Alabama: A Golfer's Paradise

Alabama is a golfer's paradise, and nothing exemplifies this fact more than the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Built as an investment by the Retirement System of Alabama, the trail is the largest golf course construction project ever attempted anywhere in the world. The trail consists of 468 holes at 11 beautiful locations throughout Alabama. Each course was designed by the legendary architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr., arguably the premier golf course architect in the world.

Two aspects set the courses of the trail apart from most courses. First, the courses are not manufactured but partake of the natural topography. They are extracted from the natural terrain, not imposed upon it. Second, each course provides as many as 14 tee boxes to accommodate a full spectrum of golf talent, from the beginning golfer to the professional. The courses measure as short as 4,700 yards from the beginner tees to 7,700 yards from the tournament tees.

The trail continues to garner high praise from the golfing community. Golf Magazine writes "Alabama has the American golfer's equivalent of Disney World". Senior Golfer Magazine writes "Alabama's galaxy of great courses will change your image of public golf forever." Frequent Flier Magazine calls the trail "one of the world's top 10 trips." The New York Times describes the trail as "some of the best public golf on Earth."

If you enjoy golf, we are confident a trip to any course on the trail will enhance your LOG experience. The Ross Bridge course, built since LOG24, has 18 championship holes and is only 10 miles from the Wynfrey Hotel. The Oxmoor Valley course, with 36 championship holes and an 18-hole short course, is 11 miles from the Wynfrey Hotel. See "The Road to LOG29" or the table below for the locations of other courses convenient to your path to LOG.

While this article has focused on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, it should be noted that there are more than 150 other public and private golf courses in Alabama. The most famous of these would probably be Shoal Creek which hosted the PGA tournament in 1984 and 1990. Many of the private courses have reciprocal agreements and will honor memberships in country clubs outside their area. The Alabama Golf Association web site includes a complete directory of golf courses in Alabama.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Courses

Course	Location	Phone	Holes1
Cambrian Ridge	Greenville	334.382.9787	27/9
Capitol Hill	Prattville	334.285.1114	54/0
Grand National	Auburn/Opelika	334.749.9042	36/18
Hampton Cove	Huntsville	256.551.1818	36/18
Highland Oaks	Dothan	334.712.2820	27/9
Lakewood Golf Club2	Point Clear/Gulf Shores	251.990.6312	36/0
Magnolia Grove	Mobile	251.645.0075	36/18
Oxmoor Valley	Birmingham	205.942.1177	36/18
Ross Bridge	Hoover	205.949.3085	18/0
Shoals	Muscle Shoals/Florence	256.446.5111	36/0
Silver Lakes	Anniston/Gadsden	256.892.3268	27/9

¹Championship holes/Short holes
²Golf available only to guests at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort,Golf Club & Spa.

Alabama Golf Resources

• Alabama Golf Association
• Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
• Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Guide