Alabama Golf is Sweet
by BRUCE VITTNER

The 17th and 18th holes at Ross Bridge.

We have been hearing about the Robert Trent Jones’ Alabama Golf Trail for years, but had never found the time or the inkling to travel there. What was Julia Robert’s famous line in Pretty Woman? “Big Mistake.” Well, I now realize that it was a big mistake not to be playing some of the best courses anywhere, and in a state that has great food, excellent accommodations and wonderful people.

The Alabama Tourism Board brought in a group of golf writers from around the country to show off their prize Trail and also other courses designed by Jerry Pate and Earl Stone. They were easy to show off. “I can’t believe what great courses they have in Alabama,” said John Edwards, publisher and editor of Colorado Golfer.

His comments were echoed by all the other writers as we traveled by bus basically down Interstate 65 from Birmingham south to Mobile. For us easterners used to traveling on Route 95 with the smell of the sea always pretty close by, Route 65 runs north-south through Nashville and straight through Alabama ending at Mobile Bay.

We started in Birmingham at Timberline, a Jerry Pate design that opened in 2002. Set close to Interstate 65 but traveling through hardwoods and tall pines over a layout that traverses hills, streams and even a railroad track, you will be saying “Wow” as you make each turn. Every hole on the course was excellent, not an easy achievement for a designer. By the way, the three holes on the other side of the tracks will provide evidence that you are not on the wrong side of them.

The next day we played in Tuscaloosa at Ol’ Colony, another Pate design. We were fortunate to have Pate’s senior designer, Steve Dana of Pensacola playing with us both days, and he was very insightful with information about where and why holes were placed. “We try to make the courses enjoyable and very pretty,” and I think we’ve succeeded with both Timberline and Ol’ Colony,” said Dana. Amen to that. Ol’Colony is owned by three towns as a county recreational authority and the cooperation between the communities says much for southern hospitality. My favorite hole was the second, a driveable par 4, but up a big hill. Need a lot of hang time to get there, and large bunkers will swallow short shots.

As we left Tuscaloosa our driver stopped by the University of Alabama football field. Over 90,000 seats and they are filled for every game. Signs along the roads leading to the stadium warn that the streets will close three hours before games. Doesn’t happen in New England.

We were anxious to try out the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, and our first foray was wonderful. We played the newest trail course, Ross Bridge, on the third morning.

We had returned to Birmingham and stayed at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa the night before, and were treated to the most wonderful meal and great accommodations. This is the most high-end course and on the Trail, and it is spectacular. The golf course measures 8,191 yards on almost 300 acres and was built by Roger Rulewich of Massachusetts who was Robert Trent Jones, Sr.’s lead designer, so it qualified as a RTJ Trail course. There are five sets of tees, so pick the right one for your game. The first hole is very difficult, and it sets the trend for most of the holes. The views are spectacular, however, and it is a must play. The rates are double all of the other courses on the Trail, but it was rated the #2 best new course in the country for a reason. The Champions Tour holds an event here annually.

That afternoon we ventured south to play another RTJ Trail complex called Capitol Hill in Prattville. With three 18-hole courses, there is something for everyone here. We managed nine holes on the Legislator and then ventured over to the Judge. The third course is called Senator—hence Capitol Hill. The Legislator’s holes were not as penal as the morning round, but many of the writers said that this was a complex they could play every day without getting bored. The LPGA played the Navistar Classic here in September.

The next morning we traveled to Cambrian Ridge in Greenville, a RTJ Trail course that has three nine hole layouts. With a clubhouse that sits on top of a large hill with a magnificent view of the course below, the Wow Factor was evident immediately as we got off the bus. Severe elevation changes, carries across water and beautiful scenery made this one of the best stops on the trip. We played the Sherling and Canyon nines. Both finished with uphill shots to a shared green that sits below the clubhouse. Beware of false fronts and trust your yardage book. Many consider the courses similar to Augusta National with the elevation changes and the large loblolly pine trees.

That afternoon we traveled further south to play Timber Creek, an Earl Stone layout with 27 holes just outside Mobile in Daphne. Stone is a local course architect with a wide body of work, and Timber Creek showed off many of his skills. The nines were fair and relatively wide open. We played until dark to get a feel of all the nines and had a great time.

The last round was played at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, the second course built by Jones on the Trail. They have three 18-hole courses on the property and we played the Crossings Course that was hosting the LPGA Tournament of Champions event the next week. It was fun to play a course that the pros were playing the following week, although they had the tournament tee boxes closed and had the pins pretty much in the corners. “We wanted you to see the course that the LPGA was playing,” said the head pro who was a Red Sox fan from West Virginia. Watching on television it was hard to imagine that Paula Creamer could shoot 16 under par on the course that we found quite difficult.

The golf was wonderful, but that wasn’t all that made the trip to Alabama great. The food was excellent as we sampled much (maybe too much) of the southern cuisine. In Tuscaloosa we ate at Dreamland, a true rib house just minutes from the University of Alabama. Open for 50 years, the place used to sell only ribs, white bread and banana pudding, but now if you ask politely you can even get chicken. Don’t. Go for the ribs that fall off the bone with a wonderful tangy sauce.
In Prattville we ate at a Bass Pro Shop that had just opened. The food was good, but the building, similar to the one opening at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, was gigantic and fun to shop in. We were told that the average stay in one of the stores is over three hours. Many of the patrons in the restaurant were golfers from all over the country and Canada and they were regaling us with tales of the Robert Trent Jones Trail and their experiences.

The accommodations along the trail are excellent. Most all the Trail courses had a Marriott nearby, and we also stayed at Hilton Garden Inn in Tuscaloosa. In Mobile we stayed at The Battle House, a beautiful Renaissance Hotel right in the heart of Mobile’s downtown revitalization projects. The city is spending upwards of $2 billion to improve the area, and commerce is booming. Venture a few blocks from The Battle House to Wintzell’s Oyster House for some of the best gumbo and fried shrimp you’ll ever taste.

Golf Digest rates the Robert Trent Jones Trail as the best golf value in America and it is easy to see why. The Trail courses are difficult but challenging and fun to play. Make sure you choose the correct tee box for your game. Don’t be limited by just Trail courses, however. There are many great and reasonably priced courses throughout the state.

We’ve talked to many golfers about the best way to play Alabama golf. Our method of playing from Birmingham and south required quite a bit of traveling. The best way might be to stay and play in each region. The Trail meanders throughout Alabama. Wherever you play, you will experience great golfing. The Trail has set up a wonderful website — www.rtjgolf.com — where you can get all the information needed to book a trip or find out more. You can also call 1-800-949-4444.

How was the RTJ Trail Developed?

If you build it, they will come. Famous line from the Field of Dreams baseball movie, but also the plan of the CEO of the Alabama Retirement System.

Dr. David Bronner was in charge of the funds for teachers and state workers in Alabama. He felt the best way to make the fund grow and make the State of Alabama grow was to invest this money in something that would do both—GOLF.

He contacted Robert Trent Jones, arguably the best golf designer in America in the early 1990’s with his vision to build seven great golf courses around the state for $100 million. Folks thought he was crazy, but he said, “I felt that the courses would expand tourism, recruit industry and attract retirees, thus strengthening Alabama’s economy while adding to the quality of life for all Alabamians.”

He has been proven right. The pension fund has swelled in value and Alabama’s economy has skyrocketed. Once the seven original courses were built (324 holes), the need for more courses became evident and the Trail is now up to 11 properties and 464 holes. New hotels were needed along the Trail and Bronner partnered with Marriott to build finer hotels to accommodate all the tourists.

Industry has moved into Alabama from around the world. There are new Mercedes and Hyundai automotive plants that have recently opened in the state offering good paying jobs to thousands of residents. Bronner has invested billions of dollars of the fund into improving the infrastructure of the state’s public buildings. And best of all, the residents get to play great golf courses at very reasonable prices. Ahh, the value of golf.