Alabama’s Best Golf Resorts

Photo By Michael Clemmer

The State of Alabama has an abundance of great golf courses. Quality golf can be played from the foothills of the Appalachians in the north part of the state to the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico.

In this article, we’re focusing on our favorite “Stay & Play” golf destinations. We’ve picked our Top 6 resorts in Sweet Home Alabama. These are places that offer not just great golf but are retreats full of amenities that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Alabama is known for its southern hospitality. You’ll experience it firsthand when visiting the fine properties we’re featuring here.

Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa

Photo By Michael Clemmer

Ross Bridge is located in Hoover, AL, just outside Birmingham. The resort is widely considered to be one of the jewels of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Opening in 2005, it’s the newest of the RTJ Trail courses. The PGA Tour’s Champions Regions Charity Classic was hosted here from 2006 to 2009.

Ross Bridge is a BIG golf course. Its 18 holes sprawl across more than 330 acres, and can be stretched to 8,191 yards from the back tees. That undertaking is not something we’d recommend for most golfers. There are a total of five tee box options, however, and one of them is sure to fit your game.

The championship course winds through the natural landscape, with ten holes playing along the banks of two large lakes connected by an amazing 80-foot waterfall.
The fairways at Ross Bridge are very generous, with the main challenges coming on the approach shots.

Cavernous bunkers protect many of the greens. Avoid them for a chance to roll at some birdies on the large, immaculate putting surfaces.

The golf is spectacular, but Ross Bridge has so much more to offer.

The resort consists of 262 rooms and suites, each with luxurious furnishings. Private balconies offer amazing views of the rolling hillsides.

Dining options include Brock’s, offering a casual fine dining experience, The Clubhouse Restaurant, featuring salads, burgers, and traditional American fare, and JT’s Lounge, where you can enjoy refreshing cocktails and light bites. The Coffee Shop is also available for a caffeine boost, a quick snack, or to pick up an item from the gift shop.

The Spa at Ross Bridge overlooks the beautiful outdoor resort pool and features a wide range of massage and beauty treatments. There are a total of ten treatment rooms, including a couples suite, separate men’s and women’s lockers, steam rooms, whirlpools, indoor and outdoor pools, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. Treat yourself to a day of pampering and relaxation in this amazing oasis.

Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa is one of three hotels in Alabama to receive a Four Diamond rating from AAA. It has twice been named one of the Top 500 Hotels in the World by Travel + Leisure. Golf Digest named Ross Bridge as one of the Best Golf Resorts in the Southeast in 2019.

Visit rtjgolf.com/rossbridge to book your tee time or to reserve your stay.

Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill

Photo By Michael Clemmer

Featuring 54 holes of championship golf, Capitol Hill is continually one of the most popular sites on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Capitol Hill is located in Prattville, just north of Montgomery.

Golf Magazine named the Judge one of the Top 10 Public Course in America, saying it is worthy of hosting a US Open. The Judge offers stunning vista views of the Alabama River backwaters.

Water comes into play on fourteen holes, including the intimidating par-3 sixth, which features a bulkheaded island green.

The Senator is a links-style course with over 160 pot bunkers and massive mounding which create the feeling that each hole is all by itself. The Senator is the host course of the Symetra Tour’s Guardian Championship.

The Legislator has elements of both The Judge and The Senator and is quite a test in its own right.

Each course is challenging and a joy to play. In their entirety, they combine to offer one of Alabama’s best golf properties.

The resort hotel overlooks the golf below. Accommodations include plush bedding and dedicated workstations.

Oak Tavern is the on-site restaurant and offers delicious, traditional southern favorites. There are 23 event rooms to host business functions or family gatherings. A 24-hour fitness center is available to get your heart pumping. Wind down with a swim, or lounge for a while by the pool.

Montgomery is just minutes away. You can enjoy one of many historic locations, tour the zoo, or visit a museum.

If you’re looking for some great golf in a relaxing environment, then Capitol Hill is a great choice!

Interested in more information? Visit rtjgolf.com/capitolhill.

Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National

Photo By Michael Clemmer

Grand National sits alongside beautiful Lake Saugahatchee in Opelika, AL. You’ll find 54 holes of world-class golf awaiting, and much more!

The resort, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, features two 18-hole championship courses. The Links, The Lake, and a challenging 18-hole Short Course are all tons of fun to play!

The courses skirt the 600-acre lake, providing scenic views and challenging golf.

The Links and Lake courses have both been in Golf Digest’s list of “America’s Top 50 Affordable Courses”.

The Symetra Tour’s Zimmer Biomet Championship, hosted by Nancy Lopez, is played on the Lakes Course. The PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship was held here from 2015 to 2017.

Twelve of the holes flirt with Lake Saughahatchee, making it equally testing and scenic. The four par threes are as good as you’ll find anywhere.

The Links Course is characterized by tree-lined fairways, wetland areas, and considerable elevation changes. The closing holes on each side are about as tough as any player can handle.

Number 9 is a par-three which is played to a 150-foot peninsula green.

All you’ll have to do on the par-4 18th is carry a marsh on your tee shot, while avoiding a large bunker on the right side of the fairway, and then execute a forced carry approach over water to the giant green. Depending on your level of accuracy, your approach putt could be up to 120 feet long, so aim well and putt true!

Once your round is over, head off to your deluxe accommodations featuring luxurious bedding, private balconies, and marble bathrooms. The resort has both indoor and outdoor pools with bar service, eight tennis courts, and 13 meeting rooms.

The Grand National Grille is located in the clubhouse and is open for breakfast and lunch. Southern Oak is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and offers a menu of American classics including mouthwatering steaks and fresh seafood in a casual atmosphere.

The resort joined Ross Bridge on Golf Digest’s list of Best Golf Resorts in the Southeast in 2019.

More information can be found at rtjgolf.com/grandnational.

The Lakewood Club at The Grand Hotel

Photo by Michael Clemmer

The Lakewood Club is one the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Resort Collection properties. You’ll enjoy the beautiful and challenging layouts of both the Azalea and Dogwood courses which are characterized by their rolling fairways, winding streams, ancient oaks, and immaculate putting surfaces.

Both courses have undergone extensive renovations in recent years, only improving what was already an amazing golf experience.

The world-class golf experience is just a part of what is available at The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection in tranquil and historic Point Clear, Alabama, just minutes from Fairhope.

At the resort, you’ll find a 20,000 square foot spa, an incredible pool, ten tennis courts, numerous dining options, and comfortably luxurious rooms and suites.

The backdrop for all this is beautiful Mobile Bay, which edges right up to the property.

Spend the day strolling and shopping in nearby Fairhope or take a relaxing drive down to the white sandy beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Or, enjoy the relaxing and entertaining atmosphere at the Grand Hotel without ever leaving the property.

Treat yourself to a one-of-a-kind experience the way presidents and celebrities have done for years before you. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa is equal parts southern charm and world class service. If you’ve been before, you’re sure to agree. If you’ve never been, it’s time to treat yourself!

Visit lakewoodatthegrand.com to learn more.

FarmLinks Golf Club at Pursell Farms

FarmLinks offers an amazing golf experience on pristine fairways and greens in a beautiful, natural setting. FarmLinks is located 20 minutes outside of Sylacauga, AL in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. You’ll find a delightful mix of rolling green fairways, and dramatic elevation changes.

The par-3 fifth hole (pictured) drops an incredible 172 feet from tee to green and offers an amazing view of the hilly countryside in the distance.

FarmLinks is the world’s first demonstration golf course. Different grasses and fertilizers are used throughout the course and are detailed in the yardage book.

FarmLinks lies within the almost 3,500 acres of Pursell Farms resort, where golf is just the beginning of what is offered.

You’ll also have the opportunity to experience the Spring House Spa, the Orvis Shooting Grounds, the UTV Mountain Experience, horseback riding, a pool with sundeck, and a fitness center. You can tour the property on a golf cart, electric or peddle bike, or on the almost three miles of walking trails.

Old Tom’s Pub is a great casual spot for lunch. You can even try your hand at a game of pool on Jim Nabors’ (Gomer Pyle) old pool table. Open 7 days per week.

Arrington is the resort’s fine dining option overlooking the 18th fairway. Breakfast is served daily from 7 – 11 a.m. and dinner is offered Tuesday through Saturday from 6 – 9 p.m.

Grab a bite before or after your round in the Clubhouse Grille. Breakfast and lunch are served daily from 7 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

After a day full of activities, you’ll be able to relax in your choice of deluxe accommodations, including The Inn, and a variety of cabins and cottages, each with its own distinct elegance and charm.

Pursell Farms has numerous venues on site perfect for hosting a dream wedding or family reunion. Many companies, both large and small, choose the resort for corporate retreats and conferences.

There’s a great deal to do at Pursell Farms. What you’ll find in abundance is a healthy dose of Southern Hospitality. It’s truly a great place to get away from it all and refresh yourself!
Visit pursellfarms.com for more information.

Kiva Dunes

Photo By Joey Johnson

Kiva Dunes is always ranked among the best courses in Alabama. Situated on the Fort Morgan Peninsula, the links-style course is as beautiful as it is fun to play! The course was designed by the property’s developer, Jim Edgemon, and U.S. Open Champion Jerry Pate. Recent renovations have made Kiva Dunes more player-friendly and elevated it to an even higher level.

The course meanders through areas of exposed sand, scrub oaks, and natural marshes, but wind is probably the biggest hazard at Kiva Dunes. Holes can play dramatically different from one day to the next depending on the direction of the breeze.

There is trouble to be found with wayward shots, but many holes offer a distinct risk-reward option. If you want to be aggressive, you had better be accurate. But Kiva also allows the golfer to choose a safer option on most holes.

Pristine playing conditions are consistent from the opening tee shot until the final putt.

Kiva Dunes has been ranked as a Top 100 Golf Resort by GolfWeek, the #1 Public Course in Alabama by Golf Advisor, and one of America’s Best Public Courses by Golf Digest.
But what is there to do when your round is over?

Let’s start with the Kiva Dunes Beach Club, which is set upon a 30-foot dune overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the natural sandy white beaches, you’ll find a large saltwater pool with beachside food and drink service. Take your relaxation to the next level with a Swedish or deep tissue massage. Kiva Beach Club is a private area reserved for property owners and guests of the resort.

In addition to the Beach Club Restaurant, you can grab a delicious bite in the Kiva Grille. The restaurant is located in Kiva Lodge and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven nights daily. Seating is available inside or on the screened in patio.

Cozy, comfortable, and charming accommodations are available and suitable for a buddy’s golf trip or a family vacation. Options include a condo in Kiva Lodge or Kiva Village, or one of the many vacation homes ranging from one to seven bedrooms.

However you choose to spend your time at Kiva Dunes you can expect to have a great time – and a relaxing one!

Visit kivadunes.com to learn more or to book your golf vacation getaway!