Spring Meeting Memories

It’s been two years since our first Spring Meeting, when over 50 members escaped the snow-bound North to rent out the legendary Sweetens Cove and played other gems in the area. With last year’s Spring Meeting cancellation (thanks again, Covid), we look back at the first Spring Meeting by sharing stories and memories from those who attended. There were greenside ejections, Illuminati holes, hybrid chips, time-zone mishaps, and a couple run-ins with the golf course dog, Birdie. (And don’t miss sports agent Jeff Stewart’s epic Instagram post about it … )

As we gear up for our second Spring Meeting in a few weeks—and there are still limited spots available!—join us as we relive the highlights (and lowlights) of that weekend in Chattanooga. As one person said, “I can confidently say the 2019 NewClub Spring Meeting was one of my favorite days on a golf course in my entire life.”

We asked a bunch of members about their best memories from that weekend.

Here are their answers.

1. What do you remember most about the 2019 Spring Meeting?

Andrew C.

“I think the camaraderie among all the NewClub members that went on the trip. No strangers!”

Brian M.

“It was my first real taste of NewClub so I wasn’t sure what to really expect. It didn’t disappoint and set a great standard of what to expect, especially based on the diversity of playing partners I got paired with. I still reach out to many of them when I’m looking for a game.”

Joe C.

“60 guys and a dog playing simultaneous alt-shot knockout at twilight on an alternate routing. Cannonball Run meets Tin Cup, infused with Miller Lite and BBQ sauce.”

Chris B.:

“So many great memories. I think Chris Bland has the three-person alternate shot win for Tom Jalbert/Chris/me at Sweetens covered so I will focus on something else. As the sun went down to close our day at Sweetens Cover for the 2019 Spring Meeting, we were set to feast on BBQ as awards for the day got handed out to the group. I made a huge plate of food since I was absolutely famished (in a good way) from walking at least 50 holes when Matt Considine called Brian Mullin and I up to pick out a (damn handsome) Jones golf bag because we were the best ball net champs from earlier that day. When I got back to dive into my plate of food, Birdie (Nash's dog, former FM of SC) was smiling right back at me after housing the full plate of food. I can confidently say the 2019 NewClub Spring Meeting was one of my favorite days on a golf course in my entire life.”

Tom J.

“First trip to Sweetens and how it surpassed my expectations!”

2. What other parts stand out in your mind?

Brian M.

“Getting full access to a golf facility is a pretty rare occurrence and one that allows for a ton of golf a d a bunch of unique formats. The shootout was one of the most memorable competitive golf formats I’ve ever participated in. We easily had 80 guys playing the same hole until the field got whittled down to 2 teams after some wild cross-country routing. Bojar’s team pulled out the W as we were running out of daylight after he hit one of his signature hybrid chips from about 70 feet off the green. I was shocked anyone would attempt that play let alone knock it to 3 feet.”

Joe C.

“Speeding down the highway in a panic thinking we were an hour late to the course, not realizing that we crossed time zones. Then having an extra hour to strategize how not to 3-putt Himalayan greens. Realizing by the end of the first hole of the 4-Club Challenge all my club choices were horrendously misjudged, invoking Gob Bluth [from Arrested Development]: "I’ve made a terrible mistake.’”

Chris B.

“As Brian Mullin and I were teeing off on the 6th hole at Sweetens Cove, we heard the distinct voice of Rob Collins in the distance (I can actually hear it now as I am typing), and Rob started approaching us to talk about the course. Brian and I tried to play it cool since we are unabashed fanboys of Sweetens Cove. I thought that I might get to meet Rob at some point at the Spring Meeting and it paid off even more because as we stood on the 6th tee, Rob told us about alternate holes to check out and specifically mentioned hitting from 6th tee to 2nd green as a hidden Dell par 3, which we obviously tried. Getting to meet one of the people responsible for Sweetens Cove and hear him talk so passionately about the course was a huge treat.”

Andrew C.

“I think the story that stands out most to me was being able to take a good friend Quinn Virgil to Sweetens for the first time. I had been fortunate enough to have visited Sweetens several times prior, but Quinn had never been. Pictures and stories from others really make a person excited about visiting Sweetens but there really is nothing like walking to the Shed for the first time and seeing the course. It didn’t.”

Tom J.

“It has to be the underdogs coming out of nowhere to win the alternate shot knockout game. Some incredible putts/chips from the Chris'es brought us back from the brink of elimination. It's hard to top twilight cross country golf, with 60 people walking and hitting shots simultaneously.”

3. What do you remember most about the courses?

Tom J.

“Sweetens Cove - spectacular in every way. I was skeptical for a course as hyped as that is/was, but it all made perfect sense after that trip. Golf as it should be played, with lots of imagination required. Even though it took most of the day to figure out that ejection pins really mean what they say. Maybe I'll bring a Texas wedge next time. ... Lookout Mountain - a truly unexpected experience. I had almost no knowledge before playing there and was impressed the entire time. The unique terrain and well-designed holes made me completely forget how bad I played that day.”

Joe C.

“Sweetens was an architect's fever dream come to life. Black Creek Club made me audibly say, ‘this is a residential course I could actually move for.’ Lookout Mountain, simply put, is a Raynor on the side of a legitimate mountain. Maybe has the coolest signature ‘Alps’ hole I've ever seen.”

Brian M.

“Sweetens and Honors understandability get all the hype but Black Creek is about as good as it gets if you’re an architecture geek. So many incredible template holes, it’s a really well preserved Raynor course with a lot of character.”

Chris B.

“I was somewhat worried that Sweetens Cove wasn't going to pay off after all the hype but it was like a truly great comedy movie that despite being talked up, still delivered. I also got a chance to play Black Creek Club and loved that course too, it was the first time that I've played a modern template hole inspired course like that, they did a great job with it.”

Andrew C.

“Easy answer: the greens and surrounds at Sweetens - so good and interesting! Critical thinking: I think Black Creek was really fun to play - in fact, each time I look back at pictures or remember my round there, I realize another nuance about that course/property. I also think Rob and Tad really don’t get enough credit for how good Sweetens is from tee-to-green. It seems, each loop around there reveals another ‘secret’ on how to play that given hole - amazing.”

We still have spots available for this April’s Spring Meeting, back in Chattanooga, along with many housing options and opportunities to play additional golf courses. Sign up in the NewClub app before the remaining spots are gone.