1974 GGO Decanter

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.