A Senior’s Journey Alongside Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Path with Greg Evans
There are golf journeys after which there are {golfing} adventures that stick with you lengthy after the suitcase is unpacked and the golf equipment are again within the storage.
Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Path belongs firmly within the second class.
Stretching throughout the state in spectacular style, the RTJ Golf Path is not like the rest in world golf.
It’s a assortment of championship calibre programs linked by scenic highways, Southern hospitality, excellent meals, music historical past, motorsport, tradition and a number of the friendliest individuals you might be ever prone to meet.
For golfers from the UK, it additionally stays one in every of America’s nice hidden gems.
Over the course of eight rounds throughout Alabama, I found not just some excellent golf programs, however a vacation spot that mixes sport, tradition and journey in a approach few golf areas can match.
From the Gulf Coast metropolis of Cell to the faculty city vitality of Auburn/Opelika, this was a street journey that delivered memorable moments at each flip.
Flying into the deep south
My journey started at London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic, flying to Atlanta connecting onwards to Cell with Delta Air Traces.
One of many nice surprises for UK travellers heading into the American South is simply how simple the journey will be.
Flying Virgin Atlantic and Delta by means of Atlanta permits golf baggage and baggage to be checked immediately by means of to the ultimate vacation spot with out the necessity to acquire and re-check them after immigration.
A small element maybe, however one which makes an enormous distinction when travelling with golf golf equipment.
After arriving in Cell, it rapidly grew to become clear that Alabama just isn’t the America I anticipated. There’s heat, appeal and a relaxed tempo of life right here that instantly makes guests really feel welcome.
Cell – historical past, hospitality and RTJ Golf Path at Magnolia Grove
Cell sits on Alabama’s Gulf Coast and proudly claims to be the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the USA, predating New Orleans’ celebrations by a number of years.
Town blends maritime historical past with Southern tradition, vibrant structure and wonderful seafood eating places.
Earlier than the golf even started, there was loads to see.
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park gives an interesting perception into America’s army historical past, whereas the GulfQuest Maritime Museum and the Historical past Museum of Cell assist clarify the significance of the port metropolis by means of the centuries.
One notably memorable discovery was Las Floriditas, Cell’s solely speakeasy model cocktail bar impressed by Ernest Hemingway’s favorite watering gap in Havana.
Hidden away and filled with environment, it was an excellent place to unwind after the lengthy journey.
The following morning, the golf started at Magnolia Grove, simply 20 minutes exterior town centre.
As a part of the RTJ Golf Path, Magnolia Grove options two championship programs, the Crossings and the Falls plus a brief course.
We performed the Crossings course, which has hosted the LPGA Tour for 16 years.
The course instantly set the tone for the week forward.
Large fairways, elevated greens, rolling terrain and immaculate conditioning made this really feel each inch a championship venue, but it remained playable and pleasant all through.
RTJ Golf Path at Capitol Hill, hyperlinks model golf within the coronary heart of Alabama
The next morning, we headed north for the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Prattville, simply exterior Montgomery, to play Capitol Hill Golf Membership.
Capitol Hill is residence to 3 extremely regarded programs; The Senator, The Choose and The Legislator and is extensively thought of one of many flagship websites on the Path.
We performed The Senator, a dramatic hyperlinks model format not like something I anticipated to seek out in Alabama.
Huge mounds, deep pot bunkers and vast open vistas gave the course a distinctly Scottish really feel, albeit with considerably hotter climate.
The course additionally hosts the LPGA Epson Tour Championship every autumn and supplies a stern however pleasant problem.
Driving between RTJ venues turns into a part of the general expertise.
Alabama’s roads are quiet, the surroundings continually altering, and each cease reveals one other facet to the state’s character.
RTJ Golf Path Ross Bridge, nice golf, nice surroundings
From Prattville we continued to Hoover, close to Birmingham, the place we checked into the wonderful Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa for a two night time keep.
Ross Bridge is likely one of the most talked about programs on your complete Path and for good motive. Measuring a colossal 8,191 yards from the championship tees, it’s repeatedly listed among the many longest golf programs on this planet.
Fortunately, best golfers by no means must expertise all 8,191 yards.
From the Gold Tees, the course grew to become one of the vital pleasant resort rounds I’ve performed in years.
The format winds by means of forests, lakes and wetlands with large elevation modifications and spectacular vistas all through.
The signature waterfall beside the 18th gap is especially memorable, whereas the outsized greens demand a strong placing contact.
Ross Bridge additionally completely captures the resort facet of the RTJ expertise.
The lodge, spa and eating places present real luxurious with out pretension, making it a great base for golfers and non-golfers alike.
Birmingham, from civil rights to craft beer
One of many greatest surprises of the journey was Birmingham itself.
Many travelling golfers would possibly merely view town as an in a single day cease between rounds, however Birmingham deserves much more consideration.
Our go to to the Barber Classic Motorsports Museum was extraordinary.
Located inside an 880 acre advanced typically described because the “Augusta Nationwide of Motorsport”, the museum homes the world’s largest motorbike assortment alongside an unbelievable array of Lotus racing vehicles.
Even for these with solely a passing curiosity in motorsport, it’s a fascinating expertise.
Equally impactful was the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
The museum tells the story of Birmingham’s central function within the American Civil Rights Motion by means of immersive reveals, historic artefacts and deeply shifting private accounts.
Seeing the duplicate Freedom Riders bus and the precise jail cell door from which Dr Martin Luther King Jr wrote his well-known “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was genuinely highly effective.
That night, Birmingham confirmed one other facet of itself. Dinner at Fairway Social mixed meals, drinks and digital sports activities video games in a energetic environment, earlier than we sampled native craft ales at Again Forty Brewery.
RTJ Golf path at Oxmoor Valley, elevated golf in each sense
We performed the Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley, one other Birmingham space RTJ property, the next morning.
This was maybe essentially the most visually dramatic course we encountered throughout the journey. Constructed throughout former mining land, the Ridge Course options monumental elevation modifications, tree lined fairways and gorgeous views over the encompassing panorama.
The greens right here have been among the many quickest we skilled all week and demanded full focus.
As soon as once more, although, considerate tee placement ensured the course remained pleasant fairly than exhausting.
Muscle Shoals, the soundtrack of Alabama
After golf, we headed north-west in the direction of Muscle Shoals, a spot without end linked with American music historical past.
The legendary recording studio at 3614 Jackson Freeway has welcomed artists together with The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Standing contained in the studio the place “Wild Horses” was recorded felt surreal for any music fan.
As soon as once more Alabama provided experiences past the fairways.
Our in a single day keep on the Renaissance Shoals Resort & Spa in Florence supplied a welcome probability to calm down.
Dinner on the lodge’s revolving 360 Grille restaurant provided excellent meals alongside panoramic views throughout the Tennessee River.
RTJ Golf path at The Shoals, river golf at its best
The Combating Joe Course at The Shoals, was the venue for our subsequent spherical of golf.
Named after Native American chief Chief Joseph Wheeler, the course stretches to over 8,000 yards from the again tees and runs spectacularly alongside the Tennessee river.
Large fairways could supply some forgiveness from the tee, however size stays a significant problem, particularly when the wind picks up.
The Shoals additionally encompasses a second championship course, Schoolmaster, which many golfers take into account the sterner strategic check because of its narrower fairways and extra closely protected greens.
Collectively, they type one of many strongest two course mixtures on your complete Path.
Huntsville, rockets and fairways
One other shock awaited us in Huntsville.
Generally known as “Rocket Metropolis”, Huntsville has lengthy been related to America’s area programme and is residence to the outstanding U.S. Area & Rocket Heart.
Strolling beneath towering Saturn V rockets and exploring one of many world’s most complete collections of spaceflight {hardware} was an unforgettable expertise and an entire distinction to the golf heavy days previous it.
Downtown Huntsville itself had a youthful, energetic really feel because of its thriving tech and science industries.
We stayed on the fashionable 106 Jefferson Hilton Curio Assortment lodge, completely situated throughout the walkable historic district.
Dinner at West Finish Grill with representatives from Huntsville CVB showcased but once more simply how good the meals scene all through Alabama has grow to be.
RTJ Golf Path at Hampton Cove, golf with out bunkers
The next morning introduced a novel RTJ expertise at Hampton Cove.
The Highland Course winds fantastically by means of pure vegetation alongside the Flint River. The location’s different course, The River is notable for one uncommon element: it has no bunkers.
It’s the solely Robert Trent Jones Senior designed course wherever with out a single sand lure.
As a substitute, water hazards, slopes and inexperienced complexes present the problem. It’s a course that rewards considerate golf fairly than brute pressure and proved particularly pleasant from the senior tees.
Auburn Opelika, a grand finale
The ultimate cease on the journey took us to Auburn-Opelika and the excellent Grand Nationwide advanced on the RTJ Golf Path.
We checked into the Marriott Resort & Spa earlier than heading out for dinner at Bow & Arrow barbecue restaurant, the place South Texas barbecue meets Alabama consolation meals in a energetic setting full of faculty city vitality.
The Hyperlinks Course at Grand Nationwide, was the setting for subsequent day of play, a scenic format wrapped round Lake Saugahatchee.
Robert Trent Jones himself reportedly described Grand Nationwide as “the only best website for a golf course” he had ever seen, and it’s straightforward to know why.
The closing holes on the Hyperlinks Course are excellent, notably the demanding par 4 18th.
Later that afternoon, we visited the John Emerald Distilling Firm in downtown Opelika earlier than having fun with an distinctive dinner at Botanic, a classy venue combining wonderful meals, cocktails and dwell music environment.
Saving one of the best till final
For our ultimate spherical, we returned to Grand Nationwide to play the Lakes Course.
Fairly merely, it was magnificent.
Twelve holes hug the shoreline of the lake, creating one gorgeous view after one other.
The quartet of par threes ranks among the many greatest I’ve performed wherever, whereas the island inexperienced fifteenth gap is each bit as photogenic because the well-known closing stretch suggests.
It was the right ending to an unforgettable {golfing} journey.
Why senior golfers will love the RTJ Path
Earlier than travelling to Alabama, I made one vital resolution: I’d play each course from the Gold Tees, the senior tees on the RTJ Path.
It turned out to be one of many smartest {golfing} selections I’ve ever made.
Too many golfers, notably males, nonetheless really feel uncomfortable shifting ahead a set of tees. In America, there may be none of that stigma.
The emphasis is firmly on enjoyment and tempo of play fairly than ego.
One of many nice strengths of the RTJ Path is that whereas the programs can stretch to intimidating lengths from the again tees, additionally they cater brilliantly for senior golfers and excessive handicappers by means of a number of tee choices.
Each RTJ course provided six separate tee choices, permitting golfers to decide on a yardage suited to their age, potential and driving distance.
The end result? Championship golf grew to become genuinely pleasant fairly than bodily draining.
That philosophy stands out as the Path’s best energy. These are severe golf programs able to internet hosting skilled tournaments, but they continue to be welcoming and playable for unusual golfers.
Remaining ideas
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Path is way over a set of golf programs.
It’s a full journey expertise combining world class golf with music historical past, civil rights heritage, motorsport, tradition, excellent delicacies and genuine Southern hospitality.
For UK golfers looking for one thing completely different from the normal Florida or South Carolina journey, Alabama gives great worth, excellent golf and a way of discovery that’s changing into more and more uncommon in trendy journey.
And for senior golfers particularly, it might simply be one of the vital pleasant golf street journeys in America.
Truth Field
I flew with Virgin Atlantic to and from Atlanta www.virgin.com
I flew with Delta Air Traces from Atlanta to Cell www.delta.com
For stays in Cell, Ross Bridge, Muscle Shoals & Grand Nationwide RTJ Golf/Resorts
For stays in Huntsville click on right here
For extra info on the Robert Trent Jones Path www.rtjgolf.com
For extra info on Alabama click on right here
