Phil McCarn at the 2008 Wyndham Championship

The ggoblogger got to say hello to an old friend of the tournament held in Greensboro. Phil McCarn was the Director of Sales and Marketing at the turn of the century. He dropped by for a couple of days to see some old friends and check out the new venue. (It wasn't really new to him because, like Mike Barber, he helped out with those other three tournaments the Greensboro Jaycees ran at Sedgefield in the 1990's.)

Contestant Services-Mike Barber

This year's Contestant Services Tournament Committee Member Mike Barber is no stranger to running a tournament at Sedgefield Country Club. In fact he was the general chairman the last time a professional tournament was held on this course.

As you can see in this photo he is putting that experience to good use. (Driving, talking on the phone and getting ready to take a photo of the ggoblogger.)

Petty and Palmer at the Wyndham Championship

Arnold Palmer and Richard Petty are both celebrating 50th anniversaries in 2008. Palmer won his first green jacket at The Masters in 1958, the same year Petty began racing in NASCAR.

Palmer and Petty joined defending Wyndham champion Brandt Snedeker, first at a press conference held for the media only, then at the opening ceremony held at the 1st tee. Snedeker hit the ceremonial first tee shot officially bringing the Wyndham Championship home to Sedgefield Country Club.

What's on eBay? 1998 GGCC Pin

Greater Greensboro Chrysler Golf 60th Anniversary Pin
Item number: 120299111750

"This auction is for a Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic 60th Anniversary pin 1938-1998. This golf tournament held in our area has had other names over the years, including the GGO (Greater Greensboro Open).This classy looking pin has silver color on the bottom (with 60th anniversary) with a gold colored disc in the middle that houses the Chrysler emblem. The blue clored "ribbon" on top says "Greater Greensboro". There is some light patina if you look at it under a magnifying glass. We do combine shipping, so please look at our other assorted pins. This is a smoke free home. We accept Paypal, cashier's checks and money orders. Feel free to email us your questions. (The quarter in the photo is for perspective only.) Thanks for stopping by and good luck!"

Conrad,Forbis and a Guy with a Set of Bagpipes

ggoblogger Loves Minutia 2008 Wyndham Championship Shoe Count

According to the Footjoy blog, "More players wore FootJoy shoes than any other shoe brand at the 2008 Wyndham Championship".

This fun fact came from the following blog. To see their chart go to:
http://www.footjoyblog.com/2008/08/14/shoe-count-2008-wyndham-championship/

What's on eBay? 1980 GGO Decanter

1980 GGO Greater Greensboro Open Golf cart decanter
Item number: 150288287126

John Hammer Thinks the GGO Has Been Reincarnated

"You could feel the excitement all week at Sedgefield, which is remarkable because it was less than six months ago that the deal was finally made to hold the event there. That is not a lot of time to get ready for a PGA tournament, but there is one thing you can say about Greensboro – we know how to run a golf tournament?

What other city has 30 or 40 civic leaders who have run a PGA tournament. The Jaycees had a new GGO chairman every year, and most of them are still in town. Not to mention all of the folks who have had leadership roles in running the tournament over the years, and all the volunteers who have been working at tournaments year after year."

This excerpt came from the floowing link. Toread the entire article go to:
Good Ol' GGO Has Been Reincarnated
http://greensboro.rhinotimes.com/Articles-i-2008-08-21-183586.112113_Good_Ol_GGO_Has_Been_Reincarnated.html

"A GGO Thing" Now Available on Ceramics Books and Magazines Online Shop

The ggoblogger thinks of the Greater Greensboro Open Blog as the ultimate insider look at the tournament held in Greensboro, North Carolina. It's an honor to have A GGO Thing featured on the Ceramics Books and Magazines website. It appears to be a real insider's look at the world of ceramics.

The site describes itself as an "International Publications about Ceramic Research, Industry, Products, and Art. Welcome to Ceramics Books and Magazines Online Shop. We present a great selection of ceramics books and magazines about Ceramic Industry, Business, Products, Arts and Crafts. Buy your ceramics books online and save time and money!"

To find out more about this site go to:
http://www.ceramicsbookshop.com/index.php?k=A+GGO+Thing&c=1

Clicks of Chicks

Here we see the ggoblogger's best new media pal Beth. She was one of the hard working volunteers that helped Rob Goodman run such a tight ship in the Irwin Smallwood,Jr. Media Center this year. Beth is about to take the Sam Snead Cup out onto the 18th green for the presentation.

What's on eBay? 1972 GGO Decanter

"1972 GGO Greater Greensboro Open GOLF decanter sedgefield
Item number: 150288285777

1972 greater greensboro open golf decanter..ezra brooks bottle..heavy gold on green. One side says in the sprint its the ggo thing 1938-1972..other saide greater greensboro open 1972.....im thinking this was the first year these bottles were made, but not positive...no chips or cracks..cork is broken in half..part in bottle part, part in top part but sits on there ok..(pic is of backside..part of the brown label seal still on it (thats what looks brown).....see my other items, including another ggo bottle and combine shipping if fit in same box "

Pressley and Horton

The ggoblogger ran into Jay Horton at the fantasy football draft last night. (Stop laughing. The ggoblogger is trying to expand his sport knowledge beyond the world of golf.) Jay wanted to know why I had not posted the photo I had taken of him and Clayton Pressley at Wyndham's Wednesday Pro-Am. So, here it is. Horton and Pressley were chairman for this year's Pro-Am.

Scenes from the Jaycee Old Timer's Tent

1977 GGO General Chairman Wade Peoples with 1972 GGO General Chairman John Forbis.
The ggoblogger was told several times that this Conrad makes the best blood marys.

She is the one he's always bragging about.
The Bell Family

Props from Gate City Blog

"It has been far too long since we gave props to the GGO Blogger. The site is great. Reading it reminds us, through the prism of the GGO, of how Greensboro used to be in our youth. Now the GGO Blogger has written a book on the decorative decanters sold at past GGO's

We want one, and think you should get one, too. The book is on our Christmas wish list, take notice people. Our favorite decanter is the one with the caddie holding his hand out in the rain. Unfortunately we got in trouble for breaking the seal and drinking the contents, resulting in our first hangover. Check out GGO Blogger's site if you aren't a regular reader of his blog. You won't regret it. "

Thanks for the plug. This excerpt came from the following link:

http://gatecity.blogspot.com/2008/08/buy-book.html

What's on eBay? 1973 GGO Decanter

"1973 GGO GOLF DECANTER Greater Greensboro Open
Item number: 170253538484"

Letter to the Editor

"Hardin and Schlosser slandering Forest Oaks

Regarding the ongoing comparisons your reporters make between Forest Oaks and Sedgefield:Why is it necessary to continue your negative rhetoric about Forest Oaks? Sedgefield now has the PGA Tournament. Understandably, politics drove the move back to Sedgefield (just as politics drove it out of Sedgefield when that community became disgruntled with it).

What is this continued negative narrative regarding Forest Oaks? It is irresponsible reporting by Ed Hardin and Jim Schlosser. The slanderous harassment in the spring of this year left a bad taste in the mouths of volunteers who spent long hot, cold, wet or sunburned hours for the event that offered our city and county some of the best national coverage ever — and they did it year after year!

Forest Oaks Country Club hosted the tournament for almost 30 years, some good, some not so good.Our family has personally enjoyed 20 years of living in the chaos during this exciting sports event. If you have a personal vendetta then have at it, but leave the Forest Oaks homeowners out of it. If you want to prove yourselves as responsible reporters, then it is time to own up and offer a public apology."

Carol Dail
Greensboro

This letter to the editor came from the following link. To read more comments go to :
http://blog.news-record.com/opinion/letters/archives/2008/08/hardin_and_schlosser_slanderin.shtml

A GGO Thing

With the Wyndham Championship's return to Sedgefield many golf fans are pulling their old Sedgefield memorabilia out of storage and dusting it off. These cherished collectibles will undoubtedly include a GGO decanter or two.

A GGO Thing:A Brief History of the Greater Greensboro Open Commemorative Decanters is the new book written to answer some of the questions that may be asked by those that do not remember a time when the tournament was held at Sedgefield. This volume begins with a brief history of how the Greater Greensboro Open began and then moves to a discussion of each of the eleven bottles produced to market the GGO.

Randy Harris,the ggoblogger, presents a brief history of the commemorative decanters produced to promote the Greater Greensboro Open from 1972 until 1982. This account details the way in which the bottles were used to market the golf tournament during the 1970's and beyond. It includes dozens of photos and interviews that bring these collectible decanters to life. A GGO Thing also details the move from Sedgefield to Forest Oaks and back again as seen through the stories told by each decanter.

A GGO Thing takes its name from the back of the very first decanter produced in 1972 that reads "In the Spring, It's the GGO Thing".

When asked why the GGO decanters remain so popular, the book's author Randy Harris had this to say. "The decanters have become a part of our shared past. They are more than souvenirs, they are a limited edition piece of our community's history."

A GGO Thing is currently available on Amazon.com.

For more information about A GGO Thing, please visit Amazon.com or contact Randy Harris at (336) 545-8825. randyharris@triad.rr.com

Brandt Snedeker at the Putting Green

Defending champion Brandt Snedeker takes a moment to relax at the putting green.

Zach Johnson at the Wyndham Wed Pro-Am

Zachary Harris Johnson (no relation to the ggoblogger) is seen here at the first tee at the very wet Wednesday Pro-Am at this year's Wyndham Championship. Johnson has three PGA TOUR victories, 2004 BellSouth Classic, the 2004 AT&T Classic and the other tournament were guys wear green jackets, the 2007 Masters.

Old Timer Harold Maog to Speak at Gate City Lions Meeting

The Gate City Lions will hold a meeting at 6:30pm on Monday night at Captain Bills. Nann Griswald was supposed to speak about Harvest Food Bank but she broke her leg. Harold Maog, an old timer Jaycee, who use to be the outreach director for 7 counties, will now be speaking on her behalf.

The new attraction coupon books will also be showcased. Plus Greg Cabiness, former member of the Greensboro Jaycees, is planning on coming to the meeting. It should be a very good meeting. For more information about becoming a member of the Gate City Lions club call Larry Carol at 706-3150.

I Knew This Would Happen

As you know the ggoblogger recently wrote a book entitled A GGO Thing in which I describe the collectible decanters produced to market the Greater Greensboro Open between the years of 1972-1982. The book has been out for about two weeks now and I have started to have folks contact me, not about receiving a copy of the book, but wanting me to buy their decanters. Let me say for the record, unless you are selling gold-sprayed replicas, the ggoblogger is not buying. Having said that, I will try to help people contact sellers from time to time. The following is an ad created by one of this blog's readers and the ggoblogger is not connected to this individual in any way.

"For those of you who collect "old valuables" then you will want to purchase the following series of GGO bottles which are for sale. The following are available for sale for $20.00 each for a total of $220.00. These will be sold as a series and not individually.

1972 GGO Opening in Greensboro, N./C.
1973 GGO Player Hitting Ball
1974 State N. C. Map
1975 Autograph
1976 Golf Bag
1977 Golf Bag/Club
1978 Golf Shoe
1979 Caddy with Golf Bag
1980 Golf Cart
1981 Golf Ball with Tee
1982 Putting Green

These are available for IMMEDIATE sale. Please contact Ann McGinnis at (336) 601-8077 if interested. This is my cell phone. If there is no answer simply leave a message and I will return the call as soon as possible. These bottles are in Greensboro at my home.

Ann McGinnis"

David Toms at the Wyndham Championship Wednesday Pro-Am

What's on Craigslist-GGO Lithograph

Sedgefield GGO Lithograph

"Professional golf returns to Sedgefield Country Club with the Wyndham Championship, August 11 - 17. To commemorate professional golf's return to Sedgefield, I am offering a framed lithograph of an original painting by Arthur Sarnoff commissioned for the Greater Greensboro Open when it was held at Sedgefield Country Club. The lithograph shows a golfer in black, Gary Player perhaps (?), putting at the 18th hole surrounded by the attentive gallery, next to the picturesque Tudor clubhouse. A nice addition for your den or man-room. "
http://greensboro.craigslist.org/clt/

Thanks for the Plug? Yes Weekly

"I don’t know what a decanter is, and even if I did, I still wouldn’t care about the ones produced between 1972 and 1982 to promote the Greater Greensboro Open, which is now the Wyndham Championship.

But Randy Harris does. In fact, he wrote a book about them, A GGO Thing: A Brief History of the Greater Greensboro Open Commemorative Decanters. Get it while it’s hot on www.amazon.com. "

The ggoblogger is working hard to promote the new book. I guess Yes Weekly "found" the press release I sent them and printed it on-line in a post called "F o u n d OBJECTS BY A M Y K I N G S L E Y ". To "find" more go to:
http://npaper-wehaa.com/yes-weekly;see-y0Dxk6LcbdiPlBlX#c-58460

What's on eBay? GGO Zippo Lighter

GREATER GREENSBORO OPEN Golf Zippo
Item number: 380054151256

"Here is a really nice, vintage new in it's original box double advertising Zippo lighter. It advertises both the Greater Greensboro Open golf tournament as well as MERIT Cigarettes. Has never been fueled nor lit but hte tip of the wick is a bit dark I suppose from it being struck a couple times but has no smell of ever haveing fluid in it."

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-NIB-GREATER-GREENSBORO-OPEN-Golf-Zippo_W0QQitemZ380054151256QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item380054151256&_trkparms=72%3A635%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Comments from Ed Cone's Blog

"I'm glad it went well, and I'm glad it's over so I don't have to read Hardin and Schlosser waxing rhapsodic about it anymore. I mean, good Lord, I get that the damn tournament's been going on a long time and Sam Snead used to play and win it a lot and they gots some nice houses out at Sedgefield.

Did anybody condider puting down the pom poms and writing an analysis around the facts that the field was not exactly the cream of the crop and they ate the golf course up anyway? Is anybody actually writing a newspaper around here?

If the Chamber of Commerce boys--Hardin's "men who made it all happen" and saved "our golf tournament"--are thinking about buying the N&R, they should just keep their money. It's already the house rag."

To read all the comments go to:
http://edcone.typepad.com/wordup/2008/08/ggo.html#comment-126852496

Green Coat Club with Carl Pettersson

(click to enlarge photo)

Clicks of Chicks (Conrad Women)

Cool PGA TOUR Video

http://www.pgatour.com/video/?/video/pga-tour/highlights/rocksolid/2008/08/17/onsite_high_08wyndham_rnd4_pettersson_xm.pgatour

Greensboro Sports Plugs "A GGO Thing"

The ggoblogger would like to thank Andy over at Greensboro Sports for the book plug in the "Local Stories" section. To find out more about his website go to: http://www.greensborosports.com/

Sell Out at Wyndham

"The turnout Saturday gave the tournament the feel of a big-league event, after a decade of declining attendance at Forest Oaks Country Club. The tournament left Sedgefield for Forest Oaks in 1977 and stayed through last year.

"We’ve been doing this for four years,’’ (handing out pairing guides) said former Greensboro Jaycees President Randy Harris, standing at the tournament entrance to greet arriving spectators. "We have never seen crowds like this. At one time, it was shoulder to shoulder. We have even worked up a sweat for the first time."

This excerpt came from the following link. To read the enite article go to:
http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/08/16/article/wyndhams_sold_out_at_sedgefield

Scenes from the Sam Snead Presentation

Congratulations to Mark Brazil and the Wyndham Champoinship Staff

Congratulations to Mark Brazil and the entire Wyndham Championship staff on a great tournament and a record weekend sell out. Great job. We can't wait until next year.

2008 Wyndham Championship Champion Carl Pettersson

Jim Schlosser Reports on "A GGO Thing"

"The tournament-sponsoring Greensboro Jaycees and the local ABC board from 1972-81 unveiled the official GGO decanter for that year. It was filled with Ezra Brooks or Old Mr. Boston bourbon and each year had a different design.

The one in 1977, for example, had a left-handed golf club (the '77 tournament chairman Wade People was a lefty) against a golf ball.

Lines extended around the blocks at ABC stores the day decanters went on sale and the collector's items often were gone in hours. A GGO decanter hasn't been made in 27 years, but people still talk about them -- and collect them.

"The bottles captured the imagination of the Greensboro community, and there was no way to escape its affection for them,'' writes 2002 Jaycee President Randy Harris, who has just published "A GGO Thing" about the decanters.

Available for $18 on Amazon.com, www.randyharris@triad.rr.com or his blog, www.ggoblogger.blogspot , the book provides a history of the decanters.

It also weaves in a history of the tournament and the Jaycees, who started the event in 1938. The last chapter is devoted to other tournament collectibles, such as dishes, goblets and apparel.
Harris' favorite decanters are the first, from 1972, and the one from '79. The '72 model is a round model of a golfer, flag and tree with the words Greater Greensboro wrapped around it. That decanter was based on a design from where the decanter idea originated, the old Bing Crosby PGA Tour event in California. The '79 model shows an umbrella-holding caddy with his other hand extended and checking for rain. It rained often back when the tournament was played in early spring.

Oddly, Harris says, no early decanter mentioned the tournament site, Sedgefield, until the last event played there before this year, in 1976. The next year's bottle, Harris says, "was a proclamation of the move to Forest Oaks," as the new venue's clubhouse and name appeared.
The liquor-decanter era ended in 1981 when leaking decanters prompted the ABC Board, which received all profits after the Jaycees approved the design, to put a halt to them. A group of Jaycees tried to market one the next year, without liquor and with limited availability. The idea flopped.

Some bottle collectors don't count the '82 model. Harris does, declaring, "I think you have to give that bottle some credit. It tried to keep the tradition alive."

Now that the tournament has returned after 31 years to where the decanters began, Harris doesn't expect a resurrection. He says a fancy bottle of booze as a tournament symbol "might not be the most PC (politically correct) thing to do these days."

This excerpt was taken from the from the following link. To read the entire article go to:
http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/08/17/article/abc_stores_saw_first_sign_of_tourney

ABC stores saw first sign of tourney
By Jim Schlosser

Wyndham Championship Donates $100,000

The Wyndham Championship has made its second annual contribution to Randleman, North Carolina-based Victory Junction Gang Camp. Wyndham Worldwide, the tournament’s title sponsor, presented a check for $100,000 to camp executives at the Opening Ceremony as a part the company’s multi-year sponsorship of the Wyndham Championship.

The official charity of the Wyndham Championship, Victory Junction Gang Camp enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment.

“We are extremely excited and honored to again make a significant donation to the Victory Junction Gang Camp and continue our tradition of supporting local charities in the Piedmont Triad,” said Mark Brazil, Wyndham Championship tournament director. “There is a long history of support for the Camp that makes an extraordinary impact for our community but also for the thousands of families who they serve each year.”

Victory Junction Gang provides life-changing camp experiences to children with health issues, such as cancer, arthritis, hemophilia, diabetes and physical disabilities. Campers can enjoy fun and exciting activities like fishing, swimming, Wyndham Championship mini golf, arts & crafts and more, all within a medically-sound environment. The Camp was opened in 2004 by Pattie and Kyle Petty in honor of their late son Adam.

“It is such a privilege to receive another donation from the Wyndham Championship because it not only helps us expand our programs but it also highlights our services to a national audience,” said Pattie Petty, chairman and co-founder of the Victory Junction Gang. “The support from the tournament, our local community as well as from Wyndham Worldwide ensures we continue serving as many children as possible in addition to acquiring new supporters and volunteers who are essential to our operations.”

Wyndham Championship Calls Third Round "Sell Out"

The Wyndham Championship’s third round is a complete sell out. Tickets remain for the final round of the 69th annual tournament being played at Sedgefield Country Club. Tournament organizers had a total of 25,000 tickets available-these include all hospitality passes, weekly badges and general-admission tickets.

“This is a big day for the Wyndham Championship,” tournament director Mark Brazil said. “We reached a milestone today that we thought might take a couple of years to realize. We have seen many positives from our move to Sedgefield. The players love the course, and the fans have clearly responded positively. Now, we have to take this momentum and build on it.”

Congratulations 2009 Wyndham Championship General Chairman Eric Richardson

Irwin, Geoff and Jim welcome the newest member of the Green Coat Club-Eric Richardson

Scenes from the Old Timers Compound

Clicks of Chicks

Scenes from the Wyndham Championship

Adam and Jenna
Joel, Adam Jenna and Chelsea enjoy the day at the Wyndham Championship.

Scenes from the Green Coat Club Breakfast

Jim Melvin with Judy Revels and Kevin von der Lippe
1999 Greensboro Jaycee President Kevin von der Lippe, 1954 Greensboro Jaycee President Elton Edwards with 2006 Chryler Classic of Greensboro General Chairman Geoff Cass

2008 Green Coat Club Breakfast

This year's Green Coat Club Breakfast was held on August 16 at Grandover Resort and Conference Center.



Judy Revels and Amyn Collins Moore seemed to be a big fans of A GGO Thing.