Lew Conner, a unifying force in Tennessee golf, passes away at 87

Tennessee golf has lost one of its most influential and unifying figures.

Lew Conner, whose leadership helped shape the cooperative culture that has guided the game across the state for decades, passed away on Sunday at the age of 87. A 2010 inductee into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame, Conner served as chairman of the Tennessee Golf Foundation and as a longtime director and president of the Tennessee Golf Association.

“When it comes to the cooperative culture that Tennessee golf is known for, Lew was probably the single most important person in getting us to where we are today,” said Dick Horton, who served as executive director of the Tennessee PGA Section and the Tennessee Golf Association from 1973 to 2007 and as president of the Tennessee Golf Foundation from 1991 to 2018.

Conner’s most enduring legacy was his central role in strengthening and unifying the organizations that govern and grow golf in Tennessee. In the early 1970s, when both the Tennessee Golf Association (TGA) and the Tennessee PGA Section faced financial and structural challenges, Conner helped bring the two groups together under a joint operating framework. Drawing on his legal expertise, credibility within the golf community, and exceptional ability to build consensus, he forged an agreement that ensured long-term stability and cooperation between Tennessee’s amateur and professional golf leaders—an agreement that remains in place today.

“Lew was legal counsel for the TPGA and served on the TGA board at the same time,” Horton recalled. “He played golf at Richland Country Club with (TPGA board member) Joe Taggert, and between those two, the wheels really started turning.”

“At the time, the TGA and TPGA didn’t really care for one another,” Horton added. “There was competition and distrust. But Lew was as good a negotiator and mediator as there was in the Southeast. His saying was always, ‘If it’s good for Tennessee golf, we’ll do it. We don’t care who gets the credit.’”

That historic partnership laid the foundation for another lasting contribution: the creation of the Tennessee Golf Foundation. A founding force behind the organization, Conner envisioned it as a permanent, tax-exempt entity dedicated to junior golf, amateur championships, player development, and statewide initiatives. His leadership and persistence shaped a Foundation that continues to serve as the backbone of Tennessee golf programming, with an emphasis on juniors, veterans, and underserved communities.

Jim Seabury, current Chairman of the Tennessee Golf Foundation Board of Directors, credited Conner as the driving influence behind his involvement in Tennessee golf many years ago.

“Lew truly encouraged me to step into a greater leadership role with the Tennessee Golf Foundation, and I eventually took his seat on the board long before becoming chairman,” Seabury said. “Men like Lew Conner, Toby Wilt, and Bill Greene had an extraordinary impact not only on me, but on the game of golf throughout our state. Beyond that, Lew was a dear friend, and he will be deeply missed.”

Conner remained a guiding presence during the Foundation’s formative years, helping shape its governance, mission, and financial structure. His insistence on accountability and sustainability ensured the organization could responsibly manage resources while expanding opportunities for golfers of all ages and backgrounds.

“Lew was a towering figure who led our game in Tennessee for many years,” said Whit Turnbow, current president of the Tennessee Golf Foundation. “His leadership and support played a vital role in bringing us to where we are today, and we are honored that The Little Course at Conner Lane will forever stand as a tribute to his legacy.”

Within the Tennessee Golf Association, Conner was regarded as both a steady hand and a forward-thinking leader. He began serving as a TGA director in 1966 and later served as president from 1984-85. Throughout his tenure, he championed modernization while preserving the traditions and integrity of amateur golf, strengthening the Association’s championships, handicapping systems, and member services.

Today, the three governing bodies Conner helped unify (the TGA, TPGA, and TGF) are housed together at Golf House Tennessee, located at The Little Course at Conner Lane. The nine-hole par-three course and state-of-the-art practice facility welcomes thousands of junior golfers each year and stands as a living legacy of Conner’s commitment to access, development, and the future of the game.

“Mr. Conner represented everything the Tennessee Golf Association stands for,” said TGA Executive Director Allison Brown. “We mourn his passing, but we will continue to honor his legacy through the future actions of the Association.”

Beyond his administrative leadership, Conner was an accomplished amateur golfer. He was named the 1973 Tennessee Player of the Year, selected to 20 Tennessee Challenge Cup teams, and won multiple state titles. A Chattanooga native, he captured the 1975 TGA Four-Ball with Ed Brantley and the 1995 TGA Senior Four-Ball with Joe Faison.

Through decades of service, Conner ensured that Tennessee golf was not only preserved but positioned to thrive. His leadership fostered a culture of collaboration that became a model for other states and created opportunities for thousands of players.

“I was saddened to hear of Lew Conner’s passing,” said current TGA president Kevin Teeters. “I remember my first TGA board meeting sitting beside him and listening to his stories. He was a tremendous asset to the Association for many decades.”

Born in 1938 and raised in Chattanooga, Conner learned the game at Brainerd Golf Course while attending McCallie School. He did not grow up in a country club environment, a point he often noted with humility. A knee injury that ended his baseball pursuits led him to golf, a turning point that shaped his life.

Conner enrolled at Vanderbilt University in 1956, played on the Commodores’ men’s golf team from 1957 to 1960, and earned two degrees. His bond with Vanderbilt endured throughout his life, and he later became one of the university’s most influential athletic benefactors. In 2005, Vanderbilt dedicated the Lew Conner Short Game Practice Facility at Vanderbilt Legends Club in his honor.

Professionally, Conner was a highly respected Nashville attorney who practiced law for more than four decades. He served on the Tennessee Court of Appeals from 1980 to 1984 and later as special chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. His legal career was matched by deep civic involvement, including leadership roles with the National Commodore Club, the Music City Bowl, and the Nashville Sports Council.

In recognition of his extraordinary service, Conner was inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2002, he was the inaugural recipient of the Society of Tennessee Golfers’ Person of the Year Award.

Above all, Lew Conner was a devoted family man, loyal friend, and passionate advocate for golf and education. His legacy lives on in the strength of Tennessee golf, the success of Vanderbilt athletics, and the countless lives he influenced through quiet leadership, wisdom, and grace.