Colonial Country Club is a private golf club in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, in the Cordova neighborhood. For many years, it was host to an annual

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...

event.

History

The club was founded in 1913 by some local businessmen in what was then called White Station, Tennessee. The first 18-hole course was opened on August 7, 1914, and in 1915 the first clubhouse opened. On December 16, 1919, the clubhouse was destroyed in a fire, blamed on defective wiring. In the summer of 1921, a new clubhouse opened. Colonial Country Club remained in this location for over forty years. In 1968, the club announced plans to relocate in Cordova near Interstate 40, although this could be unknown. However (rather this was planned or not), the country club and its golf courses were relocated to Cordova in 1971 and possibly the clubhouse and the courses would open that next year. Colonial Country Club has been located there ever since. The new venue would offer two separate 18-hole championship golf courses, as well as a practice area, a clubhouse, an Olympic sized swimming pool, 6 tennis courts, and snack-bar/dressing facility. Both courses were designed by Joe Finger.

Courses

The two courses are known as the North Course and the South Course. The South Course is the course which hosted the professional tour events.

Tournaments

Colonial has hosted many tournaments at both of its locations, including the Memphis Open, now known as the St. Jude Classic. This

event began in 1958 and was played at Colonial through 1988. Many years, regional qualifying for the U.S. Open has taken place at Colonial.

1977

1977 was the most memorable year for Colonial as two huge events occurred which made national news at the PGA Tour event (then known as the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic). 1. President

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was the 38th president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, Ford assumed the p ...

made a hole-in-one during Wednesday's Celebrity Pro-Am. 2. Two days later, Al Geiberger shot a record low round of 59 on Friday of the tournament. The 13-under-par round remains a record in relation to par on the PGA Tour. (Although

Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk (born May 12, 1970) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. In 2010, he was the FedEx Cup champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2 ...

shot a 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship, it was a Par 70 course, 12 under par).

Champions

Champions of the PGA Tour events held at Colonial: Federal Express St. Jude Classic *1988 Jodie Mudd *1987 Curtis Strange *1986 Mike Hulbert St. Jude Memphis Classic *1985 Hal Sutton (playoff) Danny Thomas Memphis Classic *1984 Bob Eastwood *1983 Larry Mize *1982 Raymond Floyd *1981

Jerry Pate Jerome Kendrick Pate (born September 16, 1953) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, formerly on the PGA Tour. As a 22-year-old rookie, he won the U.S. Open in 1976. Early life Born in Macon, Georgia, he was one of six ...

*1980

Lee Trevino Lee Buck Trevino (born December 1, 1939) is an American retired professional golfer who is regarded as one of the greatest players in golf history. He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Trevino won six major championships and ...

*1979

Gil Morgan Gilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD (born September 25, 1946) is an American professional golfer. Early life Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968. Professional career In 1972, ...

(playoff) *1978 Andy Bean (playoff) *1977 Al Geiberger *1976 Gibby Gilbert *1975

Gene Littler Gene Alec Littler (July 21, 1930 – February 15, 2019) was an American professional golfer and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth, rhythmical swing, he once sai ...

*1974

Gary Player Gary James Player (born 1 November 1935) is a South African retired professional golfer who is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. During his career, Player won nine major championships on the regular tour and nine ...

*1973 Dave Hill *1972

*1971

*1970 Dave Hill Memphis Open Invitational *1969 Dave Hill *1968

Bob Lunn Robert J. Lunn (born April 24, 1945) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s. Early life Lunn was born in San Francisco, California. He was the 1963 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion over Steve O ...

*1967 Dave Hill *1966

Bert Yancey Albert Winsborough Yancey (August 6, 1938 – August 26, 1994) was an American professional golfer who won seven times on the PGA Tour and later played on the Senior PGA Tour. Early life Born in Chipley, Florida, Yancey lived much of his adult ...

*1965

Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus (; born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retired professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greate ...

(playoff) *1964

Mike Souchak Michael Souchak (May 10, 1927 – July 10, 2008) was an American professional golfer. He won fifteen events on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and represented the United States for the Ryder Cup in 1959 and 1961. Early life Born and raised ...

*1963

Tony Lema Anthony David Lema (February 25, 1934 – July 24, 1966) was an American professional golfer who rose to fame in the mid-1960s and won a major title, the 1964 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. He died two years later ...

(playoff) *1962

Lionel Hebert Lionel Paul Hebert (January 20, 1928 – December 30, 2000) was an American professional golfer. He won five times on the PGA Tour, including the PGA Championship in 1957, the last edition held at match play. His older brother Jay won the same e ...

(playoff) *1961

Cary Middlecoff Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 – September 1, 1998) was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour from 1947 to 1961. His 39 Tour wins place him tied for tenth all-time, and he won three major championships. Middlecoff graduated ...

*1960 Tommy Bolt (playoff) Memphis Open *1959 Don Whitt (playoff) *1958

Billy Maxwell Billy Joe Maxwell (July 23, 1929 – September 20, 2021) was an American professional golfer. Maxwell was born in Abilene, Texas. He played college golf at North Texas State College and helped them win four consecutive NCAA Division I team c ...

References

External links

Official Site
{{coord, 35.196817, -89.778621, display=title, type:landmark Golf clubs and courses in Tennessee Buildings and structures in Shelby County, Tennessee Sports venues in Memphis, Tennessee