"IF YOU LIKE GOLF"
weekly online golf column
by
Chris Dortch

August 20, 2002

Though they had never played so much as nine holes together, Valleybrook members John Lambert and Don Gregory thought they had a great thing going last year when they started the first round of the Chattanooga District Golf Association’s Four-Ball Match Play championship at Lookout Mountain.

"Don told me, ‘Buddy, I love Lookout, but I can’t play those last six holes,’ " Lambert said. "I said, ‘That’s good. I can’t play the first 12.’ "

Beginning with that round, the two men became fast friends and a solid match play tandem. Playing to their respective strengths, Lambert and Gregory advanced from Lookout Mountain to Chattanooga Golf and Country Club and finally to The Honors as they won the first-ever championship.

"It was sort of funny," Lambert said. "Don and I would always play in the "A" game at the club [Valleybrook] with David McKenna and Bill Towers and all those guys, but we’d never been framed together. One day a couple of weeks before the [2001] tournament, Don asked me if I wanted to play. I said why not?"

As it turned out, Gregory and Lambert were naturals as partners.

"Our personalities are very similar," Gregory said. "Neither of us are very shy. We like to have a lot of fun out there. We’re very loose. We look at the game like, if you make a big number, you make a big number. Forget it and go on to the next hole."

If Lambert and Gregory were a match personality-wise, their games also mirrored one another.

"We both play pretty aggressively," Gregory said. "There’s not a pin we don’t like."

Gregory uses his length off the tee to attack, whereas Lambert’s game is more precision.

"John’s a better iron striker and putter than I am," Gregory said.

Not surprisingly, the duo piles up the birdies. They made 25 in winning the championship last year. They can’t wait to defend their title when the tournament starts on Friday. Actually, Lambert and Gregory get to take the first day off. By virtue of winning a year ago, they earn a first round bye and thus won’t play at Council Fire on Friday. Their first opponent will be either Mike Jenkins and Neil Spitalny (Chattanooga Golf and Country Club) or Lookout Mountain’s Patten Smith and Braden Smyth.

"It’s a fun tournament," Gregory said. "I love the format. I can’t believe more people don’t play in it."

"It’s amazing," Lambert said. "I would think everyone would want to play in it. It’s a no brainer. Last year, we paid $94 to play Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga and two rounds at The Honors. I thought that was incredible."

This year, the tournament won’t finish at The Honors, which is host to the Ruth Eller Cup, former Baylor star May Wood’s final junior tournament. Instead, the tournament finishes on Sunday with two rounds at Black Creek.

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