Mark Guhne pulled former McCallie School golfer Andrew Weathers away from practice last Tuesday to talk - just a little chat.
They sat in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach's car to stay warm.
They discussed the past - losing the Southern Conference tournament by one stroke last April - and the future, including the spring-opening Davidson College Invitational that begins Monday.
"I told Andy that our drop score is three shots better than last year," Guhne said after he emerged from the car in a hoodie and insulated vest. "Also, all three of the starters from last year have improved their stroke average."
Those statistics indicate the Mocs are improving as they head into their spring season with the goal of recapturing the Southern Conference championship - a title they've won five of the last eight years - and advancing to the NCAA tournament.
"That was the hardest one we ever lost," Guhne said. "That will eat on us forever. As a coach, I look back on it every day. You go through a million things thinking about that.
"It's also motivation for this season."
It's been a long offseason for the Mocs. They've been battling the weather as best they can. They've waited for snow to melt before taking to an area course such as Black Creek Club.
They've pulled large canvas covers off a green at the practice facility. They've just stayed inside. They've spent extra hours in the gym getting stronger and improving their conditioning.
They've spent more time working on their games without a club in hand than any midseason break in Guhne's tenure.
"We haven't missed a lot of days, but I'm not sure about the quality of what we've done when we've been able to get out," Guhne said. "I can remember years when we didn't miss a day unless it was pouring-down rain. This year has been different."
Guhne took six players this weekend to practice for the tournament at River Run Country Club. Five will represent the team, and one will play as an individual.
"That keeps everybody motivated and working," Guhne said. "And it's nice to know that we're not stuck if somebody get sick. We've got six guys that can go right now."
UTC is ranked No. 46 in the Golfweek/Sagarin ratings entering the spring-semester part of its season. The Mocs had three top-five finishes during the fall season, including a third place at the Bridgestone tournament in Greensboro, N.C., to conclude the 2014 schedule. Weathers, a redshirt freshman, tied for fifth there individually.
"We're excited to go to Davidson for the first tournament, and hopefully we have good weather," Weathers said. "We've been playing in the cold for a long time, and we're used to it now.
"The end of the fall was really good, so we want to build on that and get a win early in the spring season."
UTC's spring schedule is loaded with four tournaments in March. There are potential benefits and negatives to that type of schedule.
The good is that if the Mocs get on a roll it can snowball into more success. The opposite applies, too. Plus, there isn't much time to regroup before the SoCon tournament starts on April 19.
"It makes us feel like we're on tour," Weathers said while striping drives next to teammate Wes Gosselin, who had a wedge in his hands. "We're playing and competing almost every week."
Winning the SoCon championship would earn Guhne's Mocs an automatic invitation to an NCAA regional tournament. They've been there and done that.
"The big goal is making it to nationals, and we know that we're good enough to get there," sophomore Ewan Scott said. "Last spring we had a tough loss (at the SoCon tournament), and we want to get the title back, especially with two new teams in the league.
"We also have bigger dreams of an NCAA (bid)."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP