The Legend of the Muni

My Muni Bachelor Party


Unfortunately, of our 4 regular readers nationwide, maybe only one of you is from Jackson, MS. Regardless, I must comment about the wonderful Sonny Guy Municipal Golf Course in Jackson, MS. If you've never played at the course affectionately called "muni", it is your loss. The course is located in picturesque south Jackson with Woodrow Wilson Avenue separating the front and back nine. The front nine has 2 bunkers and no water hazards, while the back nine has a great layout in front of abandoned "Hawkins field Airport" and contains on bunkers, no water hazards, and for that matter no dog-legs. The back nine is straight away on every hole. As a matter of fact, you can put that nasty (Roach hook) 0n any of your shots and still be fine. It simply lands smoothly in the fairway on another hole and you easily hack it back towards your hole.

The Jackson newspaper wrote an article today about the playing shape of the course. One local golfer was quoted as saying "The manicuring of the course could be better," Garland said. "The fairway should be cut at a different length than the rough. I don't think they cut the grass often enough." That about sums up the Muni in all its glory. The fairway should be cut at a different length than the rough. Most people assume the rough should be a different length than the fairway, but not at the Muni. In order for there to be different lengths, there must actually be rough. And at the muni, its all fairway. Anyway, the muni is in poor condition and people want something done about it. However, I for one, am a satisfied customer of Sonny Guy. I mean there is nothing quite like the feeling of telling the woman at the desk that you want to walk 9 holes and hearing "That will be 6 dollars." 6 dollars! No matter what the condition of the course, for 6 dollars I can have a good time. Besides my poor game doesn't warrant a better course. So I can't really blame anyone for the poor condition of the course. If you do, I think you forget the grand total of your green fee...$6.

The Muni is home to many, now legendary, golf stories. Just for our readers I would like to name a few. Feel free to add any of your personal stories if you desire.

1) Who can forget my bachelor party at the muni. Something like 12 guys hacking around all day at the muni. I can remember standing on the first tee box in my sleeveless shirt getting ready for my opening tee shot. The course pro ( i guess that is what he's called) comes walking our way. I think to myself, "oh boy, we are in some kind of trouble, look at all of us. standing around in sleeveless shirts." But the Pro simply says "I hear your getting married, let me give you your money back...this round is on us" You can't find that kind of service just anywhere.

2) On that same day, Local Golfer and friend David A. Black hit the shot heard round the world. He whacks his first tee shot and it hooks sharply into oncoming traffic. In slow motion, the ball and the windshield collide and for a split second everyone panics. However, the driver carries on. He must have known that if your coming down Woodrow Wilson, the players and golfballs always have the right of way.

3) The numerous days I almost threw my back out laboring to push my tee into the ground. The ground is so hard it might as well be concrete.

4) My good friend Gray Hardison was lining up his approach shot to the green when a dumptruck turns off of Woodrow Wilson, rumbles across the #1 fairway and proceeds to park directly in front of Gray's line to the green.

5) Who can forget the guy that waits behind a tree in between holes #5,#6, and #7. If your shot goes off into the "rough" he might beat you to your own ball, pick it up, and try to sell it back to you on the next hole.

6) My favorite Muni memory is seeing my cousin Andrew Luter walk into the clubhouse/pro-shot without a shirt on. He was completely shirtless in the pro-shop and no one even gave him a second look. Only at the Muni. Other "classy" course would actually demand a shirt...a collared shirt at that. Not the muni. The muni believes in accepting all kinds,types,races, and economic classes of people.

I love the muni. I got kind of teary eyed when I thought about all the memories. I could go on and on. I hope even if you live outside of Jackson you are developing a love for this place as we speak. If you ever come and play at Sonny Guy, the course might not be in good shape, you might not can tell a difference between the rough and the green, but you will walk away with a great story/memory. And at the end of the day you will utter the now famous phrase "only at Muni."