Prior to leaving for a tournament, we review with our team the details of our travel and what they may expect upon arrival. I told them, we are going to Yeamans Hall, where we stay on site with all the teams for the entire four days. Just like the song Hotel California, "you can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave." A place back in time, where cell phones are not allowed on property, jeans are forbidden and proper respect for the hallowed ground is expected. The Cougar Classic is hosted by the College of Charleston and always boasts a field more common to an NCAA Regional Championship.
The tournament is held at one of the premier golf courses in the country, Yeamans Hall Club, a classic design by the famous golf course architect, Seth Raynor in 1929. To understand what our experience was like imagine the basketball team hosting a tournament in our infamous Rec Hall, as it was "back in the day". All the teams stay in West Halls or even Rec Hall itself. The teams gather to eat under a tent erected next to the Nittany Lion Inn, for all their meals. The first game starts at 8:00 a.m. and play is continuous through the last game at 7:00 p.m. That is not just one day of activity but times that by three. Not that anyone complains, we are all doing what we love! Yes, even love can sometimes wear you down.
The coaches live over the clubhouse and on the golf course, steps away from the driving range and first tee box. The team stayed in an iconic white cabin built in the 1920's equipped with a screen door that still slams shut. Thankfully they did have air conditioning, which I am sure was not something that was part of the original build. The character of these white wooden cabins still shined through with each room adorned with a fireplace and small porch, which speaks to the old southern charm one may expect when visiting Charleston, South Carolina. Floors creaked and the beds were built at a time when people must have been a lot smaller. The players would stroll twenty-five yards to the range from their cabin, affectionately named "The Magnolia Cottage". The grounds themselves are eerily dark at night and the Spanish moss hangs from the southern oak trees like a scene from a Hitchcock thriller. The quiet is deafening as there is no city traffic or lights, no television background noise, only the crawdads singing and the ubiquitous dragon flies, hovering in the evening sky.
There is no reason to leave, nor is there time. All our meals were prepared by the chefs at Yeamans Hall and served outside under a lighted tent, that appeared more fit for a wedding, with tables dressed in white linen, linen napkins, and beautiful rose flower bouquets on every table. Servers would gladly fill your glass with their southern sweet tea, as you helped yourself to the buffet. A buffet of southern hospitality greeted us, coleslaw of many varieties, shrimp on grits, salmon over rice, biscuits and of course fried chicken. Breakfast came with all the "meats" including my favorite, grilled kielbasa, along with a variety of fresh berries, eggs benedict, oatmeal and several carb choices. Going hungry was next to impossible. Of course, we had to be sure our lone freshman knew not to get to use to this, it's certainly not how every college tournament rolls. This is truly special.
Tournament day opens with a bagpiper emerging from the morning fog of the first fairway. A tribute to the roots of our time-honored sport. Players from all eighteen teams stand waiting for the bagpiper to reach the first tee where the crowd then sends out an applause of appreciation. The announcements are made, and players begin their procession out to their starting positions. A long day is in front of them with thirty-six holes of competition, yet none of that matters as they raise their hands to their teammates and set out to do what they do best! So begins the Cougar Classic, and so begins a collegiate experience that many will remember fondly for the rest of their lives. Yeamans Hall, a spiritual place, a memorable and treasured experience!
