The Gibbs Memorial Open Champion
Prior to the 1992 tournament held at Little Fishing Creek in Milledgville, GA it was determined by the Board of Directors that if the tournament was to grow more people would need to be invited. The problem was protecting the sanctity of the Billie Plaque and the Louise Cup for the original eight, yet providing other golfers something to shoot for. Thus, the "Open Champion Trophy" was established. The Open Champion Trophy is awarded each year to the golfer who shoots the lowest 2-day total score in the tournament. All golfers are qualified for this trophy. Jeff Slocum was the first Open Champion in 1992.
Gibbs Memorial Champion
The Billie Plaque is awarded each year to the golfer who shoots the lowest 2-day total score in the tournament and meets the following criteria:
- -One of the "Original 8" or a direct descendant of the "Original 8" OR Has played in the tournament for 6 years
- -Has a tournament handicap of 9 or higher
The Jack Gibbs Memorial Senior Champion
"The Rising Star"
The Jack Gibbs "Rising Star" Senior Plaque is in memory of one of the "Original 8" and beloved brother, father, uncle and friend of the tournament golfers, Jack Gibbs. It is awarded to the golfer who shoots the lowest 2-day total in the tournament and meets the following criteria:
-Is at least 50 years old
-AND One of the "Original 8" or a direct descendant of the "Original 8" OR Has played in the tournament for 6 years
-Has a tournament handicap of 9 or higher
-Is at least 50 years old
-AND One of the "Original 8" or a direct descendant of the "Original 8" OR Has played in the tournament for 6 years
-Has a tournament handicap of 9 or higher
The Louise Cup "Weezy"
The Louise Cup is in honor of Paul's mama, Louise, and is awarded each year to the golfer who shoots the highest 2-day total in the tournament and meets the following criteria:
- -One of the "Original 8" or a direct descendant of the "Original 8" OR Has played in the tournament for 6 years
- -Has a tournament handicap of 9 or higher
Jeff Slocum Senior Open
The Jeff Slocum Senior Open award is named after Dr. Jeff Slocum, a dear friend of the Gibbs family until his passing in 2012. Jeff first played in the Billie Gibbs Tournament in 1991 and was a frequent winner of the Billie Open. This award was created when the Original 8 and friends had a hard time competing for The Open Championship due to the rising young talent. This award was perfectly named for Jeff, who was the consummate competitor and had a fierce passion for the game of golf. The Jeff Slocum award helps carry on his legacy through The Billie’s tradition of family bonding and gamesmanship. All golfers over 50 are eligible.
Hoyt Washington Super Senior Champion
Hoyt Washington grew up in Alabama where he graduated from Auburn University. He began his career as a basketball coach and eventually went in to administration. He moved to Milledgeville in 1991 as superintendent of Baldwin County. He started playing golf in his teens and fell in love with the game. He met Bill Gibbs the director of recreation in Baldwin County and they became best friends and played golf twice a week. He immediately started playing in the Billie with his tournament being held at Little Fishing Creek Golf Course in Milledgeville. He played in the Billie for many years and eventually moved back to the Birmingham area after his retirement. He is currently 86 and until just recently was a weekly player with men from his church. Although Hoyt had his doctor's degree and all professionals and people of the community called him Dr. Washington he always preferred to be just called Hoyt by all the Gibbs,Registers & those playing in the Billie.
All golfers over 70 are eligible.
All golfers over 70 are eligible.
The Duane Camps Memorial Low Net Plaque
The Duane Camps Low Net Plaque is in memory of long time participant and Open Champion, Duane Camps. The Low Net Plaque is awarded to the golfer with the lowest 2-day total score, net of his established tournament handicap. Each golfer's handicap is calculated by averaging the golfer's last 2 previous Billie tournament rounds. First time golfers are "assigned" handicaps by Roman-style vote after a handicap "plea" at the Pre-tournament meeting held Thursday night. All golfers are eligible.
The Robert Rochelle 2-Man Plaque
The Robert Rochelle 2-Man Plaque is in memory of past participant and friend and co-worker of John Gibbs, Robert Rochelle. Robert was the first employee hired by Gibbs & Register and had played in the tournament for several years. We were all saddend by his sudden death in an automobile accident in 2002. The 2-Man Plaque is awarded to the 2-man team that shoots a combine low total score on the 2nd day. The teams are established after the 1st round by placing the leader after day 1 with the highest score after day 1, then the 2nd low score after day 1 with the 2nd highest score after day 1, etc. All golfers are eligible.
The Whiner
During the playing of the 1997 Billie Tournament several players noticed there was a lot of grumbling and whining going on. The after the tournament was over there seemed to be one player the was consistently whining all day. So the Board of Directors made a quick decision during the awards ceremony to announce they were going to recognize the biggest whiner during the tournament. That award went to Jeff Slocum. The next year it carried over until finally in 2002 the Board of Directors decided an official committee needed to be set up. The qualifications for serving on the committee were simple: you had to be a past whiner winner, so with that said and done, Jeff Slocum, Duane Camps, Eulin Gibbs, John Gibbs, Bill Bodenweber and Danny Hamilton formed the first official committee.
The Comeback Kid
Each year the tournament has grown and new players were coming into the tournament. In an effort to give everyone something to shoot for a new award was established in 2003. Every golfer understands the frustration of having a bad 1st round and feeling like he's out of contention with nothing left to shoot for on the 2nd day. Thus "The Comeback Kid" was created for the golfer cuts the most strokes from his score on day two as compared to day one. Randy Townsend in Macclenny, FL at the Pineview Golf Course was the first winner of this award.
The Fade Award
Although the purpose of having a lot of different awards is so that everyone always has something to shoot for, not everything in life is positive and neither is golf. Someone is always talking smack after day one thinking "These boys haven't even seen my best yet, I'll probably go low tomorrow" and then he suddenly gets bit in the rear by the course on the 2nd day. Instead of shining, he just fades away. The Fade Award (originally called the Lose It Award) is given to the golfer that gives up the most strokes on his score from day one to day two.
Rex Huffman 404?
For every winner, there is also a loser. Some newbie to the game of golf always gets suckered into playing his 1st official golf tournament at the Billie. The Billie has been graced with many such men over the years. In 2003, the "High Man" award was established for the golfer that has the highest two-day total for the tournament. Matt Ellison was the first recipient with a score of 247. Formerly known as "The High Man" award, the name was changed in 2005 to the "Rex Huffman 404" to honor the achievement of the highest score ever recorded in the history of the Tournament. If ever a man tops that historic feat, the award will be renamed after that person and etched permanently in the record books.
Note: Upon inspection of records in 2021, it was discovered that Rex Huffman's score might have been 402, or 400, or 408. The records are unclear, so we decided to just average all of the scores to keep the 404.
Note: Upon inspection of records in 2021, it was discovered that Rex Huffman's score might have been 402, or 400, or 408. The records are unclear, so we decided to just average all of the scores to keep the 404.
The Hack-A-Matic
The Hack-A-Matic is awarded each year to the golfer who has the highest score over par on any one hole in the tournament. The one thing a guy wanting to learn the game doesn't want to hear is, "hey you're a hacker." In 1992 the "Hack-A-Matic" award was established. Jerry Milligan of Moutrie, GA put to rest the fears of the all marginal golfers by taking a 13 on the par 4 first hole of the tournament, thus earning this most daunting award.
The Dapper Dan
The Dapper Dan Best Dressed Awarded is given to the "Best Dressed" golfer on day 2 of the tournament. The tournament ladies get together and select the best dressed golfer each year by process of elimination. All golfers are eligible.
Individual Hole Awards
-Closest to the pin
-Longest drive
-Straightest drive
-Longest putt
-Longest drive
-Straightest drive
-Longest putt
