Sweetens Cove takes its brand on the road during the shutdown

The replica of Sweetens Cove’s clubhouse, The Shed, will travel to six different destinations this summer

Matt Adamski struggles with sitting still, a flurry of constant movement and endless new ideas. So this year was indeed a test for the general manager of Sweetens Cove Golf Club.

First came a serious leg injury in November, which forced the amiable golf professional to scale back his activities to recover. Then came news last month that the wildly popular golf course was closed for three months to make some necessary repairs following last winter’s brutal ice storm.

Undeterred by the bad hand he was dealt and unwilling to fold, Adamski has instead decided to take the opportunity to expand the Sweetens Cove brand beyond the confines of South Pittsburg. The Sweetens Cove Road Show will travel to six premier golf clubs across the United States this summer, bringing the course’s themed golf experience and award-winning bourbons to each destination.

“We’re going to take these courses over in one day and run them like we run Sweetens Cove,” Adamski said. “That means unlimited loops to multiple pins, event swag, food, bourbon and a very memorable experience.”

The dates and location of each stop include:

Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC on August 12th

Tobacco Road in Sanford, NC on August 13

The Fields Golf Club in Lagrange, Georgia on August 16

Park Mammoth in Park City, Ky. on August 19

Red Feather in Lubbock, Texas on August 25

Crossroads in Bluffton, SC at a date to be determined

The tour moves from club to club in a life-size replica of Sweetens Cove’s makeshift aluminum-sided clubhouse, the Shed, which is emblematic of the course’s minimalist style and unconventional approach to enjoying the game of golf. The Shed serves the award-winning, world-class bourbons from the Sweetens Cove Whiskey Collection, including historically sold-out releases.

“While we are closed this summer to re-graze portions of the golf course, we are excited to bring the magic of Sweetens Cove to the road,” said course designer, architect and co-owner Rob Collins, who runs the Sweetens Cove Golf Club opened. in 2014.

Known as one of the toughest tee times to get in public golf, Sweetens Cove typically sells out passes for the year not long after they become available. A longstanding tradition at the course is taking a shot of bourbon on the first tee, which inspired the ownership team, including celebrities like Peyton Manning and Andy Roddick, to form Sweetens Cove Spirits Company and launch an award-winning bourbon in 2020.

Meanwhile, work continues to progress on the golf course despite an early wave of unusually high temperatures combined with minimal rainfall.

“Our guys are killing themselves by keeping everything wet, but the repaired turf is growing in well,” Collins said. “I’m especially excited about the mowing we’ve done. We have removed a mountain of reeds from the course and the fairways have been tightened, which will be great for better playability and improved hitting skills. We are excited to welcome people back to Sweetens Cove this fall.”

Registration for the road tour opened Saturday and can be accessed via the Sweetens Cove Road Tour link.

* * *

Paul Payne can be emailed at [email protected]

Shot glasses filled with bourbon await golfers at the first tee at Sweetens Cove