Join Burnette Nobles Fund in Making a Difference

The Burnette Nobles Golf Tournament is one of the longest continuous running charity golf tournament in the area. The first golf tournament was held in 1994 as a community event to honor two fallen police officers John Burnette and Andy Nobles. The first tournament was held at the 9-hole Revolution Golf Course. All of the funds raised from the event were used to start the Burnette Nobles Fund which supports causes John and Andy held in the hearts, community, youth, and their brothers and sisters on the force. The Burnette Nobles Golf Tournament grew the second year and moved to the nearby Renaissance Park Golf Course, an 18-hold public golf course. Over the next few years, the tournament grew so much that a second shogun was added in the afternoon. The community would not let the memory of John and Andy go and neither would their fellow officers. The business community stepped up with donations and sponsorships of the tournament. Community members, many of whom lived in the very communities that John and Andy served volunteered at the tournament, serving meals, and greeting the golfers. This tournament would not have survived if it was for our dedicated volunteers. 

The Burnette Nobles Golf Tournament is much more than golf! The BBQ lunch has been a big  attraction, drawing in hundreds of non-golfers to the tournament. In the early days, Professional Golfer James Black, cooked BBQ chicken for the golfers and community members. Moving onto BBQ, the World-Famous James Black BBQ was the meal of choice for our golfers and community supporters. It was important that the tournament be about more than golf or raising money, from it’s inception, the tournament has been about community and keeping John and Andy’s memories alive.

The Burnette Nobles Golf Tournament left Renaissance Park Golf Course for more luxurious private courses in the Charlotte area. The Tournament has moved around from year to year to give our golfers the ability to compete on different courses, but for the same purpose, keeping the memory of John and Andy alive. Many of our golfers’ brag about never having missed playing in a single Burnette Nobles Tournament. 

The families of John Burnette and Andy Nobles have been and continue to be a big part of the tournament. Unfortunately, since the inception of the tournament, several of their family members have passed away. Andy Nobles parents Bobby and Betty Nobles have both passed away, but never missed a tournament. Bobby Nobles would not miss the opportunity to talk to every golfer and wanted to know how everyone’s family was doing. Greg Nobles, the son of Bobby and Betty and the brother of Andy Nobles now represents the Nobles Family at every tournament. John Burnette’s father Tommy Burnette played in every tournament up until he passed away in 2022 at the age of 74. John’s mother Trish Norkett is alive and well, never missing a tournament and the opportunity to sell golfers some raffle tickets!