Golf team led by duo of Hodge and Ghune
Jeremy Acree
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: Sports
Mark Guhne took over the head coaching position in March 2005 after serving as assistant coach for the three previous years.
The team was full of talented young players, but Guhne knew there was something special about Jonathon Hodge, the quiet, reserved kid from Jefferson City, Tenn.
"The very first time I saw him play, and the intensity he brings, I had a good idea from there," Guhne said.
The two have since turned the program with less than a tenth of the golfing budget of some SEC schools into a national force.
How a player as talented as Hodge, now a senior, ended up at the mid-major school in Chattanooga is a story that still haunts one specific coach to this day.
"The coach at Knoxville and I are good friends," Guhne said. "And he kicks himself everyday. We don't have a conversation that he doesn't bring up the mistake he made."
Not only did the University of Tennessee at Knoxville miss out on one of the country's top golfers, they allowed UTC to gain a recruiting advantage for the future.
"It was very significant for our program," Guhne said. "Jonathan was without a doubt the number one recruit that had ever been recruited by Chattanooga."
Hodge said his only other options were Carson Newman and Middle Tennessee State University.
Hodge has won back-to-back Southern Conference Player of the Year Awards, and was second team All-America in 2008.
UTC was also ranked no. 1 in the nation according to Golfweek following their win at the 2008 Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic.
Guhne gives partial credit to Hodge for helping put together the team.
"What Jonathan has done has made it to where we can recruit some of the best players around the world," he said.
This season will be Hodge's final year at UTC, but the top two players in Tennessee have already committed to being Mocs next year.
"Its fun to be in a program that's going somewhere," Guhne said. "We've been able to sell that. Our facilities are fantastic, and we have better courses than anyone in the SEC."
Hodge hopes that the experience he has gained from UTC will help him after he graduates.
"I definitely want to play professional golf," he said.
As Hodge moves onto the next stage in his golf career, Guhne will not soon forget what he did for UTC.
With his play, Hodge improved the program. With that, Guhne has been able to raise the standards.
"Our goal is to win the national championship," Guhne said. "That's the only tournament we talk about winning on a daily basis."
The team was full of talented young players, but Guhne knew there was something special about Jonathon Hodge, the quiet, reserved kid from Jefferson City, Tenn.
"The very first time I saw him play, and the intensity he brings, I had a good idea from there," Guhne said.
The two have since turned the program with less than a tenth of the golfing budget of some SEC schools into a national force.
How a player as talented as Hodge, now a senior, ended up at the mid-major school in Chattanooga is a story that still haunts one specific coach to this day.
"The coach at Knoxville and I are good friends," Guhne said. "And he kicks himself everyday. We don't have a conversation that he doesn't bring up the mistake he made."
Not only did the University of Tennessee at Knoxville miss out on one of the country's top golfers, they allowed UTC to gain a recruiting advantage for the future.
"It was very significant for our program," Guhne said. "Jonathan was without a doubt the number one recruit that had ever been recruited by Chattanooga."
Hodge said his only other options were Carson Newman and Middle Tennessee State University.
Hodge has won back-to-back Southern Conference Player of the Year Awards, and was second team All-America in 2008.
UTC was also ranked no. 1 in the nation according to Golfweek following their win at the 2008 Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic.
Guhne gives partial credit to Hodge for helping put together the team.
"What Jonathan has done has made it to where we can recruit some of the best players around the world," he said.
This season will be Hodge's final year at UTC, but the top two players in Tennessee have already committed to being Mocs next year.
"Its fun to be in a program that's going somewhere," Guhne said. "We've been able to sell that. Our facilities are fantastic, and we have better courses than anyone in the SEC."
Hodge hopes that the experience he has gained from UTC will help him after he graduates.
"I definitely want to play professional golf," he said.
As Hodge moves onto the next stage in his golf career, Guhne will not soon forget what he did for UTC.
With his play, Hodge improved the program. With that, Guhne has been able to raise the standards.
"Our goal is to win the national championship," Guhne said. "That's the only tournament we talk about winning on a daily basis."
