The cult-favorite, 9-hole golf destination outside of Chattanooga is adding a new short course, putting green, simulator bays, lodging, dining, and more guest offerings
Sweetens Cove Golf Club, the highly acclaimed nine-hole, cult-favorite golf destination just west of Chattanooga in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, has announced a property-wide expansion, including the groundbreaking of a new King Collins Dormer-designed 13-hole short course set to open in summer 2027. This new offering will connect and overlap with the existing King Collins-designed course, encouraging creative “cross-country” play.
The Sweetens Cove expansion plans are in partnership with Reef Capital Partners, and the Sweetens Cove ownership group, including Rob Collins, Peyton Manning, Andy Roddick, Tom Nolan, Skip Bronson, Drew Holcomb, and current General Manager, Matthew Adamski. In addition to the course, plans call for the property’s first hospitality experience, including one-bedroom cabins with single or double occupancy opening in phases starting late 2027 with slated completion in 2028, followed by a winding putting green debuting in spring 2027, 3 golf simulator bays, club fitting and retail, and more.
“From the day Ari Techner and I signed the lease for Sweetens Cove Golf Club in May 2014, there has always been a larger vision for the property. It took the partnership, wherewithal, and imagination of Jared Lucero and Reef to bring it to life. It has been a great deal of fun for me to work with him and his talented team over the last year and a half as we have refined the plans for the future of Sweetens Cove,” said Course Architect, Rob Collins. “I know in my bones that we are on the ideal path, and I am so incredibly excited for people to see what we have in store for the property. Our team broke ground on the short course a few weeks ago, and they have already made great progress in setting up the concepts. We’re going to work really hard on tying the two courses together so that Sweetens feels more free flowing and explorative than it already is! When you combine the lit short course, multi-acre putting green, restaurant, cabins, and other amenities, Sweetens will be the ultimate 24-hour golf playground.”
As part of the expansion, there will also be a collection of gathering places, each one casual, familiar and rooted in the land designed by Pfeffer Torode Architecture, including a courtyard, full-service private 5,100 square foot restaurant and bar reserved for players with golf packages, along with a bottle shop and micro-distillery, which will open in Fall 2027. The 1,775 square foot distillery will be open to the public as a tasting room with bottles available for purchase, creating a dedicated destination to experience Sweetens Cove Spirits, an American whiskey brand rooted in the culture and traditions of Sweetens Cove. Additional forthcoming experiences will include a fishing dock, skeet shooting range, and an Octagon Barn event space featuring storage for 60 whiskey barrels.
“We have always prided ourselves on offering a golf experience unlike any other, one where every golfer has access to incredible architecture at an affordable price. These new additions will only enhance what our guests experience on property and further cement Sweetens as the ultimate golf destination,” said Adamski. “Our new model allows guests to take full advantage of everything this place has to offer, and that is what makes time stand still and friendships grow stronger. At the end of the day, everyone needs a little more Sweetens in their life. We cannot wait to welcome new friends, old friends back to Sweetens as we unveil our new golf additions in 2027, and Stay and Play experience in 2028.”
Designed and built as an inland links course, Sweetens Cove offers a truly unique golfing experience in the Southeastern United States. Drawing architectural inspiration from some of the game’s most celebrated layouts, King Collins crafted the current 9-hole short course that reflects the spirit of Scottish linksland and the classic era of course architecture in the United States. By combining artistically shaped features, dramatic contours, and an abundance of tightly mown turf, the course delivers a round that is both strategic and entertaining. It is a place designed to inspire players and leave them eager to return.
Sweetens Cove is most known for its unique operating model, as the club sells all day passes and does not utilize tee times on the weekends. Instead, guests gather at the shed around 8:30 a.m. to receive detailed information about course conditions and how the day will operate. This structure will remain the same with additional guest passes added to accommodate the new short course.
For more information on Sweetens Cove, please visit sweetenscove.com. For existing course and construction images, as well as a conceptual routing, click here (Credit: Reef Capital Partners).