The Charles Schwab Challenge honors the history of golf by using an official Scottish royal tartan plaid jacket for its champions and top committee chairmen. This practice began at the 1952 event. The following year a tradition began which featured hometown boy Byron Nelson always hitting the first ball of each tournament, this lasting until his final appearance in 1966. During this time Ben Hogan always had the honor of starting the event in a featured pairing that included the defending champion.

Another tradition feeding Colonial history is the beautiful Wall of Champions on the first tee. Engraved with the name and score of each champion dating back to the 1941 U.S. Open, the marble display casts a reverence over the start of any player's round. Many will spend several minutes gazing at the wall, and reviewing the long list of the game's greatest: Hogan, Snead, Boros, Casper , Palmer, Trevino, Watson, Nicklaus, Crenshaw, Price, etc. The Wall was first erected in 1975 prior to the Players Championship held here that year. Originally designed to hold 50 champions, it was expanded in the 1990s to accommodate 100 winners.

Each champion’s name also appears on the tall and impressive Leonard Trophy, which resides year round at the club, and bears the name of all winners dating back to 1946. The trophy was created for the 1949 tournament, which was cancelled due to a monstrous flood that swamped the entire city the week before. Thus it made its debut at the 1950 championship one year later. When the champion returns to defend his title the following year, he is honored at the annual Champions Dinner with a small replica Leonard Trophy, featuring a silver bowl and eagle atop a traditional wood base. Ben Hogan’s five replica trophies are on permanent display in the clubhouse Hogan Trophy Room.

A relatively young tournament tradition is the hosting of the annual Hogan Award Banquet. Held just prior to the PGA Tour event, this prestigious event honors the top male collegiate golfer for the year. Co-sponsored by Colonial Country Club, the College Golf Coaches Association of America, and the Los Angeles-based “Friends of Golf” organization, the award has been given since 1990. Colonial Country Club began hosting the event in 2002. The black tie affair features luminaries from throughout the golf industry, and brings in the top three finalists for a Heisman Trophy-like presentation ceremony. Recent finalists have included Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Bill Haas, and D.J. Trahan. For more information on the Ben Hogan Award, please CLICK HERE.