purchased the bottles, but also in the way the local media would report on the sale of these popular promotional items. Bottle collectors would be reminded once a year of the rules put into place to insure that everyone had an opportunity to take home a cherished memory of the Greater Greensboro Open.

(March 27, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters. To celebrate this anniversary "A GGO Thing" is now on sale on Amazon.com for only $9.00.)

Sunday, January 29, 2012

What's on ebay? 1984 GGO Negs of Andy North



"Lot of 5 original color negatives of Andy North at the 1984 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) Size: The strips with two negatives are approximately 1.25 x 3 and the single negative is about 1.25 x 1.5 inches"

What's on ebay? Craig Stadler GGO Press Photo


"Original press/wire photo of Craig Stadler at the Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) golf tournament."

What's on ebay? 1984 Lanny Wadkins GGO Press Photo


"Original black & white wire/news photo of Lanny Wadkins from the 1984 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) gold tournament. Back of photo is stamped April 5, 1984 with the photographers credit (Jim Stratford) and has typewritten caption. Size: Approximately 7 x 9 inches"

Best Comments Ever

"Thank for the wonderful description of the GGO bottles. I'm going on Amazon to buy A GGO Thing. I've been fascinated with decanters for years actually back to the Bing Crosby days when he presented his first decanter in 1970 as a tee gift to players in his tournament. I worked for the Northern California PGA from 1979-85 and one of my duties come Crosby time was to very our club pro's card to he could get into the tournament at no charge. A fellow I knew played in the tournament gave me the 1979 decanter. In our Section we had about 3/4 others that the pros gave us to spruce up our office.

A friend of mine got me started in collecting other Crosby and AT&T decanters in 1998 and I would go on Ebay and bid on them. Before too long it became an obsession with me to get as many as my friend had and I practically went where ever I could to find any decanter. Anyway long story short, I have all the Crosby, the AT&T, the GGO, the Hawaiian Open, Bob Hope, and all the singles for a total of around 85/86 bottles on my walls! I've practically had to buy houses that would be big enough for my junk.

Just recently I've decided to downsize the collection and was going to rid of everything except the Crosby and AT&T ones. I even have all the programs and have mounted the cover in a frame above the year of the decanter. My wife said that's the last straw, so I talk about these things from a closet. lol After reading your note I'm not sure about the GGO because I love each of the designs. My favorites are 1978-79, two classics. My friend who has a similar (but not as good as mine!) has that 1982 GGO bottle and always let's me know that I can't have because its the only bottle that I don't have. I can hardly wait to relate your story to him tomorrow. i even have a couple of GGO program and was going to do the same set-up as I did with the Crosby/AT&T collection.

This is and has always been fun to talk to people who have a knowledge of these bottles and what the reason they were made and who they were given to. The Crosby/AT&T decanters have always been a hot item for people in Northern California because of the history of the events. While I was the Director for the PGA I came across the distributor of Jim Beam and he told me what the process was in making and distributing the decanters. They generally made 1300 copies and then destroyed the mold. The decanters went to the players who played in the event, sponsors and a select few people associated with the event. They were in such demand that this fellow was practically bribed to get one. Sorry to carry on such as I have but this is really fun for me. Now let me get on Amazon the buy the book. Thanks again and I hope to talk to you again regarding GGO info.

John"

What's on ebay? 1985 Nick Faldo GGO Press Photo


"Original press/wire photo of Nick Faldo at the 1985 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) golf tournament. Photo is stamped on back with date (April 5, 1985) and photographer credit (Joseph Rodriguez) and has typewritten caption.Size: Approximately 7 x 9 inches"

"A GGO Thing" Exclusive Book Excerpt-Part 4


1972 “In the Spring It’s the GGO Thing”
The 1972 Greater Greensboro Open commemorative decanter is arguably the most popular of the ten decanters commissioned by the Greensboro Alcoholic Beverage Control and approved by the Greater Greensboro Open Executive Committee. This Ezra Brooks issue contained 12 year old, 90 proof “real sippin’ whiskey” and went on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 27, 1972. It sold for $15.20. This price was $10.40 more than the same whiskey in a standard bottle. 6,000 fifths were sold that day for a total of $91,200 according to published reports. Sculptor Bernard Hasenstab designed the decanter for Heritage China that stands 11” high by 8” .

The bottle’s round face is the form of the GGO crest that is most often associated with the Green Coat Club. The Green Coat Club was started by Mack Arnold, Jr. after his role as the 1955 Greater Greensboro Open General Chairman. When the 1972 decanter was issued the club was comprised exclusively of past presidents of the Greensboro Jaycees, past general chairman of the Greater Greensboro Open and past honorary chairman of the Greater Greensboro Open.

An article simply entitled “The Green Coat Club” that appeared in the 1973 Greater Greensboro Open Program details the groups role. “They know, of course, that these coats represent years of hard work for the community through the Jaycees and are only worn by achievement, for they cannot be obtained in any other way.”

The group later expanded to include eight time GGO Champion Sam Snead and Kmart’s Joe Antonini. In 2006 Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation Chairman Bobby Long and Wyndham Championship tournament director Mark Brazil where added to the ranks of the prestigious group.

The decanter’s green surface is hand decorated in 24-Karat gold and its raised gold letters read “Greater Greensboro Open” as they circle the outer edge of the bottle. The head of a golf club serves as the bottle’s stopper. It is painted brown and has molded grooves in the clubface. This detail provides a contrasting background for the “GGO” lettering that appears in front of the clubface. These letters, like the ones below the bottle’s stopper, are also raised, but are finished in a more subdued bronze tone. The color of the letters on the bottle’s stopper and the letters on the body of the decanter compliment one another.

Within the crest is a gold ring containing the familiar golfer as he watches his shot soar towards the fairway. The golfer is facing the collector as he looks at the bottle. There are subtle molded details in the golfer’s face and clothes. Upon close inspection the golfer’s hairline, eyes and nose can plainly be seen. There is clear separation between his shirt and pants as well. It can be argued that he is actually wearing knickers. True golf fans will appreciate the player’s impeccable form as well as his acute sense of style.

There is a tree to the golfer’s left and a pin flag to his right. Both of these are common elements in this Greater Greensboro Open crest logo. While the pin flag shows limited detail, the tree has subtle details in its trunk and branches. There is a cloud effect molded into the ceramic behind the golfer.

At the bottom of the piece is a wide base. The year 1972 is displayed in 24-Karat, hand painted gold and is accented on either side by a stylized gold tee. The sides of the decanter, approximately an inch thick have a molded scalloped detail. This clever touch catches light and makes the edges of the decanter shine.

The reverse of the stopper is the back of the brown golf club resting on an area painted green to resemble grass. The back of this decanter also proudly displays the 1972 GGO theme of “In The Spring-It’s the GGO Thing”. The slogan’s letters, painted in gold, surround a white golf ball bearing the years of the first Greater Greensboro Golf Tournament in 1938 and the 1972 Greater Greensboro Open. The golf ball is outlined in gold and has a molded dimple pattern. The ball is teed up on not one, but three stylized golf tees. These tees match the ones on the front of the piece, but are longer and display the entire tee, not just its top.

At the base, the words “Greensboro, North Carolina March 27- April 2, 1972” appear in gold letters. The decanter makes no reference to the course on which the tournament will be played. Sedgefield Country Club’s name was omitted from this decanter and did not appear on the first four decanters in the series. A course name first appears on the 1976 GGO decanter.

Another detail that ties the entire piece together is a molded grass effect over the entire bottle. The decanter’s color along with this molded detail gives the bottle the look of grass. Under the base the decanter the backstamp reads, “Heritage China Ezra Brooks 1972”.

In keeping with the idea the decanters where a form of marketing for the tournament, they were accompanied by pamphlets with information about the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce and a brief history of the Greater Greensboro Open. The 1972 decanter was originally sold with a tri-fold containing articles entitled, “Greensboro Suit the Champ to a Tee”, “The Green Grass of Home”, “Young Men on the Move” and “A Tribute to Community Pride”.

It is the graceful, simple lines of this decanter that make it one of the most popular bottles ever created to market the Greater Greensboro Open. Its treasures are subtle and could easily be over looked. It uses the golf theme without going over the top, as you will see in some of the other decanters discussed in these pages.

The 1972 Greater Greensboro Open commemorative decanter is a fine example of what bottle collectors from around the country are looking for in a collectible decanter. It is only natural to compare and contrast the complete set of decanters created in the decade spanning 1972 to 1982. A great set of guide lines to use during this comparison may come from a letter to Mr. J. Weiss, of Western World Publishers, from Thomas R. O’Shea of Ezra Brooks Distilling Co. in which O’Shea outlines his company’s moral responsibility to the bottle collector. The letter dated April 13, 1972 was reprinted in Western Collector’s Handbook and Price Guide to Ezra Brooks. It reads as follows.

Dear Mr. Weiss:

I am delighted to learn that a new and updated edition of our EZRA BROOKS Handbook will be published by Western World Publications.

Your request for a statement of our policy on the issuance and distribution of Ceramic bottles is most welcome because it affords us an opportunity to re-affirm our initial policy, a statement of which appeared in the first EZRA BROOKS Handbook.

We, at EZRA BROOKS Distilling Co. are primarily engaged in the marketing of EZRA BROOKS Bourbon, our Real Sippin’ Whiskey, and the issuance of Ceramic bottles is an integral part of what has been proven to be the best marketing program to achieve that primary objective.

It necessarily follows then that a loyal customer is our most important possession. The bottle collector, in my experience, is just such a person. He is a loyal and brand conscious purchaser.

Because of the bottle collector’s support of EZRA BROOKS we are conscious of a moral responsibility which impels us to help improve the hobby of “Bottle Collecting” and to express our profound gratitude toward those people who have chosen to collect our bottles. Therefore, with the single exception that it does not impair our primary objective of marketing EZRA BROOKS Bourbon, we will never knowingly do anything in the marketing of our Ceramic bottles which is not in the best interests of the collector.

To provide a more specific statement of those factors which appear of most pertinent interest to the bottle collector, I state affirmatively the following:

1. EZRA Brooks will never under any circumstances reissue a bottle the marketing of which has been completed.
2. EZRA BROOKS will never knowingly issue a bottle the primary appeal of which relies upon the use of decorated decals.
3. EZRA BROOKS will not issue the same bottle in two or more versions differentiated only by color or decals.
4. EZRA BROOKS will limit it’s (its) production of any bottle to the number which, in our judgement, can be sold in an orderly manner.

An awareness of those policies which will best serve our customers evolved as a result of considerable communication with bottle collectors throughout the country.

We will continue to learn from our customers and will earnestly strive to be responsive to their needs and desires.

Yours very truly,
EZRA BROOKS DISTILLING CO.
Thomas R. O’Shea
President

This letter will provide valuable insight to bottle collectors as they begin to study the details of each bottle. Factor number 2 “Ezra Brooks will never knowingly issue a bottle the primary appeal of which relies upon the use of decorated decals” will be considered more than once when inspecting the entire commemorative decanter collection. Collectors of the Greater Greensboro Open commemorative decanters will quickly learn that not all bottles are created equally and that not all distilleries share the Ezra Brook philosophy.

(March 27, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters. To celebrate this anniversary "A GGO Thing" is now on sale on Amazon.com for only $9.00.)

What's on ebay? 1983 Lee Elder GGO Press Photo


"Original press/wire photo of Lee Elder from the 1983 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) golf tournament. Photo is dated on back 1983.Size: Approximately 7 x 9.25 inches Photo by Vicki Buckner"

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Comment of the Week-"A GGO Thing" Exclusive Excerpt Part 3

"I collect golf decanters and have ones from the GGO from 1972 to 1981. Is that all that were made for the tournament?"

1982 Another “Great Week”
One of the most often asked questions regarding the decanters is “how many decanters are there, ten or eleven?” The answer may not be simple. There are eleven decanters or are there ten decanters and one impostor? Ten of them were sold containing bourbon at local ABC stores. One of them was not. To answer this riddle let’s first get to know the bottle in question.

The bottle is 11” long by 2 7/8 and its base that then tapers to 2”. The bottle is in the form of the 18th green at Forest Oaks Country Club. It comes complete with a sand trap on either side of the green. Each trap has its own rake decal detail. The green displays the GGO golf club logo and a three-dimension ball stands where the logo’s ball normally rest.

The bottle’s stopper looks like a knob from a bathroom drawer and reads the year “1982”. Under the stopper is a decal that reads “Greater Greensboro Open”. The same decal is repeated on both the right and left sides of the decanter. The decanter also has three other decanters that read “The Great Week”, the same theme used on the 1981 commemorative decanter. The decal at the end of the bottle has the tournament’s date that year of “March 29-April 4”. This bottle provides no other information about the event. One interesting detail to point out about this bottle is the green felt that is glued to its base. It is the only decanter to have this finishing touch.

In 1981 there was a problem with broken seals and leaking bottles. According to 1981 Assistant General Chairman Bobby Bain, “The bottles were produced on a limited basis, and readily sold out each year. In 1981 however, the ABC Board didn’t sell out their allocation and took a financial loss. They decided to cancel the program that year.”

In the article entitled “Spirited Collector” Jim Schlosser details the demise of the decanters.

The year before, (1981) the ABC system had taken a bath on the GGO bottles for the first time. Many had arrived cracked and leaking and couldn’t be sold. The bottle failed to sell out.

With that, the ABC system said “punt, cancel and let’s not do this again,” recalls Bobby Bain, who was the assistant GGO chairman in 1981 and tournament chairman in 1982.

Troy Vincent, a 34-year veteran of the ABC system, started working for Greensboro’s ABC in 1970. He retired in 2004. He says that he stayed out for 30 months and then got bored with the situation and went back to work for the ABC as a part –time employee. He had this to say about the trouble with the 1981 Greater Greensboro Open decanter.

I think they (were) having some problem with, I don’t know, with the mold or something, the way the bottle was made and a lot of them came that was broken. The ball or top was off or something like that. I think that was the last year. I don’t know that ‘s the reason they quit but they had got a large shipment of them that was messed up. I think that had something to contribute to them stopping, I’m not sure.

A Jaycee named Dave Macron and his father created the last decanter, the one in the form of a fairway. In 1982 Macron submitted a design to the Greensboro Jaycees and agreed to pay the club $5,000 for the rights. According to 1982 GGO General Chairman Bobby Bain, “The venture was at best a breakeven for him”. The bottle was sold empty and unlike the previous ten decanters, never contained bourbon. The decanter was not well received and the GGO series ended.

Which leads the GGO commemorative bottle collector to the following question, “Should the 1982 bottle be considered as part of the complete collection of Greater Greensboro Open decanters?”

Apparently Smith Barrier did not think so. The 1982 decanter was omitted from his 50th Anniversary article entitled “In the Beginning-The Story of the GGO from Day One”. Barrier wrote, “But nobody, honestly, realized it would lead to a GGO Bottle Collection with 90-proof bourbon (1972-81)”.

It is true that this fairway shaped bottle does not meet many of the requirements that the other bottles had to match. It was not sold in ABC store in Greensboro, but instead was sold at the Allgood Construction located at 114 Winola Drive.

This bottle never contained whiskey from the Ezra Brooks, Glenmore Distilleries Company, Daviess County, or Old Hickory Distillers Company. It was also not an official tournament sponsored decanter, although the bottle's designers produced the bottle with the permission of the Greensboro Jaycees. Unlike the majority of the other decanters, it did not sell out. In fact the original price of $19.95 was cut in half to $9.95 plus tax a week before the start of the Greater Greensboro Open.

For these reasons, the decanter’s collector might not consider the 1982 fairway bottle to be truly part of the complete set. It is important to understand that this bottle was an attempt at keeping the decanter tradition alive and if for no other reason, the 1982 decanter should complete the set.

Any collector of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters at some point will be asked to name their favorite bottle. It is of course natural to compare and contrast the 10 different ABC issues and their distant cousin the 11th empty bottle sold at the Allgood Construction Company.

(March 27, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters. To celebrate this anniversary "A GGO Thing" is now on sale on Amazon.com for only $9.00.)

GGO at the Greensboro Historical Museum


1939 GGO General Chairman Charlie West's Green Coat on display at the Greensboro Historical Museum.

What's on ebay? 1963 Doug Sanders GGO Press Photo


"1963 Press Photo Doug Sanders Greensboro Open Golf Brad. CAPTION: WITH TWO PRIZES ON HIS SHOULDERS--Doug Sanders, winner of the Greater Greensboro Open Golf Tournament, gives his son, Brad, a ride on his shoulders after the presentation Sunday. Brad holds a check for $5,500 which was first money in the tourney."

Exclusive Book Excerpt from "A GGO Thing" Part 2

Even with the success of the first Greater Greensboro Golf Tournament, as it was called on the orange tickets, members of the Greensboro Junior Chamber’s Board doubted the tournament’s future. Smith Barrier reports that there was grave concern among the membership.
The nightmare of going in debt with a golf tournament still existed, and Joyner remembered such an element among the Jaycees at the time: “We had a new group of officers in the Jaycees who came in sincerely and honestly feeling that a golf tournament would absolutely ruin the Junior Chamber, and it would put the chamber in disgrace and oblivion if this golf tournament were held. They actually called a meeting of the board to vote down this golf tournament, but it didn’t happen.”

An even though the first tournament failed to make a profit, it lost $314.90, it is fortunate for millions of golf fans that the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors did continue to host the Greater Greensboro Open. The following is an excerpt from the 1938 Annual report submitted by the president of the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Perhaps the most outstanding project of our organization for the year 1938 was the First Annual Greater Greensboro Open Golf Tournament. Archie Joyner, as chairman of the Executive Committee, did a splendid job and our entire membership is to be commended for their unselfish cooperation. Almost without exception, all professional golfers of any consequence competed. Sam Snead, the greatest money winner of the year, won the tournament and the $1200.00 first prize money. The leading pros told us, and no one doubts their sincerity, that this was the finest tournament in which they had ever competed. They were very unselfish in their praise for Greensboro and the Junior Chamber of Commerce. The Executive Committee, with Charlie West as chairman, has already been appointed to handle the tournament for next year.

Minutes from a meeting held on April 7, 1938 by the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors describes the organization’s decision to continue to host the event.

Several members of the Board expressed themselves as being in favor of getting in on record that the Junior Chamber of Commerce would sponsor the Golf Tournament annually. Dr. Stanford presented the following motion to the Board: It is resolved that the By-Laws of the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce be amended by adding Article 14 to read as follows:

THAT the Greater Greensboro Open Golf Tournament be an annual and permanent event of the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce.

The motion was seconded by Mr. Joyner and was passed unanimously. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

While the story of the Ford Motor Company may be hard to prove, it does at least metaphorically capture the sprite of the young business minded individuals like Dr. Alex R Stanford and Archie Joyner that helped make Greensboro’s tournament a reality. It also embodies the spirit of the Greensboro community as it bands together each year to do its part to make the tournament in Greensboro a successful one.

This knowledge of the Greater Greensboro Open’s origin will certainly be of interest to the bottle collector and the sports fan alike. Keep these thoughts with you as you enjoy the Greater Greensboro Open commemorative decanters-the tournament’s most successful promotion to date.

(March 27, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters. To celebrate this anniversary "A GGO Thing" is now on sale on Amazon.com for only $9.00.)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

What's on ebay? 1993 KGGO Program and Final Round Ticket



"K-MART GREATER GREENSBORO OPEN PGA GOLF TOURNAMENT - Official Tournament Magazine and Program and Final Round Ticket (1993) - This vintage 172-page magazine and program measures approximately 8-inches x 12-inches and is filled with glossy photos, statistics and advertisements for the Greater Greensboro Open, played at Forest Oaks Country club April 19-25, 1993. This program has not been written in and is in excellent condition without creases or tears of any kind.
The ticket stub is for the Final Round on Sunday, April 25, 1993 and measures about 2-1/2-inches x 6-1/2-inches."

Exclusive Book Excerpt from "A GGO Thing" Part 1

To win a complete appreciation of the decanters created to promote the Greater Greensboro Open it is necessary to first gain an understanding of the tournament itself. This sporting event held since 1938 in Greensboro, North Carolina has held many special memories for the community it calls home. Like most traditions celebrated over many generations, the true origin is often lost over the decades. The Greater Greensboro Open, currently known as the Wyndham Championship, is no different. Its origin has been reduced to a paragraph of history copied and pasted across the Internet.

A large portion of this “cut and paste” history is the myth of the Ford Motor Company and how a failed economic stimulus package was turned into a successful PGA TOUR event. While details about the automobile manufacturer remain unclear, what it not unclear is the fact that his beloved tournament began as a project of the Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce and that a review of this history will undoubtedly increase the decanter collector’s understanding and appreciation of these treasured collectibles.

The Greensboro Junior Chamber of Commerce received its state charter on September 24, 1936 at a formal presentation held at the King Cotton hotel. This event took place two years before the first Greater Greensboro Golf Tournament was held. The legend is that the Junior Chamber was put together by a group of young men that wanted to bring the Ford Motor Company to Greensboro.

According to Carol Whittaker, Reference Archivist, from the Benson Ford Research Center, Ford never had a branch or plant in Greensboro. “It is possible that they could have considered a location there at some point: it would probably be very difficult to find documentation to confirm that.”

The topic of the Ford Motor Company is mentioned in an article entitled “Jaycee Founders Had Uphill Battle to Win Back in 1936”. John (Duck) Neal wrote the article and it appeared in the April 24, 1957 issue of The Jaycee Projector.

It was a bright day in many ways for the city of Greensboro back in the spring of 1936 when several young men met together to form a new Greensboro club. However, it was a dark one in other ways because many people of the city were not for the proposed new organization.

Although the exact date is uncertain, the occasion is well remembered by some few of the old-time Jaycees that participated in this original gathering.

The group composed of D.D. McDade, Dr. Dick Erwin, Francis Brooks, Dr. Alex Stanford, plus several others met to make plans and devise some method of bringing a new Ford Motor Company plant to Greensboro.

It had been rumored that Ford Motors was interested in placing a plant in the South; however, it was also rumored that many of the big business interests in Greensboro were very much against this proposal. The group met in Dr. Alex Stanford’s office to devise some means of overruling the big business interests of the city and bringing the Ford plant here.

Although they were unsuccessful in securing this new industry for Greensboro, the group formally banded together to set up an organization sincerely interested in working for the betterment of Greensboro.

John Neal’s article seems to raise more questions than answers. Who where the “big business interests” and why would they not want an automotive manufacturer to set up shop in Greensboro? While that part of the story remains a mystery it is the second part of the tale that may require a second look. The attempt to bring the automobile manufacturer to the Gate City failed. It is at this point in the story where we are usually told that these young men picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and went with plan B. It is a tale in which young men change gears from promoting economic development by bringing an automobile manufacturer to the city’s doorstep to bringing the city its first professional sports franchise.

Plan B of course is the notion that this group of young enterprising businessmen decided to hold a golf tournament instead of building a plant. It is a great story, one that has been told at many Greensboro Jaycee new member orientations for a number of decades. Unfortunately this tale may not be all together true. The following excerpt from Smith Barrier’s GGO 50th Anniversary 1938-1988 explains the newly formed club’s path to becoming part of the PGA TOUR.

Archie Joyner, an advertising director at the Greensboro Daily News, was the first GGO chairman in 1938. Dr. Alex Stanford, a dentist, was the first Jaycee president in 1936, and Ed Kuykendall Jr., an attorney, succeeded him in January 1937, Joyner being vice president.

Joyner recalls the calendar of events: “As a young, gung-ho organization, we were trying to find everything possible which would be good civic projects. The FBI had promoted a finger-printing program for school children, but it came to dismal failure all over the country. Mothers said, my child is no criminal, you’re not going to treat him like one.

“We were constantly looking for worth-while programs that would help the city, advertise Greensboro, put Greensboro on the map. We sponsored a state semipro baseball tournament, made several thousand a year on that. We began paper drives.”

In the spring-summer of 1937 the project of a PGA Tour golf tournament came alive.

While the Ford Motor Company tale is a good story, it is plain to see that the Greater Greensboro Golf Tournament was in fact not plan B. It was not even plan C or plan D. The truth is the first project the Greensboro Jaycees attempted was on a much smaller scale. According to a report in the Daily News, entitled “Junior Chamber Gets State Charter; Graham is Speaker”, the Junior Chamber’s first project was the “personal distribution, by members, of some 10,000 pamphlets on safe highway driving. ”

Less than a month later, the newly formed Junior Chamber was raising money for the local milk fund by selling tickets to the Greensboro Fair. This second Jaycee project is detailed in an article the appeared in the Friday, October 2, 1936 Daily News entitled “Junior Chamber is Made Fair Sponsor”. The following excerpt details the purpose of the fundraiser and the club’s role.

M.S Younts, resident manager of the Greensboro fair, announced yesterday that the Greensboro Junior chamber of commerce, which was recently chartered, has been selected sponsor of the fair to be held here the week of October 19.

As sponsor of the event, he said, the Junior chamber will have full charge of the advance sale of tickets. For this work the organization will receive 10 per cent of the advance sale proceeds. This amount, officials of the Junior chamber said, will be used for charitable purposes.

Dr. Alex R. Stanford, president of the Junior chamber, said all funds derived from the sale of tickets for the fair will be given to the Daily News milk fund. This decision was arrived at yesterday afternoon at a meeting of the organization’s board of directors.

Dr. C.C. Hudson, city health officer, will speak at a meeting of the Junior chamber tonight at 7:30 at the King cotton hotel. His talk will deal with the serious need for milk in the homes of unfortunate children whose parents are not in position to supply them with milk. Dr. Hudson said Thursday more milk is needed in many homes and that the lack of this nourishment is one reason for the increase in the number of deaths of babies this year. He said the nourishment derived from milk was missing in several babies who died recently.

It is obvious the Greensboro Jaycee’s seven decades of charitable giving began right from the start. With the Greensboro Jaycee’s commitment to serving the community and the tournament’s 70 years of success, it is surprising that the local community and even members of the Greensboro Jaycees had doubts about the continued success of the event. In an April 24, 1957 issue of The Jaycee Projector John Neal wrote the following.

At first (and in fact it was once vetoed by the board of directors of the Jaycees), many people of the city, including Jaycees, said that it was humanly impossible to put on a tournament of this nature. It was far too big a job to be accomplished by a young and yet unproven organization.

The fact that the Greensboro Junior Chamber’s Board of Directors voted against the idea of a golf tournament is true. Smith Barrier reports:

Kuykendall, Jaycee president, told this story several years before his death: “We knew we had to raise $5,000, so we first went to see Mr. Benjamin at Starmount. He told us if we would play part of the tournament at Starmount, he’d contribute. If we raised the first $4,000, he’d give the last thousand. I called a meeting of the Jaycee board, and they voted it down 4-3.

“When everybody left, Archie, Laurence and I stayed around. It was suggested we call the Jaycee members and see how many of them would underwrite $25.00. We got on the phone and raised $750.00 or $800.00. I don’t think any of us had 25 bucks but we pledged it anyway. I convened the board again the next day, and it was voted to hold the golf tournament.”

(March 27, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Greater Greensboro Open decanters. To celebrate this anniversary "A GGO Thing" is now on sale on Amazon.com for only $9.00.)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

1972 GGO Decanter 40th Anniversary (March 27, 1972)


The 1972 Greater Greensboro Open commemorative decanter is arguably the most popular of the ten decanters commissioned by the Greensboro Alcoholic Beverage Control and approved by the Greater Greensboro Open Executive Committee. This Ezra Brooks issue contained 12 year old, 90 proof “real sippin’ whiskey” and went on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 27, 1972. It sold for $15.20. This price was $10.40 more than the same whiskey in a standard bottle. 6,000 fifths were sold that day for a total of $91,200 according to published reports. Sculptor Bernard Hasenstab designed the decanter for Heritage China that stands 11” high by 8".

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

What's on ebay? 1984 GGO Mug (Media Gift)



"A wonderful VINTAGE coffee mug with the GGO Greater Greensboro Open 1984 Golf logo. The mug measures 3 3/4" tall. The mug is in very good used condition - with only a couple of minor wear spots to the gold rim near the handle. It has no chips or cracks. Place a bid on this wonderful GOLF Mug!"

Monday, January 23, 2012

Wyndham Championship Tee Markers




What's on ebay? Waterford crystal oval egg box


"Waterford crystal oval egg box (GGO golf tournament etched)
Here's a nice Waterford crystal oval egg box won at the Greater Greensboro Golf Tournament here in NC, it's etched GGO with some grass and golf tees, also has Kmart etching in smaller script. Measures 5.75in tall and is about 3in wide. No damage at all to note, comes with the original box."

1968 Miss GGO Ann Jackson

1968 GGO Program Cover

1962 GGO Program Ads

1960 GGO Program Cover

1959 GGO Program Cover

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

What's on ebay? 1980 GGO Decanter


"1980 Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) Commerative Whiskey Bottle. In the original styrafoam box. I will empty it before shipping as required by law..probably tastes pretty nasty anyway. Great shape. Only one is pictured but you are buying two. (Both identical)

Monday, January 16, 2012

What's on ebay? Arthur Sarnoff Litho Print Signed Greater Greensboro Open Golf 23 x 17 Framed


"This is a framed print signed Arthur Sarnoff. This wonderfully illustrated print measures 22 3/4" x 17" (outside frame). Framed under, what I believe to be plexiglass, with brown paper backing with a wire hanger.
Research shows this known illustration is of an original oil painting. "Greater Greensboro Open" Golf Tournament, showing tremendous detail of the 18th hole, with spectators looking on, surrounded by the famous and beautiful Sedgefield Inn. Some research shows the golfer putting on the green could possibly be Gary Player? Famous for all-black attire, and if so, this would most likely be the "Greater Greensboro Open" of 1970.
This piece is in great condition with the only issues to be noted is some tearing of the brown paper backing, and few scratches of the wood frame. Some slight yellowing of the outter edge of the matting. No fading of the print, all colors remain vibrant! This is an estate piece that has been stored in a dry dark room for many years."

Saturday, January 14, 2012

2004 CCG Gala

What's on ebay? 1978 GGO Promotional Item


1978 Greater Greensboro Open promotional sheet and course map...single sheet, two sides pictured on scan...corners and edges show some wear and there is a bit of light staining...measures approximately 8x12"

Thursday, January 12, 2012

What's on ebay? 1972 GGO Decanter



"Beautiful condition Greater Greensboro Open Golf Tournament held in North Carolina in 1972 decanter issued by Ezra Brooks. The Jaycee's of Greensboro sponsor this golf classic and contribute profits to community activities. The great names in golf gather to play here for prizes. Made by Heritage China. 11 inches tall. Empty. Comes with pictorial informational postcard."

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

What's on ebay? 1981 GGO Decanter


"Excellent condition golf ball on gold tee decanter for the Greater Greensboro Open Golf Tournament of 1981 issued by Daviess County held at the Forest Oaks Country Club. Sponsored by the Greensboro Jay Cee organization - profit goes to the community. Brings leading golfers to play for prizes. 10 inches tall. Empty. No chips, no cracks."

Saturday, January 07, 2012

What's on ebay? AME Golf Putter Headcover Wyndham Championship


"AME Golf Putter Headcover Wyndham Championship Royal/White Suede NEW
This AME putter cover has the wyndham championship logo stitched to the top of it and a sedgefield country club crest stitched on the right side of the cover, it has a velcro closure to secure the cover to the club and has an inner fur lining to protect the putter from wear. The outside of the cover has an ultra suede finish. This putter cover is made by am&e the legendary manufacturer of the famous scotty cameron putter covers and other high quality golf products for over 30 years."

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Richard Childress with the ggoblogger


Richard Childress with the ggoblogger at the 2011 Wyndham Championship.

Anna Rawson with the ggoblogger


The ggoblogger has been at this blog for seven years now and Anna Rawson still gets the most hits. Here she is with the ggoblogger at the 2011 Wyndham Championship.