Monday, February 27, 2012

Rich Brenner at the 2010 Wyndham Championship


Rich Brenner takes a moment to speak to Mike Barber at the 2010 Wyndham Championship Pro-Am. We are going to miss you Rich.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

What's on ebay? Three 1973 GGO Decanters


"These are 3 identical Ezra Brooks Greater Greensboro Open decanters, all dating to 1973, the second year they were issued. The decanters are in excellent shape and are empty. The 3 decanters are being sold together."

What's on ebay? Nine GGO Buttons




"Greater Greensboro Open Lot of 9 Vintage Button Pins You will receive:

1966 GGO Participating Sponsor - Allied Chambers
1970 Sedgefield Country Club Member GGO
1971 Sedgefield Country Club Member GGO
1972 Sponsor Greater Greensboro Open
1973 Sedgefield Country Club Member (blue)
1973 Sedgefield Country Club Member (white)
1974 Sedgefield Country Club Member (x2)
1974 $220,000 GG Sponsor"

(The ggoblogger has never seen the 1966 GGO Participating Sponsor - Allied Chambers button.)

The Allan Handelman Show





The ggoblogger stopped by “The Allan Handelman Show” on Thursday, Februray 23, 2012.
The show was being broadcast live from the Bed Gallery.

Special guest for the show was J. C. Knowles is an antique expert and historian. Knowles is a popular guest on the show several times a year. During the show people were able to bring their antiques and collectibles and have them appraised on the air.

Knowles had a radio show on WPTF and WBZB. He retired in 1995 after 45 years as an auctioneer. He recently received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor - The Order of the Long Leaf Pine from Governor Beverly Perdue.

The ggoblogger shared a couple of GGO decanters with Mr. Knowles and Allan Handelman. He also got to hang out with Brad and Britt for a while.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

What's on ebay? 1975 featuring Tom Weiskopf PGA Greensboro Open Bogey Press Photo


"You are bidding on an original wire photo from 1975 featuring Tom Weiskopf Greensboro Open PGA Winner Press Photo . Photo is 8.5" x 9.5" in size.

This photo originates from the archives of the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News, Detroit News, and Sport Magazine. Most photos have never been seen by the public. These photos are not reproductions or reprints.

These photos emanate from a working news archive thus concede routine physical imperfections that can include production flaws, handplaced editorial notes, and paste residue. These details can be seen in the auction photo which shows front and back. Also creasing, border chips and minor paper loss can occur."

What's on ebay? 1975 featuring Tom Weiskopf PGA Greensboro Open Bogey Press Photo


"You are bidding on an original wire photo from 1975 featuring Tom Weiskopf PGA Greensboro Open Bogey Press Photo . Photo is 8.5" x 9.5" in size.

This photo originates from the archives of the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News, Detroit News, and Sport Magazine. Most photos have never been seen by the public. These photos are not reproductions or reprints.

These photos emanate from a working news archive thus concede routine physical imperfections that can include production flaws, handplaced editorial notes, and paste residue. These details can be seen in the auction photo which shows front and back. Also creasing, border chips and minor paper loss can occur."

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


"This is an original press photo. 1963 Press Photo Doug Sanders Greater Greensboro Open. CAPTION: Doug Sanders takes on a little ice water in the club house after turning in a 6-under-par 65 in today's 2nd round of the Greater Greensboro Open. Sanders' hot round placed him in the lead with a 133 for the 1st 36 holes. - OTHER INFO: . Photo is dated 4/12/1963, and measures 8 x 10 inches."

What's on ebay? Sedgefield Inn Greensboro-High Point NC North Carolina


Sedgefield Inn Greensboro-High Point NC North Carolina"

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

What's on ebay? Sedgefield Inn Greensboro NC vintage Postcard


"Sedgefield Inn Greensboro NC vintage Postcard"

What's on ebay? 1973 King Cotton Hotel Demoltion Press Photo


8 x 10 press photo of Greensboro, North Carolina King Cotton Hotel Demolition. Dated 1973.

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.

What's on ebay? 1973 King Cotton Hotel Demoltion Press Photo


"8 x 10 press photo of Greensboro, North Carolina King Cotton Hotel Demolition. Dated 1973."

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.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What's on ebay? GGO Waterford Crystal Oval Egg



"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."

Sunday, February 19, 2012

What's on ebay? 1974 GGO Jim Weichers Press Photo


"This photo originates from the archives of the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News, Detroit News, and Sport Magazine."

Saturday, February 18, 2012

What's on ebay? 1972 GGO Decanter

What's on ebay? 1973 GGO Tankards


"Vintage Pair of 1973 GGO - Greater Greensboro Open - Champions Tankard Set (2)
You are bidding on (two) nice (pieces) of golf memorabilia. These are (two) steins from the 1973 Greater Greensboro Open. They are 6" tall and are in Mint condition. There are no chips, cracks, or crazing. Green lettering on the stein reads "1973 Greater Greensboro Open GGO" (with the O in the shape of a golf ball on a tee) . Guests included Bob Stout, Archie Cambell of Hee Haw with Mr. and Mrs. Mike Haley. The Tuesday night event was held at the Sedgefield Manor House and also included Forrest Tucker of the show F-Troop."Celebrity-Champion's Banquet March 28, 1973". The bottom of each stein is impressed with "USA".

Friday, February 17, 2012

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Wicked Stick


The ggoblogger played John Daly's Wicked Stick this weekend.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Padraig Harrington


Padraig Harrington signs autographs at the 2011 Wyndham Championship.

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Monday, February 06, 2012

What's on ebay? 1977 GGO Decanter


"This auction is for a nice vintage Ezra Brooks 1977 Greater Greensboro Open decanter. The decanter is in nice shape with no chips or cracks but the "chrome" golf club does show some finish loss. Great display piece. Check my other auctions for other decanters."

Friday, February 03, 2012

"A GGO Thing" Exclusive Book Excerpt Part 8


The 1979 Greater Greensboro Open decanter transcends all other decanters in the series due to the fact that it is as much a work of art as it is a vessel containing bourbon. It has the lines of a Lladro figurine costing hundreds of dollars more than this bottle that sold for $20.85 in Greensboro’s ABC stores. The decanter is easily the most detailed bottle of all 11 decanters in the series. This attention to detail can be seen in the subtle hand extending to feel for rain. It reminds the collector of the exquisite appendages of the porcelain Lladro figures produced in Spain. (Lladro has produced several figurines in the shape of golfers. These pieces sell for hundreds of dollars more than the 1979 decanter and are collected around the world.)

The delicate lines of this bottle are not the only details that remind us of collectible items. The caddie’s facial features can easily be compared to M. I. Hummel figures produced for Goebel. The 1979 GGO decanter’s facial features were reported to be completed by Japanese artist. This level of detail was needed to give each 1979 GGO decanter its unique angelic look.

(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, February 02, 2012

"A GGO Thing" Exclusive Book Excerpt Part 7


The 1977 Greater Greensboro Open decanter takes the form of the head of a golf club striking a golf ball that proudly proclaims the 40th anniversary of the GGO and also points out the tournament will be held at Forest Oaks Country Club. The club head striking the golf ball that makes up the base of the bottle contains an illustration of Forest Oaks Country Club. This bottle is the only decanter to feature the clubhouse of the course at which the event was hosted. The 1974 North Carolina shaped bottle displays an unidentified course map, but fails to name Sedgefield as the location of the GGO. The 1977 issue shows an illustration of the Forest Oaks’ clubhouse and its putting green. What is truly ironic about the drawing of Forest Oaks on this decanter is how rich and green the fairways are pictured. The truth is that the fairways at the 1977 Greater Greensboro Open where anything but green. Smith Barrier had the following to say about the course conditions of the 1977 tournament.

But the 1977 tournament followed a terrible winter when the grass didn’t grow, and Peoples (1977 GGO General Chairman) was faced with a brown golf course. He said they wanted to color the course with green spray paint, as the Heritage had done the week before, but the TPD asked them not to. The paint had made the Heritage grass brittle on the greens, it also stuck on the players’ shoes and slacks. So Forest Oaks and the GGO went on NBC-TV coast to coast with a brown golf course.

Peoples confirmed this story during a 2008 conversation. He said that painting the grass had been done at the Heritage but that it had caused problems. He was contacted by players and asked not to duplicate the effort at the Greater Greensboro Open. Peoples was told by players that they could not putt well with the paint on the greens and that it got all over their shoes.

(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? 1976 GGO Decanter


Vintage Collectible Old Mr Boston 1976 Greater Greensboro Open Golf Decanter

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

What's on ebay? 1958 Bob Goalby GGO Press Photo


"This is an original press photo. 1958 Press Photo Bob Goalby Greensboro open golf Win. CAPTION: Bob Goalby of Darien, Conn., Kissed by pretty Pat Conron and Carolyn Cavan after winning the $15000 Greater Greensboro open golf tournament here today.Goalby was one stroke ahead of Sam Snead with a four round total of 275. - OTHER INFO: Robert George "Bob" Goalby (born March 14, 1929) is a former American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, who won the 1968 Masters Tournament, his lone major championship among 11 Tour wins achieved between 1958 and 1971.. Photo is dated 4/21/1958, and measures 10 x 8 inches."