Golf Needs More of Zac Blair, The Ringer, and Sweetens Cove

Zac Blair is likely not a household name, outside of crazed golf fans. His best finish on the PGA Tour is a solo 3rd at the 2016 Sony Open. However, if you happen to follow golf on social media these days you can’t seem to go anywhere without coming across Zac. This weekend was no different.

Sweetens Cove is in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn’t bother Zac Blair. Smack dab in the middle between Nashville and Atlanta lies a nine hole public golf course that draws some of the most golf obsessed folks around the country. Know for it’s strategic choices off the tee as well as it’s wildly undulating greens the course is unique in every sense of the imagination.

This weekend 60 players headed down to South Pittsburg, Tennessee to participate in the second year of The Ringer. Hosted by the aforementioned Blair, The Ringer is a modern golf tournament that is certainly not your typical charity outing. For example, this year’s shotgun start was kicked off with Zac Blair firing a shotgun into the air.

Blair’s event exists in part to raise awareness and funds for his dream project; The Buck Club.

Blair’s taste for top notch course architecture is immediately apparent. When he’s not competing for seven figure paychecks Blair can be found criss-crossing the globe, playing at some of the most architecturally sound and historic golf courses.

It is with this keen mindset that Blair is set on building one of the worlds great courses on 350 acres in Northern Utah.

However, raising funds and awareness seems to be an afterthought for the 60 odd players who spent the past weekend golfing their balls around one of the best nine hole courses in the world.

A well deserved shout out to Tron Carter and Chris Solomon of NoLayingUp who each made a hole in one on the same day. Just another chapter in Sweetens Cove’s unique and wild story.

There are interesting golf courses, and there are interesting tournaments. Then there are the places that combine those for a ringing good time. I for one, won’t be missing The Ringer when it comes around in 2020.