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Club History

In October 1961 more than 60 people gathered for a meeting at Mountaintop Inn in Fancy Gap, Va. The purpose of the meeting was to organize Gay Hills Country Club Inc. and to elect a temporary board of directors. The meeting cluminated several months of study and preperation by a committee of Galax and Hillsville area businessmen. It was also decided that the club should be located in Carroll County somewhere between Galax and Hillsville, Va. The group wished to build a golf course, clubhouse, tennis court and swimming pool for use by the members of the club and their guests. Initial stock shares in the club were set at $300 and three types of membership would be offered.

In early January 1962 a site for the club was selected after consideration of several possible sites in the Woodlawn, Va. area. The Kyle Farm located on Glendale Road east of Galax was selected after careful consideration by the Sites Committee in consultation with golf architect Gene Hamm of Greensboro, NC. The property consisted of 184 acres and was chosen due to it's terrain, location and the possible development of building lots adjacent to the planned golf course. Construction of the front nine holes, clubhouse and entrance road began in late spring-early summer of that year. Mr. Hamm was employed by the club to lay out the first nine holes, supervise the construction and to prepare a master plan for an 18 hole championship golf course.

July 1962 saw the first greenskeeper, W.H. Kenny of Hillsville, hired by the club and construction of the clubhouse neared completion. By December 1962 the front nine holes were just about completed. Over the late summer to fall months the greens were seeded and mulched, ponds were completed and stocked, 150 three foot tall white pines had been planted along the fairways and an irrigation system had been installed. Membership had grown to over 160 and the club members were looking forward to begining play in the spring of 1963.

On May 1, 1963 the front nine holes were opened for play. Warren Moser had been hired as the first club professional and the pro shop opened. In order to attract new members to the club the course was opened to the public until August 1st of that year. An article from the July 23, 1963 Galax Gazette stated that as of that date no one had yet made par on the par 5 9th hole. August 1963 saw the first Pro-Am tournament at the club with a turnout of 250 golfers.

Al Rose from Roanoke, Virgina became the new golf professional on October 1, 1964 and construction of the back nine holes and a new swimming pool began in July 1965. Upon completion of the back nine in the spring or early summer of 1966 Gay Hills would be the only 18 hole golf course in Southwest Virginia. By July 1966 construction of the back nine holes was well underway with plans to open the back nine holes in the early fall.

Throughout the following decades the club has continued to prosper and grow with steady membership, club members only and inter-club tournaments, mens and womens leagues and a host of social events for the members and general public. In 1984 the named of the club was changed from Gay Hills Country Club to Blue Ridge Country Club.

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