{"id":18304,"date":"2026-06-09T11:31:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T11:31:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/18304\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T11:31:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T11:31:18","slug":"is-sweetens-cove-the-coolest-nine-hole-golf-course-in-the-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/18304\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Sweetens Cove the Coolest Nine-Hole Golf Course in the U.S.?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated3 min read<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve 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\u2019ve ever been lucky enough to make it to Sweetens Cove in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, you know that\u2019s not how it goes at all.<\/p>\n

Opened in 2014 by the struggling (and now celebrated) golf course architect Rob Collins and his partner Tad King, Sweetens was the anti\u2013golf 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.<\/p>\n

What Sweetens lacks in amen\u00adities it makes up in creativity and soul. If golf is a game steeped in tradition\u2014and, let\u2019s be honest, stiffness (\u201cTuck in your shirt! Remove your cap! Respect the game!\u201d)\u2014Sweetens introduces something different to the equation: fun.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThis place was started by a bunch of nerds who love golf. Sweetens is a miracle. It shouldn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There are no private airstrips near Sweetens, and while Chattanooga Airport isn\u2019t far, really you get there by driving. Situated in southeast Tennessee, it\u2019s about 100 miles from Nashville and 140 miles from Atlanta or Birmingham. It\u2019s ideal for a day trip, which is exactly how Sweetens models its experience. Every fall, day passes go on sale\u201460 golfers a day, play as many holes as you want. Passes get snapped up in less than an hour.<\/p>\n

The appeal isn\u2019t just the vibes, it\u2019s the golf itself. Collins and King designed a bold course from the remnants of a defunct country club\u2014swooping greens, winding fairways, rugged conditions\u2014with none of the country club trappings. \u201cFrom a golf perspective, you play every club in the bag,\u201d says Tom Nolan, one of the principal owners of Sweetens. \u201cBump and run, flop shots, over and under trees. You never get bored.\u201d As Golf magazine declared, \u201cSweetens has become the gold standard for modern nine-hole innovative design.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s 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-\u00adowners. 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\u2019s been a great investment.<\/p>\n

\"InnovationSimon Bruty\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

By 2027, Sweetens Cove will be home to a lighted par-3 course, a skeet range, a restaurant, lodging for 80, and an on-\u00adpremises distillery.<\/p>\n

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-\u00adpremises distillery to expand its fledgling whiskey business and promote Sweetens Tea, its entry into the canned alcoholic beverage market.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I heard a private equity shop had bought in, my first thought was, The party\u2019s over,\u201d Schuster admits. \u201cBut it\u2019s been business as usual. You can have something soulful and authentic and also have real facilities. You just need to understand what\u2019s complementary.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis place was started by a bunch of golf nerds who love golf,\u201d Nolan says. \u201cWe tripped into this, and we all feel lucky. Sweetens is a miracle. It shouldn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story appears in the Summer 2026 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW<\/a><\/p>\n

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