Colette Murray remembers the last time her University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golf program hosted a tournament.
It snowed.
Conditions were miserable on that April day in 2009 at Lookout Mountain Golf Club. Murray vowed never to host another tournament as long as she coached.
"One of the funniest things I've ever heard on a golf course came from Myra Blackwelder, who played on the LPGA Tour and coached Kentucky in that tournament," Murray said. "She came to me on the fourth hole and said to me, 'I've played all over the world in every kind of condition, and I've never been more miserable on a golf course.'"
Murray has amended her vow with a view toward the future.
"I learned not do to it again," Murray joked, "but here I am doing it again."
UTC is the host team for the Chattanooga Classic Intercollegiate, which is set to be played today and Tuesday at Council Fire Golf Club.
The 54-hole tournament -- with 36 holes being played today -- includes 10 teams and a handful of extra individuals. Four of those are from Vanderbilt.
The teams taking part are Central Arkansas, Dartmouth, High Point, Louisiana-Monroe, Marshall, McNeese State and Western Kentucky as well as UTC from NCAA Division I. Area schools Lee University and Dalton State represent Division II and the NAIA, respectively.
"It's something that we're hoping to build on and make bigger as the years go on," Murray said. "I can't confirm anything, but I'd like to get some stronger teams in and rotate it to other golf courses in town."
Council Fire is no stranger to college events. In May 2008 it was the site of the NCAA men's East regional. Participants included a handful of current PGA Tour players and even more professionals playing on other tours.
Masters participant Russell Henley tied European Tour player Zach Sucher for medalist honors at 13 under. Former area prep standouts Harris English and Adam Mitchell finished in the top 10 of that event.
The Chattanooga Classic Intercollegiate can be used as a testing ground for the future. Both Murray and Hunt Gilliland, the Council Fire director of golf, can envision the course as the host site for an NCAA women's regional tournament.
That's their long-term goal. Both individuals would like such a prestigious tournament in the Scenic City, but UTC and Council Fire are still in the "flirting with the idea" stage.
"I'd love an NCAA regional here," Murray said. "That's not my call. I've been asking to do something like that for a while because it helps us with scheduling and getting in other tournaments.
"That's going to be the university that makes that call."
That call, one way or another, shouldn't be made for months or perhaps years. When the decision is made, Gilliland said, the club and the Chattanooga golfing community will be ready and willing to host an extraordinary event.
"We always enjoy having the college kids play our course," Gilliland said. "I think our membership has been great at hosting events like this. I hope we get something good going from here."
Men in Mississippi
The UTC men's team will finish its regular season today and Tuesday at the Old Waverly Collegiate tournament in West Point, Miss. The 74th-ranked Mocs will be among 10 top-100 programs in the 15-team field, led by No. 32 UAB, No. 37 Florida, No. 43 Troy, No. 52 Southeastern Louisiana and No. 55 Ole Miss.
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at Twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.