J.C. Snead Scholarship

Jesse Carlyle “J.C.” Snead was born and raised in Hot Springs, Virginia, and was a stand-out three-sport athlete.

He played football, basketball and baseball at Bath County High school, then played junior college football at Carson Newman until a knee injury would push him toward baseball. He then attended East Tennessee State University on a baseball scholarship where he would make it to the professional level of play with the Washington Senators.

J.C. took up golf in his early twenties and enjoyed a very successful career after joining the PGA Tour in 1968. Snead won eight tournaments on the PGA Tour, four on the Champions tour, five times on the Senior Tour—where he beat Jack Nicklaus in a sudden death playoff. He was a member of the 1971, ‘73 and ‘75 Ryder Cup teams, and in 2003, Snead was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

J.C.’s love of the Virginia Highlands, the people who live here, and knowing that opportunity and hard work can provide a full and rewarding life, motivated the establishment of this Scholarship Program.

We, the board of the VHYGA, are honored to name our scholarship after J.C. Snead to highlight and recognize his contribution to our success of this growing Youth Golf Academy!

The J.C. Snead Academic Scholarship is an annual scholarship renewable for up to four years and eligibility is open to any graduating senior in the Highlands area.