SC Golf Hall of Fame adds Charlie Rountree III in newest class

In introducing Charlie Rountree III into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame last weekend, master of ceremonies Frank Ford III almost sounded like broken record.

“Founding member of ...,” he said repeatedly in reeling off a seemingly endless list of events that Rountree championed and put on the golf map.

“That’s Charlie,” said Happ Lathrop, now retired after more than 40 years as executive director of the S.C. Golf Association.

Lathrop recruited Roudtree to the SCGA board of directors longer ago than both would like to remember, and, Lathrop said, “He’s been going like gangbusters since.”

Most members of the state’s golf shrine earned their places based on playing skills. Rountree is the exception: His claim to playing fame centers on couple of father-son titles.

But Rountree, who lives in Columbia, belongs in the Hall of Fame more than any player, shrine member Charles Warren wrote in his letter of endorsement. And the case is compelling.

“He is unbelievably passionate about golf and kids,” Lathrop said.

Indeed, his fingerprints are all over the state’s acclaimed junior program and he rode to the rescue like the cavalry in an old Western movie at the time the Heritage golf tournament faced a battle for survival.

“Very instrumental,” longtime Heritage executive director Steve Wilmot said of Rountree’s role in helping secure sponsorships from RBC and Boeing that took the PGA Tour tournament off life support about 10 years ago.

A career lobbyist and familiar face around the State House, Rountree teamed with then-state Sen. Doug Smith to open doors for Wilmot to present the tournament’s case.

“Others were engaged (in the process), but Charlie and Doug led the way,” Wilmot said.

Rountree’s roots to the Heritage run deep. He attended the first one, in 1969, with his family primarily to watch Norman Flynn, pro at the County Club of Lexington and the family’s home club. He later would caddie at the event in the days prior to the pros employing permanent caddies. And now he serves on the Heritage Classic Foundation board of directors.

Even so, his work in helping keep the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour schedule is secondary to his work with the state amateur programs, especially the juniors.

And he proves the adage that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. His late father, Charlie Rountree Jr., instilled the love of the game and especially junior golf in his son. For example, the elder Rountree campaigned to bring the State Junior Championship to the CC of Lexington in a time that many clubs had little use for junior players.

Charlie III followed in his dad’s footsteps in golf administration. Both have been SCGA presidents and board members, and now both are in the state’s Golf Hall of Fame.

“Charlie puts himself in position to make things happen,” Lathrop said of the younger Rountree. “He has ideas, and he implements them. He taught us to think big.”

Added Wilmot: “Maybe it’s a cliché, but he thinks outside of the box. He’s not interested in what we have done. He’s looking to see what we can do next.”

Along the way, Lathrop hooked Roudtree up with the United States Golf Association, and, Lathrop said, “He wore them out with ideas” involving junior golf.

The USGA presented him with the Ike Grainger Award to commemorate his 25 years of volunteer service to the organization’s junior program.

His mission: Make the game fun for youngsters.

He would love to see golf become part of community public recreation programs, joining baseball, softball, soccer and others. He dreams of a myriad of golf leagues similar to the PGA of America’s Jr. League. He wishes more clubs would place emphasis on junior golf.

Indeed, Rountree is the poster child for “giving back to the game.”

Be sure that at the next meeting, he will be there armed with ideas and ask this question: What are we doing to do next?

He’ll have the answer, too.

More honorees. In addition to Rountree, the S.C. Golf Hall of Fame inducted Sherri Turner and Todd White during Golf Day ceremonies at Columbia Country Club.

Turner, who lives in the Phoenix area, earned the state junior championship in 1974 and ’75, played on Furman’s 1976 national championship team and earned LPGA player of the year honors in 1988.

She won three pro tournaments, including a major — the 1988 LPGA Championship — and led the tour in earnings that year. She finished second in the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open.

White, like Turner, starred at Furman and earned all-star honors. He made All-American, then tried the pro game before regaining his amateur status. He has been South Carolina’s player of the year multiple times.

Now a high school instructor at Spartanburg High, he earned a spot on the 2013 U.S. Walker Cup team and teamed with Nathan Smith to win the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball championship.

The SCGA honored players of the year Sam Jackson and Eddie Hargett and named The Legends at Parris Island the Club of the year. Joe Ulreich received the Rick Miller Volunteer of the Year Award, Matt Harbin received the Tom Fazio Service to Golf Award, and Bob Spear received the Charles Drawdy Distinguished Service Award.

This story was originally published January 22, 2023 at 11:19 AM.