Wake Forest Golf Tradition The ongoing tradition of Deacon golf arose from humble beginnings on a nine-hole course near the old campus in Wake Forest, N.C. From its inception in 1933 until 1947, the Wake Forest golf program was composed simply of students interested in golf and received a limited amount of support from the athletic department. This arrangement changed, however, in 1947, when then-director of athletics Jim Weaver conceived the idea of promoting a sport in which Wake could excel on a regional and national basis. Weaver, Wake Forest part-time coach Johnny Johnston, and the first two recruits – Marvin “Buddy” Worsham and Arnold Palmer – would significantly change the Wake Forest program. The latter’s ability and golf credentials are world-renowned, but his generous legacy to the Deacons is perhaps less well-known. Palmer, who attended Wake Forest from 1947-54 (he took some time away from the school to serve in the Coast Guard), endowed Wake with its first golf scholarship in 1960 in honor of close friend Worsham, who was killed in a 1950 automobile accident. The substantial financial backing, along with Palmer’s continuing involvement with the program, was crucial in the campaign to build the Demon Deacons’ reputation to the point at which it stands today. Since Palmer’s time, over 20 golfers have passed through the program on to the PGA Tour, most of them under the tutelage of the great coach Jesse Haddock, who won three national titles at the helm of the Wake Forest program. With more Wake players continuing to break onto the Tour nearly each year, the generosity of these former Deacs, both monetarily and, per- haps more impor- tantly, in gifts of their time, is an integral factor in the success of the program. Weaver, a central figure in the Deacon golf program’s rise, later became the Atlantic Coast Conference’s first commissioner. Palmer is indisputably Wake Forest’s first and favorite golf legend, while Haddock – even in retirement – continues to spread the good word of Deacon golf far and wide, bringing the dreams of the early days to fruition with his unparalleled success. Today, Jerry Haas, a former Deacon player himself, carries on the great legacy of WFU golf as the program’s head coach. And, in the words of Haddock, every Deacon golfer – past, present and future – is a caretaker of the tradition. “Playing for Wake Forest is more than individual pride. You are inheriting something. You must add to it – you must contribute. The making of this program has depended on a lot of people – the Jay Sigels, the Arnold Palmers – and they are proud of it. They are proud of what they inherited. Everyone can make a contribution. Everyone earns the right to be proud of their part in Wake Forest golf.” Wake Forest’s 1957 ACC Championship Team Simplythe Best 1975 Wake Forest Golf – the “Best College Team Ever”. That is what GolfWorld magazine proclaimed in its May 25, 2001 issue. The publication examined the history of collegiate golf and determined the 1975 dominating Demon Deacon squad ranked at the top. Wake Forest won seven tournaments that season and captured the school’s second straight NCAA championship with a decisive 33-stroke victory over second-place Oklahoma State, the most lopsided win in NCAA history. Some of the sport’s biggest names, such as Curtis Strange, Jay Haas and the legendary coach Jesse Haddock, were a part of that outstanding squad. It was a squad whose history-making feats nearly 30 years ago still place them as the best there ever was... 2002 Wake Forest Golf 26 History & Tradition NCAA ChampionshipHistory NCAA 1974 NCAA Champions Individual The Deacs were five strokes off the lead after each of the first two rounds, improved by one shot after Champions the third and found themselves trailing the Florida Gators by four heading into the final day at the 1974 NCAA Championships, held at the Carlton Oaks Country Club in San Diego, Calif. Coming on strong with a full-fledged team effort, the Deacs closed that to one stroke after nine; Wake Forest passed the Gators on the back nine and held a one- stroke lead as Curtis Strange and Florida’s Gary Koch approached the 18th. Strange’s 18 not only determined the team title and clinched his one-stroke medalist win over Koch, but it will always be known as one of the finest moments in NCAA golf history. The golfers hit nearly identical drives. After Koch’s second shot sailed to the back of the green, Strange’s one-iron from 250 yards landed Arnold Palmer within seven feet of the pin. Strange sank his putt for the legendary eagle that 1949, 1950 secured the first NCAA golf team title for Wake Forest. Jay Haas, Lex Alexander, Bill Argabrite, Curtis Strange, Coach Jesse Haddock, Bob Byman, David Thore. 1975 NCAA Champions In what is considered the most dominant performance in NCAA championship history, Wake Forest’s 33- stroke team title may sound easy until you realize that the Deacs led after three rounds by a potentially tenuous, by-no-means secure six strokes over Oklahoma State. Incredibly, they improved by 27 strokes over the final round in one of the best team golf exhibitions ever at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course in 1975. Curtis Strange Beginning with a 70 by Jay 1974 Haas, an incredible tournament- best 67 by Curtis Strange, a 73 by Bob Byman and a 74 by David Thore, the Deacons became uncatchable. Haas battled hole-by-hole through- out the afternoon with Alabama’s Jerry Pate, but the Deacon held off the Tide’s best with a birdie on 14 and a three-foot par putt on 18 to take the individual national title, the fourth in Wake Forest history. Byman finished fourth individually. Tim Saylor, Jay Haas, Curtis Strange, David Thore, Bob Byman, Bill Argabrite, Coach Jesse Haddock. 1986 NCAA Champions Jay Haas The Deacons had “played themselves out of contention” for the NCAA title on their own Bermuda Run 1975 course. Or had they? Trailing by 16 strokes and with four teams ahead of them heading into the final round, Coach Haddock’s Deacs still waited until the back nine to pull off the miracle. Down by 12 strokes, no one told them they weren’t in con- tention, so the Demon Deacons played as if the championship was already theirs. Chris Kite led the charge and went five-under on the back nine to finish the day at 66, Billy Andrade and Len Mattiace scored 69, and Tim Straub contrib- uted a 74. The team scored a 10-under total of 278 to beat Oklahoma State’s Cowboys, featuring the phenomenal Scott Verplank, and win Gary Hallberg WFU’s third NCAA title. Kite finished 13th individually, while Andrade 1979 and Mattiace placed 14th. Tim Straub, Len Mattiace, Barry Fabyan, Coach Jesse Haddock, Billy Andrade, Chris Kite. 2002 Wake Forest Golf 27 History & Tradition NCAA ChampionshipHistory NCAA Championship Team Finishes Year WFU Finish Score 1949 Championships ................................................................................... 7th (609) 1950 Championships ................................................................................... 5th (591) 1952 Championships ................................................................................. 14th (621) 1955 Championships ................................................................................ t16th (610) 1962 Championships - Duke University GC/Durham, NC ............................... 8th (619) 1963 Championships - Wichita, KS ............................................................. t6th (591) 1964 Championships - The Broadmoor/Colorado Springs, CO ....................... 7th (607) Jay Haas sinks the 1967 Championships - Shawnee Inn/Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA .................. 5th (597) winning putt en route 1968 Championships - New Mexico State GC/Las Cruces, NM .................... 3rd (1160) to the 1975 NCAA 1969 Championships - The Broadmoor/Colorado Springs, CO .....................2nd (1232) individual title. 1970 Championships - Ohio State Scarlet Course/Columbus, OH ................ 2nd (1182) 1971 Championships - Tuscon National GC/Tuscon, AZ ................................ 4th (1155) NCAA Individual Top 25 Finishes 1972 Championships - Cape Coral CC/Cape Coral, FL ................................. t6th (1185) Year Player Finish/Score 1973 Championships - The Country Club/Stillwater, OK .............................. 19th (591) 1949* Arnold Palmer .......................................................................... 1st 1974 Championships - Carlton Oaks CC/San Diego, CA ................1st (1158) 1950* Arnold Palmer .......................................................................... 1st 1975 Championships - Ohio State Scarlet Course/Columbus, OH .1st (1156) 1962 Ken Folkes ................................................................................................... 9th 1976 Championships - New Mexico South Course/Albuquerque, NM .......... 4th (1175) 1963* Jay Sigel...................................................................................................... 5th 1977 Championships - Colgate University GC/Hamilton, NY ..................... 10th (1233) 1967* Joe Inman .................................................................................................. 13th 1978 Championships - Eugene CC/Eugene, OR ............................................ 7th (1177) 1968 Jack Lewis ................................................................................................... 5th 1979 Championships - Bermuda Run CC/Winston-Salem, NC ..................... 3rd (1196) 1969 Lanny Wadkins ...........................................................................................