Hudson honored at Musgrove
From Daily Mountain Eagle
BEN HAMILTON
Eagle Sports Writer
Published November 09, 2002 11:08 PM CST
Last month, people gathered at Musgrove Country Club to honor Travis Hudson with a portrait of himself doing what he has devoted a large majority of his life toward -- teaching others.
Scott Drummond, a longtime friend and former golf student of Hudson's, commissioned an artist in North Carolina to paint the portrait and members of the gathering surprised Hudson by hanging the picture in the foyer at Musgrove.
"It was one of the few times they have ever pulled one on me," said Hudson, who served as the pro golf instructor at Musgrove for 27 years before retiring in 1991.
Drummond also gave a speech on Hudson's behalf. He closed his speech by looking at Hudson and saying, "I know that I speak for all the boys at this table when I say that we see the kind of man we would like to become."
Hudson began his career at Musgrove in 1964, but has been affiliated with the country club much longer than that.
He grew up in the New Prospect community, where he was one of 11 children, and went to Farmstead elementary school. His grandfather, Tommy Scruggs, originally built Musgrove and was the first manager and caretaker at the Country Club.
Hudson graduated high school from Curry, where he was the quarterback for the football team, point guard for the basketball team, and split time at shortstop and second base on the baseball team.
He later returned to Curry and served as the head football and basketball coach for 12 years. His basketball teams managed to reach the state playoffs five of the 12 years he was coach.
That was after graduating college from the University of Alabama, where he received degrees in industrial arts, physical education and school administration.
Hudson also spent 27 years of his life in the military. He was in the U.S. Army for five years and the National Guard Reserves for three. The rest of his military career was spent in the Army Reserves.
He was involved in military intelligence dispatching and reached the rank of major before retiring. He even saw action in World War II.
He was named Alabama's state golf champion five times and once finished in the top 25 of the U.S. Senior Open in Wingfoot, N.Y. in 1980.
Hudson does his part in giving back to the community in many different ways. One of these ways in by annually hosts a golf clinic at the Curry Driving Range for underprivileged children.
Every year Musgrove hosts a tournament called the Travis Hudson Invitational, which goes to benefit the AHA (American Heart Association). The tournament is held in his honor partly due to the fact that Hudson received a heart transplant 13 years ago.
For the last 27 years, Hudson has also been able to assist in providing from one to five scholarships for high school students to the University of Alabama or Auburn University.
Hudson's love for golf is matched only by his love for his family.
He has been married to Mae Hudson for 56 years now and his family has grown to five children and six grandchildren. His sons are Tab Hudson, Steve Hudson and Philip Hudson. Pam Hudson and Susan Nolan are his daughters.
Tab and Steve Hudson both graduated and played golf at Alabama while Philip played for Auburn, where he graduated.
Hudson now spends a lot of his time either with his family or playing golf at Musgrove.
"I am pretty lucky to have my kids and my wife put up with me for as long as they have," joked Hudson. "I love to spend time with my grandchildren too. They are a big part of my life now."
Hudson has spent his entire life playing golf and says his favorite course would have to be Dornich, which is in Scotland. "Whenever you play at Dornich, you have to have respect for how beautiful and natural everything is," added Hudson. "It gives you chill bumps just being out there. The only other place that can even compare with Dornich would have to be St. Andrews."
St. Andrews is also in Scotland and sometimes hosts the British Open.
Even after having players like current PGA Tour member Jerry Pate serve as a caddy for him earlier in his life, Hudson says his fondest memory would have to be giving Paul "Bear" Bryant golf lessons in 1982.
When questioned about what kind of advice he would give to young, inspiring golfers, Hudson simply said, "Just play to enjoy the game. No one has ever mastered the game before, not even Tiger Woods, so just play to enjoy it. You have to remember, though, that with God, nothing is impossible, without God, nothing is worthwhile."
