Football season is almost upon us, and The Georgia Club Golf Shop is well-prepared with new UGA merchandise sure to please even the most discriminating UGA fan. Pictured below are only a select few of our favorite items from the new merchandise. This fall we have never-before-seen UGA children’s outfits from Baleigh Grace Boutique and Ladies Nike UGA shirts (pictured below), outfitted with DriFit technology so you can stay cool whether you are at the game or teeing it up on The Chancellors Course.

For those who like to buy Christmas gifts well in advance, please your favorite cook with this beautiful Magnolia Lane holiday platter.

Pick up a copy of Garon Hart’s latest book, “The University of Georgia: Images and Recollections” for your coffee table at home to show off gorgeous photographic images of the University.

 Old favorites such as the Men’s Nike UGA shirt and Magnolia Lane serving platters are still available and perfect for use all year-round.

If you see something you would like to purchase, you can call the Golf Shop at 770-725-8101 to place an order. This is only a small sample of our fall offerings,  so come out to the Golf Shop and see the complete UGA merchandise collection!

The Spring Session of After School Junior Clinics began on Tuesday February 24.  This year we have eight fantastic junior golfers looking to have fun, learn more about their golf swing and build a competitive edge for future growth!

The first session began on the practice tee with an introduction and walk through of pre-swing fundamentals.  The students reviewed proper grip technique, the importance of balance and great posture and the results accompanied with good and bad alignement.  

After the introduction, the junior golfers were more than eager to take their swings to the huge pyramids of range balls!  The session focused on pre-swing fundamentals with an iron of their choice.  Overall, the students did an amazing  job and learned a lot about balance!  Posture and balance are the most common flaws that we see at junior and adult clinics.  

After the junior golfers hit their range balls, we moved to a fun competition correlated with a quick 20 degree drop in temperature!  We paired the boys versus the girls in a battle for the ages.  Each junior golfer took two shots from a preset tee box.   The results were great as each student made solid contact and kept their ball in line to the intended target green!  In addition, the students also learned a couple great rules.  First, we had a discussion about where you can and cannot tee a ball up within the tee markers.  Lastly, we demonstrated the procedures, rules and penalty for playing a shot after hitting the initial shot out of bounds.

Overall the junior golfers did a great job, learned a lot and had fun!  The contest ended in a draw as everyone hit at least one shot to the green!  We look forward to the upcoming weeks in the clinic.  

Come back and visit the forum for updated information on the junior clinics and other golf information!

The Georgia Club's Sandmen Crew take a break from filling fairway divots. From left are Bob Willoughby, Don Poor, Bob Cullerton, Vic Mixon, Ron Alton, Frank Chandley, Jim Nelson and Nelson Brown. Not pictured was George Otwell who was filling divots on the tees.

(Hum along) Mr. Sandmen, bring me a dream,
Make the grass the best I’ve ever seen….

Nearly 10 Georgia Club Members put in some sweat equity (or make that cold equity since the temperature was in the high 40s) to make The Chancellor’s Course a little bit better come spring. The group took it upon themselves to contact the grounds maintenance crew to see if they could walk the fairways and fill divots on a cold February morning.  One Member concentrated on filling the divots on each tee box.

Member Frank Chandley got the idea because they used to do it at his former Club in Colorado.  He organized his regular Wednesday golf group and they invited a few others to cover the Black Nine of the course.   Course Superintendent John McMullan fixed the group up with a mule-load of sand (the group went through two loads before the day was over) and Frank supplied each crew member with plastic sand buckets and shovels for the task ahead.

The Georgia Club CEO Jim Vanden Berg was thrilled with the Member initiative.  “This time of year is tough,” he commented.  “People don’t see green grass so they don’t fill their divots.  And, since it is cart path only a lot of days, many golfers don’t carry sand with them out into the fairway.”

The Sandmen got a lot out of the project, too.  When asked if they were surprised by the number of divots they were filling, one crew member commented as he was filling a bare spot, “I’m not surprised because we made most of them.”

The Sandmen crew plans to do the other two nine-hole courses in the next few weeks.

Course Superintendent John McMullan and Levi stop by to refill the truck with sand.

Recent golfers at The Georgia Club left quite a few complimentary reviews on Last Minute Tee Times.

“There are not enough good things to say about this course-From being greeted at bag drop to Golf Shop personnel to condition of course. The bermuda fairways have not been shaved down like most courses so you still get a great lie in the fairway. The greens are immaculate-I played the course silver to red and the design is more than challenging. If in Athens area you’ve got to give it a try.” — February 1, 2009

Recent golfers on the Red Nine have no doubt noticed a major renovation that has taken place to Hole #5. Based on Member feedback and the fact that several of the existing trees were stressed and dying, Director of Golf Management Division Dennis Echols and Course Designer Denis Griffiths have made some changes. They have removed several trees, brought in 2,500 cubic yards of dirt to level the area and added 4 to 5 bunkers on the left hand edge of the hole to create strategy to the hole that used to exist from the dying trees. One of the players from the Men’s UGA Golf Team hit some demonstration shots to illustrate how the hole would play from the back tees. “These changes will make the hole much, much more aesthetically pleasing and much more fun for the average golfer,” commented Dennis Echols. Course Designer Denis Griffiths added, “There will now be a decision-making process on the tee with some risk-reward for golfers.” The new hole is completed and is ready for play.

The Bulldog Open attracted a few pro golfers, including Davis Love III (middle) with TGC CEO Jim Vanden Berg (left) and UGA Men’s Golf Coach Chris Haack.

In one of our largest and highest-profile events of the season, the Bulldog Open roared into the community last Friday with a record 316 golfers! The event, which is the major fundraising tournament for the UGA Men’s Golf Team, included several members who played. We appreciate the patience of all of our Members as this is one of the few tournaments where the golf course is closed for the day to accommodate the tournament.

The Georgia Club Golf Shop decked out in red and black

The Georgia Club was excited that one of its best-kept secrets got out this month when the Golf Shop was named the Best Golf Shop in the Annual Readers’ Choice Best of Athens Awards sponsored by the Banner-Herald! The Georgia Club Golf Shop is the headquarters for The Chancellors Course. People don’t often think about stopping by The Georgia Club to shop for their game attire, but those who do, are in for a big treat – and, a great selection. One of The Georgia Club’s Points of Pride is the fact that our Golf Shop is more than just men’s shirts and golf clubs. Our Golf Shop includes everything from clothing and jewelry for ladies to house wares that make great gifts. New guests are often surprised at the brands carried, too, including upscale brands like Zellis Italian loafers, Maui Jim sunglasses, and Byron Nelson attire, to favorite brands like Polo, Under Armor, Nike, Vietri and Magnolia Lane. And, this time of year, The Golf Shop boasts a sea of red and black in celebration of All Things Bulldog. New this year is the addition of an adorable line of children’s apparel, including dresses from the Baileigh Grace Boutique, as well as boy’s polo shirts and shorts. Framed photographs of last season’s game highlights (some favorites include the victory celebration at the UGA vs. FLA game and the Blackout game versus Auburn), platters and plates by Magnolia Lane, notepads, and even colorful bistro tables and lamps round of the selection of UGA merchandise. All wrapped into one stop shopping and a big reason readers voted us number 1! For those who voted, thank you!