Eighteen Aces
Rex Murray’s Remarkable Golfing Legacy
Words by Linley Allred | Image by Ryan McGill
"You know, this is the fourth swimming pool I've seen at Musgrove Country Club. I remember George Lindsey and Jerry Byars roughhousing on the old diving boards," Rex Murray reminisces, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia.
It's a warm, mid-June morning, and he reluctantly poses for a photo on the ninth tee, a spot etched in his memory for a remarkable hole-in-one.
"That's 18 holes-in-one in 81 years. I'm 89 now. Seventeen of them were here, and one at Timberlake in Calera," Rex shares, pride evident in his voice.
"What's with the eight-year dry spell?" I tease.
"Good question," he chuckles, the sound of a man who's enjoyed a lifetime of golf.
For Rex Murray, Musgrove Country Club is more than a golf course; it's a canvas for a life richly lived. Retired from AT&T for 34 years, Rex has dedicated countless hours to these greens, where memories and friendships blossom alongside the fairways.
"I caddied here in high school, back when there were no carts, just nine holes. I remember when we first got carts. They had three wheels, and you laid the bags horizontally in the back," Rex recalls.
On Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays after church), you'll find Rex on the course, often with his friend Bob Maddox. "Bob always drives the cart," Rex notes. "He's got as many holes-in-one here as I do. We figured out that with the distance of this course, we've driven around the Earth three times."
With more than 60 years as a member of Musgrove, Rex believes he's played more rounds here than anyone else. "Number Five, a par three, has given me the most holes-in-one. Number 15 is also a par three, but it's a long one, and I haven't scored a hole-in-one there yet."
"Is Number Fifteen your white whale?" I ask, and Rex laughs heartily, a sound filled with the warmth of countless memories.
When I inquire about the feeling of getting a hole-in-one, he says, "It happens too fast. It's not a feeling, just a lot of luck. You can sense a good shot, but you never know until it rolls in."
As we tour the course, Rex shares stories from his three terms as Men's Golf Association president and his two stints on the country club board. He talks about the changes legendary golfer Jerry Pate made in 1990, including a new watering system and the introduction of bentgrass. "Our course is the southernmost to have bentgrass, which is more common up north. Our greens are in the best shape ever."
Here's to hoping those pristine greens help Mr. Rex Murray achieve his 19th hole-in-one and another trip around the Earth in his golf cart. 78