Golf Director Tracy Wilkins Announces Retirement

Nov 07, 2016 at 08:51 am by bryan


City Golf Department Director Tracy Wilkins has announced plans for retirement, effective January 27, 2017. Wilkins announced the decision to his staff this week after submitting his intention to retire in a letter to City Manager Rob Lyons, October 31, 2016.

"We appreciate Mr. Wilkins three decades of service to the City of Murfreesboro Golf Department and its expansion over the years," said City Mayor Shane McFarland. "We deeply value his effective management and leadership, including the establishment of Bloomfield Links and a growing youth golf program."

ADVERTISEMENT

"Mr. Wilkins has tirelessly served the City and the golf profession for many years," said City Manager Rob Lyons. Mr. Wilkins has led Old Fort Golf Course virtually from the beginning and his imprint on the course is enormous. Through his leadership of the course's employees, Old Fort has been home to collegiate golf, high school championships, countless tournaments and thousands of rounds of golf. I have admired his servant leadership and admired his dry sense of humor. Finally, Tracy was a visionary for Bloomfield Links, which will teach a new generation about the great game of golf."

"Tracy has been the consummate professional and all that use Old Fort, Bloomfield and the VA golf courses can testify to his attention to details, knowledge of the game of golf and his skill as a host for some of the finest golf events in Tennessee" said Jim Crumley, Assistant City Manager. "Tracy has found joy working at a business that others find enjoyable and frustrating at the same time and he made it look easy."

Wilkins began his career in the Golf Department at Old Fort Golf Course as Head Golf Professional in 1987 and became Director of Golf that same year. Wilkins has worked with four Mayors and three City Managers beginning with Mayor Joe B. Jackson and City Manager Clyde Fite.

"I can honestly say these have been some of the best years of my life and they have flown by which make the old adage of 'time flies when you're having fun' ring true," Wilkins expressed in his retirement letter to Lyons. "I consider it a privilege and an honor to have worked for the City of Murfreesboro and to have done so for 30 years is truly a blessing."

A list of the some of the events and initiatives spearheaded by the Golf Department under Wilkin's leadership include:

The 2016 "Ace the Majors" fundraising campaign at Bloomfield Links.

Opening of Bloomfield Links golf course for youth and beginning golfers in October 2013

Establishment of FootGolf at the 9-hole Veterans Golf Course leased from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Renovation of Old Fort Golf Course in 2003

Renovation of Old Fort Golf Course Clubhouse in 1997

Hosted the USGA Junior National Qualifier, 28 years

Hosted the TSSAA State High School Golf Championships, 17 years

Hosted the PGA Tour Qualifying School, 8 years

Hosted the MTSU Women's Invitational, 5 years

Hosted the MTSU Men's Blue Raider Invitational, 2 years

Hosted the PGA Senior Tour BellSouth Qualifier

Hosted the 2015-16 Southern Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Conference Championships.

"I would like to thank the four mayors, three city managers, countless council members, and members of the Murfreesboro Golf Commission whom I had the privilege of working for over th years," added Wilkins. "I would also like to thank all the City department heads and their staff for the coordination of numerous projects and daily tasks that make golf programming successful."

Before serving as Director of Golf for the City of Murfreesboro, Wilkins worked as the Assistant Golf Professional at Chickasaw Country Club from 1983-1986. Wilkins played four years of collegiate golf and is a 1983 graduate of Union University in Jackson, Tennessee where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education with a minor in Business Administration. He graduated from Brentwood Academy in 1979.

Among his numerous professional associations, Wilkins has served on the Tennessee Section Board of Directors, president of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of PGA, the Tennessee PGA Tournament Committee, Tennessee PGA Awards Committee, Tennessee PGA Membership Committee and the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties Selection Committee.

Awards include being in the top 5 percent of his class for PGA Business School, a two-time Golf Professional of the Year for the Middle Tennessee Chapter of PGA, a two-time Merchandiser of the Year for the Middle Tennessee Chapter of PGA, and a seven-time member of the Tennessee PGA Cup Team.

Wilkins has been married to Ann Wilkins for 34 years. The couple has two children, Leigh Achenbaugh, 29, and Chad Wilkins, 27.

The City Golf Department webpage is available at http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/Index.aspx?NID=147.

Sections: News