Legendary FSU football coach Bobby Bowden's home golf course to honor him with statue

Legendary FSU football coach Bobby Bowden’s home golf course to honor him with statue

Posted by Admin September 21, 2024 Golf

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Bobby Bowden loved to hit golf balls at the old Killearn Country Club.

Mornings or evenings when time permitted, the legendary Florida State football coach either played a round or started at hole No. 7 behind his home in Killearn Estates, mainly focusing on his short game and putting.

To honor Bowden’s devotion to golf, his home course, and impact on the community, The Killearn Club’s new owner, David Cummings, plans to place a life-sized bronze statue of Bowden on the course.

It will be near the 16th tee box (the holes on the renovated course were renumbered) and the home where Bowden, who died in 2021 at age 91, and wife Ann moved to in 1976 when he was hired by FSU from West Virginia. Ann still lives in the home, where the couple raised six children.

Statue of FSU football’s Bobby Bowden to recognize legendary coach

The statue depicts Bowden wearing a straw hat, smiling and waving with a raised right arm.

Cummings, an Atlanta-based tech entrepreneur who was born and raised in Tallahassee and attended FSU games as a child, also wants to start two new traditions at the 16th tee.

“The new tradition is to give Coach a high-five before teeing off,” Cummings told the Tallahassee Democrat. “And if you birdied the hard No. 15th hole, we want golfers to sign the ball and leave it at his feet as a token of Coach’s impact on the city. We wanted to honor his memory and this was the idea I came up with.

“We’re excited to get it out on the course for people to enjoy.”

Cummings said he contracted with Big Statues out of Provo, Utah, to create the bronze monument at a cost of just underneath $100,000. Cummings hopes to unveil the statue on the course “ideally” in the next month.

Terry Bowden, one of Bowden’s six children, also has fond memories of playing golf at old Killearn. Terry and brothers Tommy and Jeff also often walked out their back door and teed off at No. 7, playing holes seven and eight and then jumping to Nos. 4-6 to end up at home.

“Dad often waited until the last group of the day teed off at No. 7, then he’d go out and chip and putt,” Terry said. “That was his home course. He was always there. That’s (statue) pretty neat. And, of course, Mom still lives in the house She’s doing well and we plan to keep it as long as she’s there.”

Bowden posted a 316-97-4 record with two national titles (1993 and 1999) in 34 years at FSU. He had one losing season – 5-6 during his first year at the school in 1976 – and was forced into retirement following a 7-6 record in 2009.

Cummings purchased the club for $2.6 million March of 2022.

The club also recently released their new three-tier membership plan to previous club members. The private course and club will include initiation fees from $15,000 to $75,000 and monthly dues also range from $500 to $1,100.

Email Sports Editor Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.