Matt Adamski, left, general manager and head professional at Sweetens Cove, is pictured with course designer Rob Collins, right, and Colt Layne.
Ever since his initial visit to Sweetens Cove Golf Club in the fall of 2019, Matt Adamski felt an immediate connection to the unpretentious vibe and culture that was the fabric of the highly-acclaimed nine-hole course in South Pittsburg.
But uprooting his family from their life in Ohio didn’t make practical sense. Adamski had risen to the role of head professional at the prestigious NCR Country Club on the outskirts of Dayton, his career path on a favorable trajectory.
Undaunted by traditional norms and compelled to be part of the magic unfolding at Sweetens Cove, Adamski loaded up and headed south. He exchanged the comforts of a regal clubhouse for a portable shed, following the internal voice beckoning him to ignore what naysayers warned would be career suicide.
Adamski has become synonymous with what Sweetens Cove represents as the anti-establishment, no-rules golfing playground that has become a modern-day golf phenomenon. Officially he’s the general manager and club professional. But in essence, he is the official greeter, genial host and voracious ambassador of the Sweetens Cove story.
For all the times Adamski has impacted in his various roles as the face of Sweetens Cove, he now finds himself on the receiving end of goodwill. While doing some excavating work at his property in nearby Jasper last weekend, an unfortunate accident resulted in Adamski suffering a fractured femur and torn ACL which will involve a lengthy road of recovery.
Rob Collins, the mastermind golf course designer who created Sweetens Cove in 2014 along with partner Tad King, has taken the initiative to help his close friend. Collins has established an online opportunity for donors to contribute to a fund to help defray a portion of the financial burden facing Adamski in the coming months. Those interested can go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/matt-adamski-family for more information.
“Matt’s lucky to be alive,” Collins said. “He was pinned under a front-end loader for about 30 minutes and it’s a miracle he didn’t lose his leg. Matt embraced everything about Sweetens Cove from the moment he arrived. He’s become a larger-than-life figure. He’s the face of the club, and I think this is a chance to help repay him and his family for all he’s done.”
Thus far there have been more than 550 donors who have raised close to $62,000 to help Adamski, his wife Tonya and their three children.
“Sweetens Cove is a very unique place, and Matt turned out to be the perfect hire,” Collins said. “He lives and breathes what we’re doing and has come up with so many creative ways to put the golf course on display through the different events we host. The support shown thus far is a testament to the community around the game of golf and the impact Matt’s had on a lot of people.”
Jeff Howard had a childhood connection to the golf course long before it became the sensation known as Sweetens Cove. As the lone local member, Howard has a keen appreciation for Adamski’s impact at the club.
“It’s hard to put into words what Matt means to the golf course,” Howard said. “He sets the tone for the guests each day and the way he communicates is unlike anyone I’ve seen at a golf course. He reads people very well, finds a way to blend in with every golfer and makes them feel like they are a member for the day.”
With Adamski unable to put weight on his surgically repaired leg for up to 12 weeks, Howard is encouraged by the outpouring of support demonstrated thus far.
“Matt is the personification of the Energizer Bunny, so it’s going to be hard for him to sit still and heal these next few months,” Howard said. “He has been so humbled over the concern shown. He told me when I visited with him, ‘I’m just trying to do my job’. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Sweetens Cove family to show Matt, Tonya and their children how much they are loved.”
* * *
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com