Layne grew up in Moultrie, Ga., where the game of golf became a big part of his life at an early age. At age 12, he held a part-time job maintaining the driving range at Sunset Country Club. After graduating from Moultrie High School, Layne attended LaGrange College and helped start the collegiate golf team where he was the number one player for three years. He earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1974.
In 1987, Layne joined the Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) in Marietta as its first Tournament Director. He was quickly elevated to Senior Director of Rules and Competitions and remained in that role for over 30 years. In 1989 he became a Certified Rules Official for the United States Golf Association and served as Official in Charge at over 250 GSGA competitions and hundreds of qualifying rounds for USGA national championships.
On the national level, Williams served on the Rules Committee of approximately 60 USGA Championships, including several U.S. Open Championships, U.S. Amateur Championships, U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships, and many others. He conducted GSGA/Georgia PGA Rules of Golf Workshops every year since 1988, and taught more than 120 Rules of Golf Seminars. He also published numerous articles in industry publications, including Golf Georgia and Through the Green magazines.
In 2015, Layne received the USGA’s Ike Grainger Award, recognizing 25 years of volunteer service. He was a 2016 inductee into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. LaGrange College honored him in 2018 with the Shackelford Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes professional accomplishments, community service and personal commitment to the mission of LaGrange College.
In March, the C. Layne Williams Endowed Scholarship was announced under the GSGA Foundation's Yates Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to employees and their dependents at GSGA Member Clubs. A unique characteristic of the GSGA Foundation Endowed Scholarship Program is that it permanently links the honoree with golf, youth and education.
Despite his vast knowledge of the game and its rules, Layne truly believed that golf’s biggest asset was its people. As he stated in his final article for Golf Georgia magazine, the upcoming May/June issue, “Once you make an acquaintance through golf, you have a friend for life.” Layne shared special bonds with the many volunteers that helped the GSGA staff conduct competitions. Another part of his job was leading teams of Georgia amateur golfers in annual interstate competitions. The team concept and camaraderie of those events was something he relished every season. Layne particularly enjoyed the time he spent with junior golfers that grew up playing in Georgia. As those players graduated from the junior ranks, Layne continued to follow their college and professional careers with a tremendous sense of pride.
Although his career centered around golf competitions, Layne simply wanted people to enjoy the game, regardless of their skill level. He stated in his Georgia Golf Hall of Fame acceptance speech that “golf is not a game, it is a way of life.” Layne’s knowledge, guidance and enthusiasm for the sport led to countless people across the country learning to appreciate, understand and love the game of golf. And those were his “friends for life.”
For as much as Layne gave to the game of golf, he enjoyed his family and friends just as much off the course.
Layne is survived by his wife, Teresa Clark Williams and many beloved family members.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. James Thornton Williams and Jane McLaughlin Williams, brothers James Richard Williams and Clark Thornton Williams.
A Celebration of Life Service is planned for Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at 11:00 AM followed by a reception at Dunwoody Baptist Church, Dunwoody Ga.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the C. Layne Williams Endowed Scholarship Fund at https://www.gsga.org/support/scholarships/donate-to-the-foundation/ , noting in the comment box that the donation is for Layne Williams.
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