Jerry Harmon is he really gone?

[Stan McDaniel]

I heard a rumor today that Jerry Harmon had passed away today. Jeez, I hope that rumor is false. If anyone has some knowledge relating to this please post or pm me if that would be more appropriate. He is a great guy and I hope the rumors of his early demise prove to be false.

 

[digital]

have seen a couple posts on facebook this morning and would guess it sad but true.

i didn't really know the man but heard great things. and saw him drain a 60 footer to the steep rock green on #1 at sugaree to win a playoff against my team and another. nasty.

 

[curveball4]

Looks like it is unfortunately true. Here is the home page of the local Kingsport club
http://lakefrontdiscgolf.com/old_site/home.html

 

[Halcón]

Sorry to hear that he passed. Since I have no idea who he was, maybe those who knew him could share who he was, and what he meant to them.

 

[curveball4]

Without doing a huge write up, Jerry was one of the nicest, most welcoming people I ever met. Harmon Hills was his baby, maybe the best course in TN:
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3840

He loved the game & welcomed all onto his private property to get their butts handed to them. I've only played there once but it was the funnest time I ever had getting my arse beat! But more importantly Jerry was a great man, actually his entire family was awesome. They treated everyone like family, my first trip I felt like I'd been there a million times. Simply said just great, friendly, down to earth people. Jerry will be missed

 

[tallpaul]

I was fortunate to meet Jerry and family for the first time this spring and agree with all the above posted.

 

[Dave242]

I did not know Jerry well personally, but knew him from all the tournaments in Charlotte he would show up to....usually with his family in tow. His kids are around the same age as mine (elementary/middleschool age now), so that was a fun connection and he and his wife would always make a point of seeking me out and saying hi. Jerry is a genuine, down to earth, friendly guy who was a treat to play with the few rounds that I had the opportunity to do so as a fellow MPM. He was well known for playing shirtless as much as he could. He totally embodied the "old school" spirit of disc golf that I have enjoyed so much over the years. I am very saddened to hear of his passing.

 

[ian.]

dont know him but always sad to hear someone pass that has done so much for the sport i love.. rip and best wishes to his family/friends

 

[rd.bittle]

Never met him but sad to hear about a great representative of DG passing.

 

[gcanter2376]

The great Jerry Harmon

I had the pleasure to meet jerry for the first time this year. It was the day he opened up holes 19-27 and i drew Jerry as my doubles partner. By hole #2 it felt like we had been friends for years. As great as his course is he was a better man. Genuinely nice guy. Welcomed everyone to come play anytime. Words cant really touch who he was. He was an east TN disc golf icon and his course is iconic as well. My heart goes out to his family. They are wonderful people and i know jerry is watching over them now. I count it a privilege to have known the great Jerry Harmon. You will be missed buddy.

 

[curveball4]

I had the pleasure to meet jerry for the first time this year. It was the day he opened up holes 19-27 and i drew Jerry as my doubles partner. By hole #2 it felt like we had been friends for years. As great as his course is he was a better man. Genuinely nice guy. Welcomed everyone to come play anytime. Words cant really touch who he was. He was an east TN disc golf icon and his course is iconic as well. My heart goes out to his family. They are wonderful people and i know jerry is watching over them now. I count it a privilege to have known the great Jerry Harmon. You will be missed buddy.

I think I was there the same day. I was with 3 other guys & we played the original 18 & then across the road for the new 9. I was teamed with one of my buddies but Jerry, Captain Jack, & Aaron (I think, younger guy that helped Jerry, was teamed up with Bubba, Jerry's son) played dubs & had a great time. Definitely a privilege to meet the Harmon family

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

'Chisel'

I first met Jerry at a local doubles tourney at Richmond Hill a few years ago. He was playing shirtless (as was his style) & he was cut. He went by the nickname 'chisel' so you know how he was built. When I first saw him I said to myself "who is this quiet, old guy"? But after watching him lace a few fairways & park more than a few drives I instantly had a lot more respect for him. What I gained from him was his calm approach to the game & the way he would keep his eye on the target for almost the entire throw. I believe this contributed to his accuracy (he never took his eyes off the target). He was very quiet but when he did talk he was very warm & friendly. Like others who have posted here he was a genuinely nice man & he made you feel like an old friend even after just meeting him. He had recently recovered from a heart attack but seemed to have recovered well & to be in good health despite that major setback. He'll be throwin' at the big basket in the sky from here on out! R.I.P.

 

[DavidSauls]

Sorry to hear that he passed. Since I have no idea who he was, maybe those who knew him could share who he was, and what he meant to them.

Jerry was a long-time fixture on the tournament scene. His PDGA number is in the 7000s and, especially before he built his private course, you'd see him everywhere, and I mean everywhere, within a couple hundred miles of his home.

I never played with him and just knew him in passing.....and by reputation, which was a very good player who was in good spirits no matter how he was playing that day.

 

[jrod17320]

Harmon the Legend

This guy was in every way one of the nicest most pleasant human beings you will ever come across. If you have not played Harmon Hills then you are missing out on one of the premier private disc golf courses in the Eastern US. The work he put into his course was evident, it was a labor of love. He was awesome to play with and putted with the Whamo 86's friggin awesome. It is a very sad day to hear of his passing and I know that he will be missed greatly.

 

[chrishysell]

Oh the stories he used to tell me. I last saw him standing outside the restrooms during the finals at Hornets Nest. He was waiting on his kids. We gave each other some crap just like the old days. We shook hands as we always did. I'll miss that guy.

 

[JLudlam]

Wow, what a shock. My wife & I went to Harmon Hills for a weekend earlier this summer. As above posters have said, he welcomed all like family. Godspeed...

 

[DSCJNKY]

I was at Harmon Hills yesterday... playing a round with his 6-year old son, Bubba, and some friends.

Jerry was riding his tractor, mowing the fairways, getting prepped for the tournament this weekend. I waved in passing and he was all smiles... as he always was.

I LOVED Jerry Harmon. Like everyone else said, he was the most welcoming person I have ever met. Truly one of the greatest people on earth. I will miss his company dearly.

I have asked TimG to remove Harmon Hills from the course directory, as the course will be closed for some time... if not forever. Harmon Hills was my favorite course out of the near 200 I have played.

Today SUCKS.

Going to miss you Jerry. With LOVE, your friend,
Jason / DSCJNKY

 

[_MTL_]

I was shocked when I heard the news.

I've played a lot of golf with Jerry over the years. He and I have done some serious batteling in Western NC and especially at Earlewood. Such a great fun guy to throw a round with. Man that dude could putt. Softie 86!

Rough day for sure...

When people pass no matter how many things people didn't like about someone, you only hear the good. I literally have never heard a bad thing said about the man and I've never had a bad experience from him. Never. Saw him in Charlotte and he was normal smiling self. I asked him about his kids and then we chatted about his week.

One of my favorite stories from him was at a USDGC. You see, Jerry NEVER wore a shirt unless he had to. Never. And for years, when the PDGA was a lot less slack, the guy was never in a shirt at tournaments. I mean never. And Harold was discussing the dress code for USDGC and called Jerry up and gave him a shirt to wear for the week. So funny.

Crappy crappy day. We lost a great guy in the sport and I lost someone I called a friend.

 

[biscoe]

RIP Jerry- a nicer guy you will never find.

 

[_MTL_]

And I also believe that it was Jerry Harmon that beat Billy Crump in a playoff once - when Jerry aced the first hole of the playoff. Man what a tough day.