Into The Fog

March 16, 2024

Me and T-Sweat

The Course at Sewanee

The Course at Sewanee. Sewanee, Tennessee

The hour long drive from Murfreesboro to Sewanee, Tn felt like a drive down to the local convenience store for a gallon of milk with my boy, Tommy Sweat. We were off on a journey, not a round of golf, to play the 9-Hole track at Sewanee. We talked all things Fulton hoops as the Falcons play for a state title tonight vs Ridgeway. “Uncle Tommy”  is young enough to be my son but mature beyond his years.  

I have longed to play the course at Sewanee for a few years and a trip to Murfreesboro for the boys state hoops tourney provided the perfect excuse to venture 60 miles for 4 hours of torture and the time of our life. 

My trusty weather app showed beautiful sunny weather all day and we were set to enjoy a morning of purist golf- walk the course, play the ball as it lies, respect the rules of the game, and enjoy the beauty around us. My weather app was full of shit but we played the game the way it’s supposed to be played and that includes caring more about who you play with vs where you play. 

Sewanee is a gem. More traditional than quirky. I thought it would be Sweetenesque but I was wrong. It rolls across terrain and plays like a traditional course and by traditional, I mean it has length and teeth at every turn. We played the first 9 holes hitting straight into the fog. Honestly, no idea where we were supposed to hit it but trusting tree lines and cart paths and it was freaking awesome. It was the best course I’ve ever played that I’ve never seen. Hitting into the fog like Jack London never felt so easy and pure and ironically, I hit the ball better when I didn’t know the target.

Into the Fog

Tommy Sweat is the official voice of Fulton basketball and a 2021 Fulton grad and his golf game showed promise from the first tee. His sweet swing and form looked pure and didn’t relent for the next 4 hours. His approach to golf is free and easy and resembles the game he brought to 2509 on the football field and basketball court. Steady, reliable but able to step on the gas when needed.

I joined Tommy on the radio broadcast to provide color commentary of our basketball games at the TSSAA state basketball tournament. And to be clear, all this really includes is a front row seat for me and I offer a few jokes. Listening to Tommy call the game is poetry in motion. His combination of hoops knowledge and passion for Fulton basketball permeates through the microphone like the golf ball coming off his driver- pure and powerful. His delivery and call of the game is flawless. 

Tommy Sweat roping one on #2 at The Cousre at Sewanee

We finished the first 9 holes and went into the clubhouse to settle up. When we got out of the car at 7:15, we were the only two people on the property besides the groundskeeper who was nice enough but looked like he spent time as an extra on the movie set of Friday the 13th. I told Tommy I liked him but wasn’t making eye contact with the guy. Four dudes from Chattanooga joined us as we waited for the clubhouse to open and after pleasantries, they said, “the course is really hard, lower your expectations…” Really made me want to jump on the 1st tee and have a go at the place…

Hole 3/12…

The vibe at Sewanee (you have to say that in a hushed whisper…) is really cool and laid back. Not going to lie, I figured it might be a bit stuffy but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. It feels more like your local, friendly muni where they treat you like family vs the University of the South’s swanky little course. And is it Sewanee or University of the South? We didn’t get the answers to that question so I guess we will have to have a repeat performance like the Fulton basketball team in the state tourney. 

The Course at Sewanee

Oh, the Falcons did repeat as class 3A state basketball champions. We told the man that ran the clubhouse about the broadcast of the game and he said he would listen on his drive home. I’m betting he did and I’m betting he was cheering on the Falcons as he drove over and through the mountains on his way home. It’s easy to cheer for this group of young men. They work hard everyday, represent the best we have to offer at Fulton, they are coachable, tough-minded, and they do it all with respect for the game, the opponent, and each other. These guys will be great husbands, fathers, men, and success will find them. 

2024 3A State Champions

Much like the Sewanee golf course, Fulton basketball lore and legacy only grows. I want to go back and play that course, walk its hills, appreciate its beauty, understand its nuisances. The same can be said for Fulton basketball- you watch them once and you want to go back. It’s the way they play the game. All heart, guts, passion, toughness, and desire. A great season can happen but sustained excellence takes a relentless pursuit and a steadfast approach and that’s exactly what Jody Wright, aka Chief, has done for the last 40 years. He is building a resume that will not be touched and is still going strong. He simply will not settle for anything less than your best, shows you how to achieve it, and holds your feet to the fire on getting it done. There is no back down, no let up, no excuses and his teams repeatedly maximize their talent and get results. I wish he could do this for my golf swing but we can work on that. 

I went to work at Fulton in 2002 and had the opportunity to coach with Chief. Working with him is like getting a PhD in team building, game planning, teaching, how to treat other people, man to man defense, and how to make men. Now, I’m the principal and his boss but I’ll never stop listening to him teach, never stop going to him for advice, and never stop being one of his biggest fans. 

Let’s do it again in 2025. Back to Sewanee and back to the Boro!