"IF YOU LIKE GOLF"
weekly online golf column
by
Chris Dortch
June 27, 2000

The Chattanooga Men's Metro Championship returns to Battlefield July 7-9, so it's safe to expect a memorable tournament.

I make that statement based on the previous two times the tournament was played at Battlefield, in 1978 and again 10 years later in 1988.

The storied career of Lew Oehmig, Chattanooga's most decorated career amateur, is intertwined with the Metro. In 1978, Oehmig won the last of his seven championships, which by itself would have been an incredible feat.

Consider that Oehmig won his first Metro in 1934, when he was 18 years old.  He proceeded to win again in 1939, 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1955. By 1978, even Oehmig, then 62, probably thought his days of contending in the Metro were over. 

He had a surprise in store.  After 36 holes, four players, Oehmig, Mike Jenkins, Malcolm Martin and Harold Lane, were tied for the lead at 144. Jenkins, who would later become president of the Chattanooga District Golf Association and creator/tournament director of the Chattanooga TPC, remembers the final round vividly.

"Harold was sick," Jenkins said. "He had a terrible cold and could hardly hold his head up. And we were playing 36 holes (on Sunday) in July."

Oehmig took what seemed to be a commanding lead on the front nine of the final round, but Lane, sick as he was, rallied with five birdies to catch him. His 30-foot putt for birdie on No.18 forced a playoff.

Whatever juice Lane found in regulation holes was gone by the playoff, which didn't take long to finish. Oehmig won with a par on the first hole.

The victory gave Oehmig a Metro title in five decades. His win in 1978 came 23 years after his previous championship. Oehmig's longevity may never be matched in Chattanooga.

Move forward 10 years to 1988, when Pat Corey, who had since become one of the city's top amateurs, was in the middle of a career round in the Metro's first 18 holes, played on Saturday.

After making an eagle and four birdies, Corey stood over a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 9, trying not to let his mind wander too much.

"I remember thinking that if I made that putt, I'd shoot 29," Corey said.  "I'd never broken 30 before."

With a deft stroke of his trusty Bullseye putter, Corey made the putt. He made three more birdies on the back, and then "just tried to hang on."

Corey did just that, finishing with a 62, his best competitive round at the time. It wouldn't last long.

Unfortunately for Corey, a severe thunderstorm ripped through the area after he completed his round, rendering Battlefield unplayable. The round had to be washed out and the tournament postponed for two weeks.

Corey, who had left the course before the storm struck, had to be tracked down with the bad news. Richard Keene, then the tournament director, contacted him.

"I told him the round had been washed out," Keene said. "He said, what do you mean washed out?  You can't do that, half the field is finished."

"I told him, You don't understand. The golf course is unplayable. Trees are down everywhere.  He took it better than you would think he would have."

"I was shocked," Corey said. "But you had to respect their decision. It was like a mini-tornado had washed out the place. They didn't have a choice."

Two weeks later, King Oehmig, like Corey, a member at Lookout Mountain and Lew's son, took aim at Corey's 62. Oehmig shot 63, but he too would see his great round wiped out. 

Oehmig, a minister, had a higher calling on Sunday, when the tournament's final 36 holes were to be played.

"I had to withdraw, and I knew that before the first round began," Oehmig said. "I just wanted to help Lookout Mountain win the team title. I was just having fun out there."

Did Oehmig, who had a preaching engagement in Cartersville, Ga. the next day, ever considering playing the final 36 holes?

"I didn't think it would be wise to double-cross the Lord," Oehmig said.

With the great rounds of Corey and Oehmig off the books, Larry White, who would team with Corey for several City and Tennessee Four-Ball championships, won his first Metro title.

Given Battlefield's history with the Metro, anything could happen when the city's best amateurs tee it up next month.

"I'm looking forward to going back down there and playing Battlefield again," said Corey, who won his first Metro in 1989 at Lookout Mountain, and has two other Metro titles to his credit. 

"I don't know if I've got another 62 in me, but I'd love to see what I can do 12 years after the fact."

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