An Historic Look at the GHSA Golf Championships and the upcoming host courses

If there was an all-encompassing history book ongolfs illustrious existence, the state of Georgia would have several chapters devoted to it. Much would be dedicated to the legendary Bobby Jones, the Georgia Techgolfinggreat who founded Augusta NationalGolfClub and The Masters Tournament.

A 1919 graduate of Atlantas Tech High, now known as Midtown, Jones became the United State'sfirstgolfingidol whose star was only outshone by Babe Ruth in the golden age of sport. His relationship with the incomparable Atlanta Journal writer Oscar Bane (O.B.) Keeler helped fuel not only his stardom, but the firstgolfcraze which swept the nation in the 1920s and 1930s.

The GHSA caught on and began awarding boys stategolfchampionships in 1938 when Newnan won the first boysgolftitle in the state and for the first five seasons, the event was open. There arent records for the 1939 and 1940 championships but in 1941, Canton won its first and only title and in 1942, Griffin won its first of eight titles.

In 1943, as Allied armies dealt with a two-front war against Japan and the Axis powers in Europe, the high school association expanded the event to Classes A, B and C with Lanier (A) and Albany (B&C) winning titles.

By 1957, the event expanded to five classes 3A, 2A, A, B and C. The GHSA added a girls state championship division in 1998 with 4A-1A and expanded to include Class 5A in 2001. Also in 2001, the more standard classifications were organized 5A through 1A.

Now, thousands of high school golfers compete across eight classifications while walking in the footsteps ofgolfinghistory as they take to the course each Spring to hone their craft with the hopes of state championship at the end of the season.

A lot has changed since the time of Jones and now, eleven storied courses will play host to the GHSAgolfstate championships on high schoolgolfs longest days - May 20-21 - to bring the season to a close.

Between now and the season-ending tournaments, we will look at each of the host courses and give a classification catch-up on the boys and girls side of the states eight classes.

Below we will link to each of the courses and class profiles to see where each class stands, while giving an in-depth look at the tracks which will host the season-ending tournament.

See the links below.

7A Boys and Girls

Sunset Hills Country Club, Carrollton

6A Boys

ChattahoocheeGolfClub, Gainesville

6A Girls

Apple MountainGolfClub, Clarkesville

5A Boys and Girls

Okefenokee Country Club, Blackshear

4A Boys

Highland Country Club, LaGrange

4A Girls

The FieldsGolfClub, LaGrange

3A Boys and Girls

LaFayetteGolfClub, LaFayette

2A Boys and Girls

Chimney OaksGolfClub, Homer

A-Division I Boys

Georgia SouthernGolfClub, Statesboro

A Division I Girls

Willow Lake GolfClub, Metter

A Division II Boys and Girls

Southern Hills, Hawkinsville