History & Tradition 27 WFU 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, perhaps more importantly, in gifts of their time, is an integral factor in the success of the program. Weaver, a central figure in the Dea- con 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 Simply The 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. WFU won seven tournaments that season and captured the school’s second straight NCAA title 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... 28 2002-03 Wake Forest Golf NCAA Championships 1974 NCAA Champions WFUs NCAA The Deacs were five strokes off the lead after each of the first two rounds, improved by one shot after the third Individual Champions 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 within seven feet of the pin. Strange sank his putt for the legendary Arnold Palmer eagle that secured the first NCAA golf team title for Wake Forest. Stroke Play Medalist 1949, 1950 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 Okla- homa State. Incredibly, they im- proved by 27 strokes over the final round in one of the best team golf exhibitions ever at Ohio State’s Scar- let 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 throughout 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 indi- vidual 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 The Deacons had “played themselves out of contention” for the NCAA title on their own Bermuda Run course. Or had they? Jay Haas Trailing by 16 strokes and with four teams ahead of them heading into the final round, Coach Haddock’s Deacs 1975 still waited until the back nine to pull off the miracle. Down by 12 strokes, no one told them they weren’t in contention, 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 contributed a 74. The team scored a 10- under total of 278 to beat Oklahoma State’s Cowboys, featuring the phe- nomenal Scott Verplank, and win WFU’s third NCAA title. Kite finished 13th individually, while Andrade and Mattiace placed 14th. Tim Straub, Len Mattiace, Barry Fabyan, Gary Hallberg Coach Jesse Haddock, Billy Andrade, Chris Kite. 1979 History & Tradition 29 NCAA History NCAA Team Results NCAA Individual Top 25 Finishes Year Event/Location WFU Finish/Score Year WFU Player Finish 1949 Championships .......................................................................................... 7th (609) 1949* Arnold Palmer.................................................. 1st (Stroke Play Medalist) 1950 Championships .......................................................................................... 5th (591) 1950* Arnold Palmer.................................................. 1st (Stroke Play Medalist) 1952 Championships ........................................................................................14th (621) 1962 Ken Folkes ............................................................................................................. 9th 1955 Championships ...................................................................................... t16th (610) 1963* Jay Sigel ................................................................................................................ 5th 1962 Championships - Duke University GC/Durham, NC ................................. 8th (619) 1967* Joe Inman ........................................................................................................... 13th 1963 Championships - Wichita, KS ................................................................. t6th (591) 1968 Jack Lewis ............................................................................................................. 5th 1964 Championships - The Broadmoor/Colorado Springs, CO ....................... 7th (607) 1969 Lanny Wadkins ..................................................................................................... 7th 1967 Championships - Shawnee Inn/Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA ....................5th (597) Joe Inman ........................................................................................................... 14th 1968 Championships - New Mexico State GC/Las Cruces, NM .......................3rd (1160) Leonard Thompson ............................................................................................ 19th 1969 Championships - The Broadmoor/Colorado Springs, CO ....................2nd (1232) Jack Lewis ........................................................................................................... 23rd 1970 Championships - Ohio State Scarlet Course/Columbus, OH................2nd (1182) 1970 Lanny Wadkins .................................................................................................... 2nd 1971 Championships - Tuscon National GC/Tuscon, AZ ................................4th (1155) Steve Walker ........................................................................................................21st 1972 Championships - Cape Coral CC/Cape Coral, FL ................................