RGV Tour 2.0 Blog

The Robert Trent Jones Alabama Golf Trail

There are only a few golf spots left in America where the value is high and the golf is good. The Robert Trent Jones (RTJ) Golf Trail in Alabama is one of those precious few remaining places. All of these golf courses have won numerous accolades from America’s golfing institutions since the RTJ Trail opened in 1992. Most of the green fees start at just $65 and it is undoubtedly the best value in American golf.

The trail is comprised of 11 golf sites with a total of 459 golf holes. With 8 resorts and 2,065 rooms, the trail is a true golf wonder. No other development activity in Alabama has contributed more to the history, economy and culture of the state than the RTJ Golf Trail. Simply put, the trail is one of America’s greatest golf treasures. It was the perfect addition to my world record attempt at playing 500 different 18 hole golf courses in 2023.

The RGV Tour hit the trail as the shoulder season was just beginning to round into prime time. I started at the north end of the state and worked my way south playing 17 golf courses in 8 days. Even with all that golf I still managed to miss 2 sites on the trail (Grand National in Auburn-Opelika and Highland Oaks in Dothan.) To make up for the error, I took in an additional 4 golf courses located just south on the pristine white sands of the Alabama Beaches. Strap yourself in for the official RTJ RGV recap.

  • The Shoals - Fighting Joe & The Schoolmaster - Muscle Shoals, AL

The trail starts off with a serious punch to the face from Fighting Joe. At over 8000 yards long, The Fighting Joe course is no joke. I want to know who this Joe guy is and where he learned to fight so hard. The good news is that after 125 courses of golf this year, I was up to the challenge.

With the weather being a little brisk and the grasses still in dormancy, I was able to get the entire golf course to myself. After getting punched around for the majority of the day, I managed to finish birdie, birdie and get in one last haymaker before heading over to class with The Schoolmaster.

Muscle Shoals is considered the hit recording capitol of the world with two music studios in which many big names have recorded. I recorded several birdies and hit several noteworthy drives.

The Schoolmaster course is equally as tough as its neighbor and comes in just a shade under 8000 yards. It is much more tree lined than the Fighting Joe course and requires the golfer to keep it straight off the tee, scores can be easily found if you find the fairway. Both of the finishing holes at the Shoals end on the water right behind the club house. It was a tidy little bow on a great day of 36.

  • Hampton Cove - Highlands & River - Huntsville, AL

Sadly, it was a rain-soaked day for my visit to Hampton Cove. The River course was my favorite of the two mostly due to the more remote nature of the golf course.

Huntsville is home to the US Space & Rocket Center, including Space Camp. I hit several rockets myself and set up golf camp in the cozy parking lot. After ringing out my golf socks, I headed down the road to my next destination. One of the best parts about the trail are the relatively short distances in between trail sites. I never had to drive more than an hour or 2 to find my next location.

  • Silver Lakes - Gadsden, AL

The second best kept secret on the RTJ trail belongs to the Silver Lakes location. With 9 hole course names like Heartbreaker, Mindbreaker, and Backbreaker, the intimidation tactics are on full display. Each nine presents a slightly different type of challenge and it’s hard to pick a favorite from the three. The sun peaked out for a glorious little sunset as I threw in a bonus nine to fully cover the trio of breakers. I am happy to report that no hearts, minds, or backs were broken during my visit.

There are 27 holes of golf at Silver Lakes with a par 3 course as well.

The golf bridges are plentiful on the trail.

  • Oxmoor Valley - Ridge & Valley - Birmingham, AL

After several months of sleeping in nothing but the RGV, I had earned myself a break. I packed up my things and headed into the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort. I slept like a log that night after slipping into the fine linens of the Renaissance. A bed with wheels has its advantages, but a bed at the Renaissance is hard to beat.

The hotel is located directly next to The Ross Bridge golf course, which is an excellent option for golf but currently closed for renovations. I turned my sights just down the road and took in a smooth day of 36 at Oxmoor Valley.

The highlight of the round came on the Valley Course’s 13th hole. What was once a forgettable par 3 has been transformed into a stunning Biarritz. The golf hole doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the golf course, but our group didn’t mind one bit. It is an excellent rendition of the French classic. I gave myself 3:1 odds on making a hole in one, but came up just left.

  • Capitol Hill - Judge, Senator, Legislator - Prattville, AL

There are 54 holes on the property at Capitol Hill and it was time to get serious about getting in that golf. With shorter days on the shoulder season and a packed golf course, playing all 54 holes in a single day wasn’t going to be easy. Was I qualified to become “King of The Hill” for a day? I immediately got down to business and jumped onto the first tee of The Judge.

A morning purple haze on the Judge.

The island 6th hole at The Judge

With the morning 18 done in around 3 hours, the plan for 54 was looking promising. However, the Capitol Hill location on the RTJ trail is a popular one and the afternoon round took a little over 4 hours. This left me less than 3 hours to conquer the Legislator and golf all 54 holes.

Precious little sunlight was remaining after the Senator and I had 18 holes of golf remaining on the Legislator. With several blocks of golfers, I was able to get creative in how I pieced the golf holes together.

I played with a friendly group of Korean golfers for several holes that let me play with them even though they spoke no English. They obviously sensed the world record vibe and let me join. I jumped across other groups in a frenzy and then swooped back around to pick up the missing golf holes. As the sun began to set, the puzzle was nearly complete.

After picking up holes 7-9, It was clear that a day of 54 would be mine. I tapped in for a 75 and inched 3 golf courses closer to the world record. On March 25, 2023 I proudly crowned myself “King of The Hill.”

  • Cambrian Ridge - Greenville, AL

I had heard little about Cambrian Ridge before this visit to Alabama, but the folks that I met along the way certainly prepared me for my visit.

“Oh yeah, Cambrian Ridge is the best kept secret on the RTJ trail”
— Everyone in Alabama

The only bad news about my visit was that I caught the golf course on an overcast and stormy day. What the weather could not cover up was the quality of the golf course. With well positioned ponds and tumbling hills, Cambrian Ridge presents just as many views as it does challenges. There are 27 holes of golf to be played at Cambrian Ridge and each nine was well represented as one of the biggest underdogs on the RTJ trail.

  • Magnolia Grove - Crossings & Falls - Mobile, AL

A recent renovation at Magnolia Grove has opened up the views and dramatically increased the vibe and playability factor for visiting golfers. Vistas have been opened up and the grass feels like it can finally breathe. Both the Crossings and Falls courses provide a fun golf experience.

In addition to the great golf, Mobile is the original home of Mardi Gras in the United States and offers great cuisine and waterfront views. For my visit, I stuck mostly to the waterfront views on the falls course.

The falls at The Falls.

Mr green snake joined us on the par 4 12th hole at The Falls.

  • The Lakewood Club - Dogwood & Azalea - Point Clear, AL

As my time on the trail was coming to an end, I was treated with a special spot for my final 36 holes. Built in 1947 by Perry Maxwell, Lakewood Club is the only golf course on the trail not originally designed by Robert Trent Jones. It has a slightly different feel to it than the other courses, but still manages to fit in nicely. The course has been expanded to 36 holes and is directly across the street from my splendid accommodations at The Grand Hotel.

The Grand Hotel is uniquely positioned on the point of Point Clear.

I stayed just long enough at the Grand Hotel to know that I wanted to stay much longer. With beaches, a swimming pool and too many activities to mention, memories of my childhood family vacations came pouring back to me. I soaked up the ambiance as much as possible before walking across the street to take on the final 36 holes of RTJ Golf.

Bonus Alabama Beaches Content

Just a short 45 minute drive south from my finish on the trail is the popular destination of Gulf Shores-Orange Beach. As a child, our family had visited Gulf Shores once for our yearly summer vacation. I remembered little other than the Shark’s mouth entryway at Souvenir City, but once I discovered that the shark’s mouth was still operational, the memories quickly came flooding back.

The teeth have gotten an upgrade since my last visit over 30 years ago.

The Tour wuz at Tacky Jacks.

Papa Rocco’s pizza earns the current title for best RGV Tour pizza.

  • Kiva Dunes - Gulf Shores, AL

The only thing that made me mad about my visit to Kiva Dunes was that the sun never popped through onto this golf course. Well that, and the double bogey that I made on 18 to shoot an even 80. If it looks this good with overcast skies, I can only imagine how this beauty must shine during the magic hour. The course is challenging but plenty fair with some great opportunities to score if you are on top of your game.

  • Gulf Shores Golf Club - Gulf Shores, AL

The golf bargain alert goes off at Gulf Shores Golf Club, with tee times always under $100, this is a must play for the visiting golfer. The well positioned bunkering made the course a treat to play.

Squirrel Master visits us on the 17th hole.

  • Peninsula Golf Club - Gulf Shores, AL

Peninsula Golf Club delivers just what you would expect from a Troon managed property. Well manicured golf in a beautiful setting with world class service is the law of the land at Peninsula Golf Club.

  • Craft Farms - Gulf Shores, AL

The final round of RGV Tour golf in Alabama came to a close with another beautiful Alabama sunset. This time the setting was the 18th hole on the Cotton Creek course at Craft Farms. Designed by Arnold Palmer, this course is a straightforward test of championship golf.

The RTJ Alabama Golf Trail was one of my favorite destinations on The RGV Tour 2.0 to date. The courses are perfectly situated for exploration and while my trip was ridiculously heavy on the golf front, there is a host of other activities that the more casual visitor can take in. The southern hospitality goes up a notch on the trail and each day it was a pleasure to walk into a friendly and familiar club house to uncover the day’s golf adventures. Any golfer would be foolish not to consider the RTJ trail for their next golf destination.

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Complete Video overview of Alabama as a golf destination: Click Here

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