Is Sweetens Cove the Coolest Nine-Hole Golf Course in the U.S.?

3 min read

If you’ve ever taken a golf trip, you know the drill: rally your buddies, pick a resort, book flights, cram in as many rounds as you can. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to make it to Sweetens Cove in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, you know that’s not how it goes at all.

Opened in 2014 by the struggling (and now celebrated) golf course architect Rob Collins and his partner Tad King, Sweetens was the anti–golf resort. Just nine holes, a single-wide trailer for a pro shop, a shot of whiskey at the first tee. But soon enough golf nerds began to take note. Golfweek named it one of its Top 100 Modern Courses in America, outpacing big boys like Quail Hollow and Valhalla, both of which have hosted major championships.

What Sweetens lacks in amen­ities it makes up in creativity and soul. If golf is a game steeped in tradition—and, let’s be honest, stiffness (“Tuck in your shirt! Remove your cap! Respect the game!”)—Sweetens introduces something different to the equation: fun.

“This place was started by a bunch of nerds who love golf. Sweetens is a miracle. It shouldn’t exist.”

There are no private airstrips near Sweetens, and while Chattanooga Airport isn’t far, really you get there by driving. Situated in southeast Tennessee, it’s about 100 miles from Nashville and 140 miles from Atlanta or Birmingham. It’s ideal for a day trip, which is exactly how Sweetens models its experience. Every fall, day passes go on sale—60 golfers a day, play as many holes as you want. Passes get snapped up in less than an hour.

The appeal isn’t just the vibes, it’s the golf itself. Collins and King designed a bold course from the remnants of a defunct country club—swooping greens, winding fairways, rugged conditions—with none of the country club trappings. “From a golf perspective, you play every club in the bag,” says Tom Nolan, one of the principal owners of Sweetens. “Bump and run, flop shots, over and under trees. You never get bored.” As Golf magazine declared, “Sweetens has become the gold standard for modern nine-hole innovative design.”

It’s that combination of dynamic golf and the lack of pretense that attracted NFL hall-of-famer Peyton Manning and former tennis great Andy Roddick to become co-­owners. Todd Schuster and his colleagues at No Laying Up, an influential golf podcast and video brand, were so enamored of the new school spirit of Sweetens they bought a house next to the property. As one of only two nearby, it’s been a great investment.

Simon Bruty//Getty Images

By 2027, Sweetens Cove will be home to a lighted par-3 course, a skeet range, a restaurant, lodging for 80, and an on-­premises distillery.

Though the neighborhood is about to change. Reef Capital is helping Sweetens build a lighted par-3 course, a skeet range, a restaurant, lodging for 80, and an on-­premises distillery to expand its fledgling whiskey business and promote Sweetens Tea, its entry into the canned alcoholic beverage market.

“When I heard a private equity shop had bought in, my first thought was, The party’s over,” Schuster admits. “But it’s been business as usual. You can have something soulful and authentic and also have real facilities. You just need to understand what’s complementary.”

The various projects will come online in 2027, with the short course leading the way. The additional holes are expected to alleviate some congestion issues, while the aim is to retain what made Sweetens special in the first place.

“This place was started by a bunch of golf nerds who love golf,” Nolan says. “We tripped into this, and we all feel lucky. Sweetens is a miracle. It shouldn’t exist.”

This story appears in the Summer 2026 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW