Participants of The Jim Sievers Junior Classic gather in front of The Honors Course clubhouse
photo by Paul Payne
Jim Sievers explains the history of the season-ending junior event to participants during Tuesday's luncheon
photo by Paul Payne
WindStone Golf Club director of golf Jeff Craig, who has overseen the CDGA junior competition for 26 years, presents an award to tournament founder Jim Sievers
photo by Paul Payne
Nate Coffman tees off the first hole in his Boys 16-18 match
photo by Paul Payne
Dalton Franklin follows his opening drive in his Boys 16-18 match
photo by Paul Payne
As they were seated for lunch inside the dining room at The Honors Course on Tuesday, the attendees were nattily attired, coats and ties for the gentlemen while the ladies fashioned their finest dresses.
This group could have easily been mistaken for an assembly of CEOs, doctors and business leaders by the way they handled themselves. However, the fact some of them still had braces on their teeth and others had yet to start shaving revealed this was not a typical gathering normally found inside the storied clubhouse.
The occasion was a celebration of a summer’s worth of outstanding golf for those in attendance, earning the distinction as one of the top four performers in the Chattanooga District Golf Association’s five tournaments across three age groups for boys and two for the girls.
This was the crowning achievement for their efforts, as The Honors Course rolled out the red carpet as the host for the 40th year of the season-ending tournament. Having the opportunity to set foot on the grounds of the revered Ooltewah course is a cherished reward. But being able to spend the day being treated like royalty was a completely different experience.
In addition to dressing up and enjoying lunch inside the clubhouse where they were welcomed by Director of Golf and COO Henrik Simonsen, the guests were introduced to the man whose bold proposal to the club’s founder, Jack Lupton, was the genesis of the past four decades of memories.
Jim Sievers was in charge of the CDGA in 1983 when the idea of a season-ending tournament dawned on him while watching the Ryder Cup. Lupton agreed to host the tournament on a trial basis for one year. But after seeing the impact on local junior golf and the manner in which it further promoted the club’s commitment to the amateur game, Lupton became a staunch supporter by hosting the luncheon as well as picking up the tab for the caddies.
In honor of Sievers’ visionary commitment to junior golf, the event is now called the Jim Sievers Junior Classic. With Sievers on hand for the event, this year’s participants were able to get a glimpse of the history that has gone into making this tournament so special.
The special treatment for Tuesday’s qualifiers was evident from the moment they arrived. Each golfer was assigned individual lockers with their name emblazoned on the front. They spent time at the practice facility where they are introduced to their caddie for the day, adding to the experience of navigating The Honors Course’s spectacular layout with one of the club’s knowledgeable loopers guiding them through their round while offering words of encouragement.
On the first tee, The Honors Course assistant professional Louis Fiumara announced each golfer similar to what you’d see at professional tournaments, further adding to the many extras provided by The Honors Course in their ongoing commitment to this event.
“It’s a big deal for us, and we want to do everything possible to make this experience memorable for each of these junior golfers,” Simonsen said.
Jeff Craig, the director of golf at WindStone Golf Club and the tireless director of junior golf for the CDGA the past quarter century, was a participant during the early ‘90s when he was in high school. Years later, he still remembers that special feeling when driving through the gates of The Honors Course.
“I still get excited every year to get to The Honors Course,” Craig said. “It brings back some great memories from my playing days, and I enjoy seeing the thrill on the faces of these junior golfers.”
The Honors Course is a special gem for our community, a place where many greats of the game have walked its lush fairways for the past 42 years. But the leadership of the club has never lost sight of Lupton’s original vision in celebrating amateur golf, and its meaningful contributions to local junior golf continues to flourish today.
Results from Tuesday’s Matches
With each of the five divisions competing in match play semifinals, No. 1 seed Nate Coffman defeated Carson McHarge, 1-up, in the 16-18 Boys bracket. Dalton Franklin won his match when his opponent Hampton Starks withdrew late in their match.
In the Boys 14-15 division, both top seeds won their matches to advance to Wednesday’s finals. Mason Bankston downed Steven Guild, 3&1, while Jaxon Swafford earned a 3&2 decision over Henry Beasley.
Fletcher Wakefield had a decisive 6&4 verdict over Andrew Granillo in the Boys 12-13 competition, while Owen Morrow defeated J.C. Ellis, 2&1.
Haley Talley advanced to the finals with a 2-up win over Meredith Gailey in the Girls 15-18 bracket, while Katie Tudor earned a 2&1 win over Alli Troxell.
The Girls 12-14 division saw Harper Wakefield defeat Vallie Reeves, while top-seeded Lyla Silecchia won her match against Riley Hiett.
Wednesday’s championship matches are slated to begin at 8 a.m.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com