RTJ Golf Trail at Hampton Cove in Huntsville offers 54 holes of scenic and challenging golf. The Highland Course has the feel of a Scottish course, the River Course is the only course designed by Robert Trent Jones without bunkers, and the Short Course is exciting.
huntsville
Huntsville is home to an array of quality hotels, as well as a vibrant downtown with craft breweries and unique dining options, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and a new, state-of-the-art amphitheater inspired and developed by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons.
Birmingham has certainly become a golf hub, with the state’s most luxurious resort, the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort and Spa, leading the way.
The resort’s 18-hole layout is laid out in a shamrock style, returning to the center site at least five times. The course presents challenges with its daunting length from the back tees, elevation changes and water holes, but RTJ Golf Links at Ross Bridge remains a resort course at heart, with wide fairways and approachable greens.
RTJ Golf Course at Oxmoor Valley is just two kilometers from Ross Bridge. It offers two unique full-length courses: Ridge and Valley, as well as an exciting new 9-hole walking short course called The Backyard.
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Silver Lakes is about an hour’s drive northeast of Birmingham. This site consists of three truly tough 9-hole courses, aptly named Mindbreaker, Backbreaker and Heartbreaker.
Prattville, a Montgomery suburb south of Birmingham, is the only location on the trail with three full-length courses, the RTJ Golf Trail on Capitol Hill.
These courses are located very close to the seat of government and are called “judges,” “senators,” and “legislators.” Golf Magazine once named Judge Course one of the 10 public courses in the country worthy of hosting the U.S. Open.
The views from all parts of the course are stunning, especially the first tee located 200 feet above the fairways overlooking the Alabama River.
Lawmakers are hilly and more traditional. The Senator Course is a Scottish links-style course with over 160 fearsome pot bunkers and mounds as high as 40 feet.
It has hosted LPGA events for more than 20 years. The on-site Capitol Hill Marriott is a convenient place to stay, but for more historical sites, nightlife, and dining options, the Renaissance Montgomery Downtown Hotel and Spa is also a great option.
go east
Eighty kilometers east of Montgomery, near Auburn University, lies the quaint town of Opelika, one of the most popular spots on the trail.
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. once said that the RTJ Golf Course at Grand National Park was the greatest natural golf course he had ever seen.
The Grand National course is built on a 600-acre lake, with 32 of the 54 holes stretching along the beautiful lakeshore. The award-winning Marriott Golf Resort & Spa is located on the back nine of the Lake Course, offering a true stay and play experience.
Additionally, two quaint nearby towns offer plenty of fine dining and non-golfing adventures.
Located in Greenville, 64 kilometers south of Montgomery, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Cambrian Ridge is another favorite.
Along the scenic southernmost tip of the Appalachian foothills, changes
The altitude here is so high that three championship 9-hole courses provide an unforgettable experience.
golf paradise
Just 145 kilometers from the southeastern corner of the state, RTJ Golf Course at Highland Oaks in Dothan also includes three championship 9 holes and a 9 hole short course.
In South Alabama, Mobile’s premier golf course is RTJ Golf Course at Magnolia Grove, which features 54 holes of state-of-the-art golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones.
The rugged Crossings course features the par-5 Falls Course, a 570-yard 10th hole with waterfalls cascading beneath a chiseled green, and the 18-hole short course, one of the highest rated in the country.
Downtown Mobile is walkable and home to craft breweries, restaurants, and nightclubs, making it a great place to spend an evening, especially with two RTJ hotels nearby, the historic Renaissance Battle House Hotel & Spa and the Renaissance Riverview Hotel overlooking Mobile Bay.
Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, an Autograph Collection is located on the east shore of Mobile Bay and offers first-class dining, a European spa, exciting water features, beaches along Mobile Bay and 36 holes of golf at Lakewood Club RTJ Golf Course.
The course winds around a spring-fed lake and is surrounded by stately magnolias, oaks, and dogwood trees that have been around for quite some time. Since 1847, the resort itself has upheld the fine tradition of Southern hospitality, charm and elegance.
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is not your typical golf tour, with locations scattered throughout the state. Choose to stay in one location or plan to try several distinct trail features and move around the state.
Along the Alabama Trail, you’ll always find pristine surroundings, challenging golf, reasonable prices, and excellent customer service.
Alabama’s beaches and towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach create one of the best destinations for quality golf.
The beaches here have the same powdery white sand as Florida’s Gulf Coast panhandle, and the sand is so soft you can almost fall asleep.
However, Alabama beaches also generally have more room to move around during peak times than Florida beaches. And the Golf option is better value and has enough room in the car for everyone’s club.
Here’s a snapshot of several courses in the area, each showing off enough of their own style
They are all very distinctive. Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club is a 27-hole classic Southern golf course that winds through pine forests and ample water, with several holes hugging the edge of Mobile Bay.
Kiva Dunes Golf & Beach Resort sits on a piece of land that is only 1,100 yards wide at its thinnest point, which means the airflow above the golf course is affected by air exchange from the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay.
Traditionalists like the opportunity to play into the wind in a links-style layout, so the appeal of the Kiva site is always there. Kiva Dunes are considered the premiere design in the portfolio of former U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate.
The on-site beach resort features street-level condos and beachfront villas, making it a great place to stay and play.
On the same road as these two courses is Gulf Shores Golf Club. Perfect for a quick nine holes in the afternoon, or as a first round of 18 holes to shake off jet lag.
Gulf Shores courses are an integral part of the overall success of most golf trips. It’s a traditional park-style layout, with plenty of water of course, and very solid, true rolling greens.
The 36-hole complex at Craft Farms is not to be missed. The two courses here, Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend, are the only courses in Alabama designed by Arnold Palmer.
Everything at Craft Farms is as manicured as a course built on former turf farmland. Located inland, these courses have the traditional, golfer-friendly feel and look that often defines Palmer’s designs.
After a day of golf, there’s so much more to explore in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. There are many excellent seafood restaurants here, and fishing and beach walks are popular pastimes. Accommodation options range from beachfront hotels and condos to golf resorts and beachfront villas. Whatever your preferences and price range, concierge services
www.CoastalAlabamaGolf.com can help you filter through the area’s nine iconic golf courses, along with all the accommodations, dining and other recreational activities you want to create the ideal trip.
Robert Trent Jones Trail
For more information and to book a custom golf package, visit RTJGolf.com
Email: ReservationsRequest@RTJGolf.com
