Spring at Greystone brings everything into focus.
The courses are pristine and the Founders Course is tournament-ready for the Regions Tradition, which arrives at the tail end of April this year. The beautiful thing for Greystone Members is that the Legacy Course is safely tucked away for them and their guests to enjoy during tournament week. Temperatures climb into the 70s, perfect for afternoon rounds. And families who've spent winter indoors rediscover what makes 36 holes of championship golf more than just a nice amenity.
It's the difference between merely having two courses and fully understanding how those courses shape daily life here.
Golf creates space for connection that few other activities match. Marty DiClemente, who won the inaugural Father-Son Tournament with his son Braden, puts it simply: "You're looking at four hours of just dad and the kids, unmitigated, nonstop. There's not much outside that's going on. We're in the cart together, hanging out together, talking about the sport together. A lot of sports don't give you that one-on-one time."
Over twenty years of playing together at Greystone, those four-hour blocks built something more valuable than tournament wins. They created a partnership where advice flows both directions, where teaching moments happen naturally, and where life lessons emerge between holes. Living near the Legacy Course made practice sessions spontaneous rather than scheduled, golf woven into the rhythm of family life.
Spring amplifies this pattern. When courses are in peak condition, and the weather cooperates, families naturally gravitate to Founders and Legacy. Having access to two championship layouts means tee times open up, groups can play at their own pace, and golf becomes a genuine option on Sunday mornings or weekday afternoons.
Parker Milam, Player Development Instructor at Blackburn Golf Academy, sees spring as the ideal season for junior development. His February match play series introduces younger players to competition without the pressure of formal tournaments. "We kind of have the golf course to ourselves," Parker explains. "They get comfortable out here. They learn that golf can be fun while they're competing."
By the time spring arrives, those same juniors are ready for the eight-week Player Development Program that Parker and fellow instructor Glenn lead starting in March. The progression from playful introduction to structured development happens naturally when the foundation emphasizes fun over immediate results.
"I love seeing someone improve," Parker says about what drives him as an instructor. "I love to be a part of someone improving. I love to see someone just hit a golf shot and they're like, ‘wow, that was awesome.’ Bringing fun back to a game where it can sometimes be frustrating."
That philosophy shapes everything from how classes are structured to how the Performance Center operates. Junior golfers work on their games using the same technology PGA Tour professionals use, but the emphasis stays on development rather than outcomes, on building skills that will serve players for decades rather than winning tournaments next month.
Having two championship courses creates tangible benefits that reveal themselves most clearly in spring. Leonard Thompson, a PGA Tour veteran who played over 1,070 Tour events, chose Greystone partly because both courses "accommodate golfers of every skill level," he explains. "It's difficult enough for the good players to have a challenge. And it's also easy enough from the forward tees that the average golfer can have a good day."
That balance matters when families on the course include multiple generations and skill levels. Grandparents introducing grandchildren to golf have different challenges than college players sharpening their tournament games. Spring weather makes both scenarios more common, and having Founders and Legacy means both groups find what they need.
The recently renovated Legacy Course, updated with fresh bunkers, tees, and greens, offers one of the finest short-game facilities in the country. Founders provides the backdrop for the Regions Tradition, one of five major championships on the PGA Tour Champions. Between them, players experience variety that keeps golf interesting year after year.
When courses are in pristine condition and temperatures hover in that sweet spot between jacket and short sleeves, golf reveals why families build lifestyles around the game. The four hours together that Marty DiClemente values. The improvement moments that Parker Milam celebrates. The skill-appropriate challenges that Leonard Thompson appreciates. The spontaneous practice sessions that happen when courses are five minutes from home.
The Regions Tradition brings PGA Tour Champions and international attention each May. But the real tradition happens every spring day when families make their way to Founders or Legacy, finding their own experience on courses designed to welcome everyone while challenging the best.
Mark Blackburn and the Blackburn Golf Academy staff have built junior programs that serve beginners through advanced competitive players. The Performance Center offers technology that helps golfers of all ages improve. Two championship courses provide options that matter most when everyone wants to be outside.
Spring at Greystone doesn't last forever. The courses will be here year-round, the programs will continue through every season, but there's something about spring that brings it all into a renewed focus. Perfect conditions. Ideal temperatures. Families rediscovering the game together.
That's when the value of 36 holes of championship golf becomes most clear. That's when four hours together on a course creates what nothing else quite can.