• Jazz-N-June Festival • Loss of a Golf Course • Thomas Jackson • The First Tee and Tyler Hastie
As the Founder and Director of the annual Jazz-N-June Festival in the metro-Huntsville, Tennessee Valley region. I am sharing this information as part of this blog, for several reasons.
Honoring the Life of Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland
Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland
This year’s festival was dedicated to Mrs. Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland, a long-term board member of the Tennessee Valley Jazz Society. Mrs. Ragland’s support of the Tennessee Valley Jazz Society and the arts community in metro Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley was second to none. Because of Mrs. Ragland’s contributions to the arts, countless residents and visitors have enjoyed and benefited from quality education and world-class entertainment.
Mrs. Ragland knew the value of youth being exposed to a variety of positive experiences. She served on my youth golf development initiatives including the Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development and The First Tee of Huntsville. On March 10, 2017, Mrs. Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland ended her journey on earth and passed into her heavenly home.
This was my 31st year of being a part of and presenting this annual event. A good jazz friend, Bob Baldwin, lately wrote that anyone who has been involved in anything for over 30 years deserves some type of acknowledgment, even if you have to pat yourself on the back.
There was true diversity at all of the events. For years Jazz-N-June Festival has been the most multicultural and diversified event in the Tennessee Valley, if not all of Alabama.
Loss of Huntsville Municipal Golf Course, MUNI
On June 22, 2017, the city council vote came in 4 -1, with 4 for closing the only Muni the city of Huntsville has ever known, and 1 for keeping the course open. After a few hours of being angry and annoyed, my emotions subsided from being lied to by politicians. I was able to think clearly and I could smell the corroded, corrupt, rotten and noxious stench of area government officials and politicians.
Due to the previous management not keeping the Muni golf course up to par, the city of Huntsville rightly terminated the agreement with the Management Group. The clubhouse and course needed some serious repairs, so the city paid a Nashville consultant group thousands of dollars to provide an assessment of the golf course and possible use of the land. Starting in October 2017, the city officials presented to the community the following options and scenario.
Due to the previous management not keeping the Muni golf course up to par, the city of Huntsville rightly terminated the agreement with the Management Group. The clubhouse and course needed some serious repairs, so the city paid a Nashville consultant group thousands of dollars to provide an assessment of the golf course and possible use of the land.
Starting in October 2017, the city officials presented to the community the following options and scenario:
With an investment of $2.25 million, the city would build a new clubhouse and pro shop and do major improvements to the course. The greens were already in good shape. With $1.25 million of taxpayer money, the city would develop another bike and walking trail. Facts—the City of Huntsville spent:
- $22M for a swimming pool
- $10M on soccer fields
City government officials and dark business interests created a scenario based on the past and worst case, that the golf course would lose money. There were no advocates at the table representing community golf interests to counteract. The golfing community was not organized, like the biking community. The bikers
City government officials and dark business interests created a scenario based on the past and worst case, that the golf course would lose money. There were no advocates at the table representing community golf interests to counteract. The golfing community was not organized, like the biking community.
The bikers
The bikers were organized and presented a proposal that gave the government officials an outlet and an excuse to vote against the golf course. The bikers won by proxy. Now that the dust has settled, the city has provided an incentive for TopGolf to be built in a certain councilman’s district—that councilman voted against the golf course. Now we see the city already had plans for the property other than a golf course. Even if the golfing community had a better plan than the bikers, there was already a foregone conclusion!
Now that the dust has settled, the city has provided an incentive for TopGolf to be built in a certain councilman’s district—that councilman voted against the golf course. Now we see the city already had plans for the property other than a golf course. Even if the golfing community had a better plan than the bikers, there was already a foregone conclusion!
Thomas Jackson
An old friend and business associate believe he has developed a training aid designed to improve putting and driving skills. While at the PGA show in Orlando this past 2017, I did a trial test of TATAG. A lady new to golf liked the aid and felt it would help her learn the game. Her husband, a golf professional, didn’t see a need for TATAG in his game. I reminded him the aid is designed for beginners and others to learn and improve their games.
This is some info on Thomas Jackson:
What is your name? Thomas C. Jackson
Where are you from? Huntsville, Alabama
What is your livelihood? Business owner
How long have you been around golf? Since 2005
Tell me about your invention.
The Target Alignment Training Aid Guide (TATAG) is designed to improve putting and driving skills by ball alignment.
What is it? An illustrated design that is used by a golfer to execute club past and position through the TATAG
What is the purpose? To improve golfers’ Putting, Driving, Fade and Draw swings which will result in lowering their scores.
How do you use it? By placing the TATAG in line to the target line
Who is it designed for? All levels of golfers
What gave you the idea to put your instructional aid together?
As a beginning golfer, I needed a training aid that would focus my skills to improve my handicap.
Tyler Hastie
It is always good seeing and/or hearing from former students. Since 2002 when I entered the golfing world, from Hook-A-Kid on Golf, to the Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development, to The First Tee of Huntsville, and now Par Excellence Youth Development (PEYD), I have been blessed to introduce over 2,500 youths to the wonderful game of golf.
I was able to help three participants in my programs achieve and receive scholarships to further their life development and education. On June 17, 2017 as I arrived at Colonial Golf Course in the Huntsville area, gathering my gear I heard a familiar voice saying, “Hey Mr. Bankhead!” I just happened to have parked my car next to Tyler Hastie, a former student I helped get a college scholarship. It was great seeing Tyler again and we plan on working together to help other kids the way I helped him.
Tyler Hastie (left) with Howard Bankhead, featured on the cover of Golf News magazine (2007), and together at Colonial Golf Course.
Howard Bankhead
“Anything positive is possible”
Par Excellence Youth Development
604 Jordan Lane Huntsville, AL 35816
USA Office/Cell 256.604.8172
Email hbankhead1@gmail.com
