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

July 3, 2001

I was walking through Hamilton Place Mall not long ago when a familiar voice called my name. It was Tommy Skyles, and the last time I’d seen him, we were sifting through the burned-out rubble of the clubhouse at Brown Acres Golf Course after a kitchen fire destroyed the place. That was nearly three years ago.

Skyles, as his many friends in golf know, was the head professional at Brown Acres for 19 years. His tenure ended in April, 2000, far too prematurely for Skyles. He won’t talk about his departure, except to say it was "controversial."

In Skyles, the city of Chattanooga, which owns and operates Brown Acres, lost a good man. Maybe somebody in the city didn’t know how good. Skyles was one of Chattanooga golf’s greatest ambassadors of good will, and he led Brown Acres through one of the more impressive renovations I’ve seen in a municipal golf course.

To even call Brown Acres a golf course before Skyles’ prodding and vision forced necessary changes would be stretching it. Just say the place was aptly named. When I moved to Chattanooga in 1987, its fairways were dry in the best places and threadbare in the worst. The bermuda greens were unmanageable at times. The course wasn’t a lot of fun to play.

Skyles kept pushing for improvements—through three sets of managers during his 19 years—and when it finally happened, the course became one of the more playable in the area. Its previously brown fairways became green carpets of bermuda, and the old bermuda greens were replaced by bent grass. A new clubhouse was built, and in general, the experience of playing the golf course was better than it had ever been.

Brown Acres’ loss is Mt. Airy’s gain.

Less than two months ago, the ownership of Mt. Airy Golf Club—tucked away in Dunlap, Tenn.—made a smart move, calling Skyles and asking him if he wanted to take over the pro shop. Skyles wanted to stay in the golf business, but preferred to stay in this area. He had passed on some opportunities in Hilton Head, S.C. in hopes of eventually landing another job here.

When the call from Mt. Airy came, Skyles knew his prayers had been answered. For all of you who haven’t seen Mt. Airy, let’s just say it’s one of Tennessee golf’s best-kept secrets.

Opened more than five years ago by a management team that included Dennis Mills, the course in every respect is home made. Mills had no previous experience in golf course architecture, but after he and his partners purchased the old farm where the golf course now sits, he took pen to paper and sketched out a quality course.

Mt. Airy is a nice test of golf, and because of the wide variances in terrain, offers a host of challenges. There are tight holes and wide-open holes, undulating greens, lakes, mountain streams and bunkers. For a guy who had never designed a golf course before, Mills did a fantastic job. The ownership group was smart enough, at the urging of former greens superintendent Ricky Haynes, to use Crenshaw bent grass on the greens and zoysia in the fairways. The result was a course that stays playable regardless of extremes in temperature.

Suffice to say Skyles is pleased to be the caretaker of this mountainside gem.

"I love it," Skyles said. "It’s probably one of the nicest golf courses as far as natural beauty that I’ve ever been associated with. You’ve got the mountains as a backdrop, mountain streams winding through the course; it’s so pretty. I can’t say enough about it."

After an article about Skyles appeared in the Chattanooga Times-Free Press last month, many of his friends in golf have found their way to Dunlap, just to see how he’s doing.

"Two days ago, 40 percent of the people who walked through our door I recognized," Skyles said. "A guy told me the other day, ‘I drove all the way up here to play just because you’re here.’ That makes you feel good."

One of Skyles’ priorities when he took the job was to make the golfing experience pleasant for those who make the trek to Mt. Airy. That he’s been able to do as an increasing amount of out-of-town visitors play the course.

"We want people to see for themselves what’s hidden here in the valley," Skyles said. "And we want their experience to be pleasant when they get here."

Because of its remote location, Mt. Airy depends on out-of-town business. Skyles just might be the man to increase traffic on the course.

Membership rates are reasonable enough: For a lifetime membership, it costs $5,000 up front and then just $773.96 per year for an individual and $882.98 for families. That’s well worth the price.

Individual yearly memberships cost $1,190.75 and family memberships are $1,488.52.

The course is semi-private and has about 90 members, but daily fee play is welcome.

One of these days, you owe it to yourself to call Skyles at 899-0955 and make the short drive to Dunlap. Skyles will make sure the trip is worth your while.

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