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Athletics Department. Men's Golf Records

Finding Aid & Inventory

This collection includes materials that document the history and current activities of the Wake Forest Men's Intercollegiate golf team. The team was formally established and recognized in 1941 and has since grown into a high-ranking and highly competitive intercollegiate athletics program. Materials in this collection include administrative files, publications, recruitment materials, photographs, and correspondence.

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Biographical and Historical Note

Wake Forest had a men's intercollegiate golf team as early as 1930. Students played informal and loosely organized matches amongst themselves and against local schools. The first recognized season of intercollegiate competition was 1941. The team consisted of both freshman and varsity teams, and, at the time, was coached by the college's Alumni Secretary, Alfred (Al) Dowtin. Like other sports, Wake Forest put the program on hiatus because of World War II, and the sport was resumed in 1946.

During its earlier years, golf was not a very popular sport on campus, but interest gradually increased. The post-World War II team was coached by Johnny Johnston and composed of Sonny Harris, Buddy Behm, Jack Gentry, Tommy Gray, and newcomers Arnold Palmer and Marvin (Buddy) Worsham. The Deacons golf team continued on with moderately successful seasons through the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1960, the team was coached by Horace (Bones) McKinney, who was also simultaneously coaching the men's basketball team. McKinney resigned that year to focus on basketball, and the team was taken over by Jesse Haddock. Haddock was a Wake Forest alumnus and worked in the department of athletics as an equipment manager prior to taking over as men's golf coach. Haddock would go on to coach the men's golf team for 32 years, securing 15 ACC titles and three national titles. In 2016, a golf training facility, Haddock House, was opened and named in Haddock's honor.

Jesse Haddock retired in 1992, and Jack Lewis assumed the position as coach of the men's golf team. Lewis was a Wake Forest alumnus and golf team veteran, winning as the 1968 ACC individual champion. During Lewis's six-year tenure, the Demon Deacons men's golf team made six NCAA appearances.

Jerry Haas was named the head coach for the men's golf team after Lewis's departure. Haas, himself a Wake Forest alumnus, was a second-team All-American in 1985. To date, Haas has coached the Deacons to 46 tournament wins and an ACC title in 2022.

Other notable Wake Forest golf alumni include Curtis Strange, Webb Simpson, Gary Hallberg, Billy Andrade, Len Mattiace, and Lanny Wadkins, among a roster of talented athletes who have contributed to Wake Forest's longstanding intercollegiate golf legacy.

Collection Overview

This collection documents the historical and current activities of the Wake Forest University Men's Golf Team. Wake Forest has had a men's intercollegiate golf team as early as 1941. The records in this collection primarily cover the 1960s into the present. Materials included in this collection include publications, media guides, schedules, correspondence, photographs, and administrative files.

Collection Inventory

  • Administrative and season materials
    • Arnold Palmer with Jesse Haddock, photographs (circa) box 1 folder 1
    • Jesse Haddock headshots and photographs with NCAA trophy  (1986) box 1 folder 2
    • Recruitment brochure  (1971) box 1 folder 3
    • NCAA Golf champions sticker decal  (1974) box 1 folder 4
    • WFU Golf Program History essay by Sandra K. Bean  (circa) box 1 folder 5
    • Haddock, Jesse: Golf Coaches of America Hall of Fame plaque photocopy and related correspondence  (1981) box 1 folder 6
    • WFU Pro-Am Golf Tournament and charity roast of Jesse Haddock program and flier  (1981) box 1 folder 7
    • Haddock, Jesse: Al Groh correspondence  (1981) box 1 folder 8
    • Jesse Haddock Golf Camp brochures and statistics book  (1981-1982) box 1 folder 9
    • Haddock, Jesse: biographical fact sheets and career information  (1984) box 1 folder 10
    • Haddock, Jess: Personal correspondence and greeting cards  (1981-1985) box 1 folder 11
    • Haddock, Jesse: Bermuda Village brochures  (circa) box 1 folder 12
    • The Master's Tournament reception invitation, correspondence, and related materials  (1984-1998) box 1 folder 13
    • WFU Golf Center facilities: fundraising correspondence, renderings, use of, and related materials (7 folders)  (1988-2001) box 1 folder 14-19
    • Golf program endowment funding information and related correspondence  (1990-2008) box 1 folder 20
    • Title XI letter from Gene Hooks (1990 July 5) box 1 folder 21
    • Memorandum and photocopy of Jesse Haddock portrait  (1992) box 1 folder 22
    • Haddock, Jesse: Arnold Palmer personal correspondence  (1992-1993) box 1 folder 23
    • Title IX Committee Study data report and related correspondence  (1993) box 1 folder 24
    • Lewis, Jack: resignation letters  (1997) box 2 folder 1
    • Arnold Palmer and Jerry Haas, photograph  (1995) box 2 folder 2
    • Haas, Jerry: Coaching files**  (1997-2005) box 2 folder 3
    • Strange, Curtis: "King of the Hill" Sports Illustrated article rick kelly (1999 June 28) box 2 folder 4
    • Haas, Jerry: 40th birthday party photographs  (2003) box 2 folder 5
    • Jesse Haddock Invitational entry form (2004 October) box 2 folder 6
    • Haas, Jerry: greeting cards and correspondence  (2006-2012) box 2 folder 7
    • Use of Old Town golf course rules and related correspondence  (2006) box 2 folder 8
    • Strange, Curtis: Congressional Record tribute certificate (2007 December 7) box 2 folder 9
    • Haas, Jerry: Bulls Bay playoff photograph  (2007) box 2 folder 10
    • Palmer, Arnold: "Kingdom Magazine, issue 3"  (2012) box 2 folder 11
    • Mens Golf banquet invitation (2013 April 29) box 2 folder 12
    • Arnold Palmer Statue Unveiling Ceremony program (2013 October 18) box 2 folder 13
    • Palmer, Arnold:"Remembering the King of Golf, Newsweek (2016 September) box 2 folder 14
    • Palmer, Arnold:"The King" Sports Illustrated (2016 September) box 2 folder 15
    • Haas, Bill: "Former WFU star injured..."journalnow online article (2018 February 14) box 2 folder 16
    • Haddock, Jesse: eulogy and obituaries  (2018) box 2 folder 17
    • Media guide  (1973) box 8 folder 3
    • Media guide  (1978) box 8 folder 4
    • Media guides  (1980-1983) box 8 folder 5-8
    • Media guide  (1987) box 8 folder 9
    • Media guide  (1990) box 8 folder 10
    • Media guide  (1992) box 8 folder 11
    • Media guide  (2003) box 8 folder 12
    • Media guide  (2007) box 8 folder 13
    • Media guide  (2008) box 8 folder 14
    • NCAA Golf Championship souvenir program (1979 May 23-26) box 8 folder 1
    • NCAA Golf Championship souvenir program (1986 May 28-31) box 8 folder 2
    • Golf Coaches Association Of America All-American Golf Team recipient plaque photocopies  (1961-2001) box 4 folder 1-2
    • WFU Invitational Tournament, champion plaque photocopy  (1980) box 4 folder 3
    • Duke Invitational Tournament award plaques, photocopies  (1985-1991) box 4 folder 4-6
    • WFU Pro-Am Golf Tournament plaque photocopies  (1989-2006) box 4 folder 7-16
    • Reverend Joseph T. Cahill Invitational plaque photocopy  (1990) box 4 folder 17
    • Missouri Bluffs 2nd Place Plaque, photocopy  (1995) box 4 folder 18
  • Pictorial materials
    • Practice and play photographs )2 folders)  (1999-2001) box 5 folder 1-2
    • WFU Pro-Am photographs and negatives (4 folders)  (2000) box 5 folder 3-6
    • Practice and play photographs )2 folders)  (2001-2003) box 5 folder 7-8
    • WFU Pro-Am photographs and negatives (4 folders)  (2002) box 5 folder 9-12
    • Jay Haas with Men's and women's golf teams, photographs  (2003) box 5 folder 13
    • Schenkel Invitational, photographs  (2003) box 5 folder 14
    • Preview at the Homestead Invitational, photographs  (2003) box 5 folder 15
    • WFU Pro-Am photographs and negatives (2 folders)  (2003) box 5 folder 16-17
    • WFU Pro-Am photographs and negatives  (2003) box 6 folder 1
    • ACC Golf Championship photographs  (2004) box 6 folder 2
    • Freshman athletes, ACC Championships, and NCAA Tournament photographs  (2004-2005) box 6 folder 3
    • "Untitled" photographs on CD-Rs  (2004-2010) box 6 folder 4
    • Team photos  (2005-2006) box 6 folder 5
    • WF Pro-Am (5 folders)  (2005-) box 6 folder 6-10
    • Team celebration photographs (2006 May) box 6 folder 11
    • Team photographs  (2006-2007) box 6 folder 12
    • International Collegiate Tournament - St. Andrews Bay, Scotland, photographs  (2006-) box 6 folder 13
    • PING Golden Horseshoe Tournament, photographs  (2006-) box 6 folder 14
    • WFU Pro-Am, photographs  (2006-) box 6 folder 15
    • VCU Shootout photographs  (2007-) box 6 folder 16
    • Headshots and slideshows on CD-R  (2009-2013) box 7 folder 1
    • Pine Valley Golf Club event photographs  (2011) box 7 folder 2
    • WFU Pro-Am team photographs  (2011) box 7 folder 3
    • Players, coaches, and alumni assorted photographs (circa) box 7 folder 4
    • Untitled slides (circa) box 7 folder 5
  • Player files
    • Jim Simons whatever happened to article 2006 jan 27 (2006 January 27) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Fabyan, Barry  (1985-2004) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Hallberg, Gary  (1976-1980) box 3 folder 1
    • Haas, Jerry  (1980-2012) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Inman, Joe  (1980-2009) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Wrenn, Robert  (1980-1997) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Andrade, William (Billy)  (1981-1998) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Haas, Jay  (1981-2013) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Sigel, Robert (Jay)  (1984-1996) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Kite, Chris  (1986-2001) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Haas, Bill  (1999-2010) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Simpson, Webb  (2011-2012) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Flick, James (Jim) (2012 November) box 3 folder Unknown
    • Palmer, Arnold: Rolex Golf Awards, contact sheets  (circa 2000) box 3 folder 16

Summary Information

Repository
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
Title
Athletics Department. Men's Golf Records
ID
RG21.10m
ID
/repositories/2/resources/2230
Date
1961-2013
Quantity
5 document boxes, 2 half-document boxes, 1 legal-size half-document box
Extent
2.73  Linear Feet

Administrative Information

Publication Information
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2025 August
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for use. 
Conditions Governing Use
The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. 
Preferred Citation
Athletics Department. Men's Golf Records (RG 21.10m), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. 

Related collections and items available at Z. Smith Reynolds Library that document the Demon Deacons Men's Baseball Team include:

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