Golf Getaway
Alabama a “ Sweet Home ” For Golfers
Editorial by Bill Cromwell
Kiva Dunes
September signals the end of summer and the fall season is fast approaching as the fall equinox happens on the 22nd . Leaves will soon blanket the fairways and greens . While there are still great days for golf in the Midwest with cooler temperatures , many Midwest golfers are not quite ready for cooler weather and plan to head south to warmer climates . South Carolina , Florida , and Texas are all popular golf destinations , but the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail ( RTJ ) put Sweet Home Alabama on the radar of snow-bird golfers more than 30 years ago .
The RTJ Golf Trail offers 468 holes of golf spanning 26 courses at 11 locations across Alabama . Open in 1992 , the RTJ Golf Trail was the largest golf course construction project in history . Most of the courses were designed by Architect Robert Trent Jones , Sr ., but not all . Jones passed in 2000 , and after his passing a course was added to the trail named Ross Bridge ( central region ). It ’ s one the of more famous courses on the trail , opening in 2005 , and was the last course added . At 8,191 yards from the back tees , it was one of the longest courses in the world . In 2020 GOLFWEEK ranked No . 3 for best courses you can play in Alabama .
There are more “ Sweet ” golf opportunities in Alabama than just the RTJ Golf Trail . Alabama offers 258 golf courses , including 140 public , 47 municipal , and 71 private courses . Not part of the Trail are amazing courses , including world-class golf courses like Craft Farms , Gulf Shores , Kiva Dunes , and Peninsula Golf Club all located in the Gulf Region . Plus , with 30 ninehole courses and eight short courses , golfers just getting started or working in a quick round can all be accommodated . From Coastal Alabama in the
south to the Mountain Lakes region in the north , Alabama is truly a special place to visit and experience some of the most challenging and affordable golf courses in America .
Alabama offers award-winning hotels , spas , and luxurious resorts . After golf , there are craft breweries with medal-quality beers , awardwinning distilleries , world-renowned fishing , and a thriving culinary scene with award-winning seafood dining with the freshest catch , cool pubs , and a BBQ Trail .
From Coastal Alabama in the south to the Mountain Lakes region in the north , Alabama offers some of the most challenging and affordable golf courses in America . Alabama offers four different regions of golf courses : North Region , Central Region , South Region , and the Gulf Region . The different regions provide golfers with unique golf experiences and challenges throughout the entire state .
Ross Bridge in Birmingham ( Central Region ) is renowned for its scenic beauty , winding through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains .
16 September 2024 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE