Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is the largest golf course construction project ever attempted. The New York Times calls it "...some of the best public golf on Earth." From Huntsville and Muscle Shoals in North Alabama to Mobile and Point Clear in South Alabama the RTJ Golf Trail offers a collection of 468 holes of championship golf on 11 different sites.

Course locations along Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail:

Cambrian Ridge, Greenville 27 Championship Holes 9 Hole Short Course	Capitol Hill, Prattville 54 Championship Holes
Grand National, Auburn/Opelika 36 Championship Holes 18 Hole Short Course	Hampton Cove, Huntsville 36 Championship Holes 18 Hole Short Course
Magnolia Grove, Mobile 36 Championship Holes 18 Hole Short Course	Highland Oaks, Dothan 27 Championship Holes 9 Hole Short Course
Oxmoor Valley, Birmingham 36 Championship Holes 18 Hole Short Course	Ross Bridge, Hoover 18 Championship Holes
Silver Lakes, Anniston/Gadsden 27 Championship Holes 9 Hole Short Course	The Shoals, Muscle Shoals 36 Championship Holes
Lakewood Golf Club, Point Clear 36 Championship Holes	PLAY THE TRAIL

One of the most unique aspects of the Trail are the tee locations. The tee markers on the Trail are pegged to ability level, not age or gender. The courses were designed to measure as short as 4,700 yards and as long as about 7,700 yards from the tournament tees, with as many as 12 tee boxes in-between. The courses offer a tremendous amount of flexibility. As one Director of Golf put it, "The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is an incredible golfing experience for everyone. The courses will challenge the best golfers in the world, yet at the same time allow an enjoyable outing for the casual to beginning golfer."

NOTE! Discounted replay rates are available for MOST Courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. If you want to play 36 holes on any day of your package please request pricing from your Golf Package Specialists.

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Additional Information
Trail Weather

Alabama has warmth and sunshine for the greater part of the year, particularly in the southern part of the state. Spring arrives early, with the weather warming to the 60s daily by March throughout the state. Summer days average in the 80s. Sweaters or jackets will usually keep the chill off through winter months.

History

In the late 1980's, two very important things were on the mind of Dr. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. First, how to effectively diversify the assets of the state's pension fund; and secondly, how to help the state of Alabama. His philosophy was this: "The stronger the Retirement Systems of Alabama can make Alabama, the stronger the Retirement Systems will be." With that in mind, and borrowing a page from the movie script, "Field of Dreams," Bronner decided to "build-it-and-they-will-come" -- not to a baseball diamond in a corn field, but to a dazzling collection of public golf courses in the great state of Alabama.

Bronner's idea was to use a hot (but clean-burning) vehicle like golf to boost tourism, attract retirees, and spur economic growth within the state. His vision was on a grand scale -- big, really big. "I don't do windows and I don't do just 18's." You see, Dr. Bronner wasn't looking to build just an 18 hole public golf course, he wanted to build 378 holes at eight spectacular sites throughout the entire state, and all at one time!

Bronner set out immediately to find the right group to put his plan in motion. He brought in Bobby Vaughan, the former director of golf at Tanglewood in Clemmons, N.C., to put together the team for this massive project. Vaughan formed SunBelt Golf Corporation which would develop, construct, operate and manage all 18 golf courses. Vaughan began hiring experts throughout the golf industry and, from that moment, the dream of creating an easily accessible group of public golf courses, which combine quality, value and genuine hospitality, was being realized.

When you're looking for someone to design 18 golf courses, start at the top. Enter legendary architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr., arguably the premier golf course architect in the world. In his unparalleled career Jones had designed more than 500 golf courses around the world, many of which are listed among Golf Digest's "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses." Jones jumped at the chance and emerged from semi-retirement to tackle the project.

Once final approvals were given, Vaughan and his staff at SunBelt Golf took off with the largest golf course construction project ever undertaken at one time anywhere in the world. The Trail would offer 378 holes stretching to over 100 miles of golf. The invasion of earth moving equipment throughout the state was tantamount to a D-Day of bulldozers. Over 700 pieces of equipment were in operation at one time.

After all eight sites were opened, construction began on two new sites and was completed in 2005, expanding the Trail to 432 holes at 10 different sites.

These are not "manufactured" courses though -- all partake of the natural topography. Each was extracted from the land, not imposed on it. The "Trail" offers genuine championship layouts that will stand the test of time and pose major tests of golf for years to come. The rationale: No one talks about or remembers the easy courses. What lodges in a golfer's mind is the one brilliant shot that (momentarily) conquers a tough hole.

One of the most unique aspects of the Trail are the tee locations. You see, the tee markers on the Trail are pegged to ability level, not age or gender. The courses were designed to measure as short as 4,700 yards and as long as about 7,700 yards from the tournament tees, with as many as 12 tee boxes in-between. The courses offer a tremendous amount of flexibility. As one Director of Golf put it, "The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is an incredible golfing experience for everyone. The courses will challenge the best golfers in the world, yet at the same time allow an enjoyable outing for the casual to beginning golfer."

Sunbelt Golf Corporation's philosophy from the very beginning was to build the finest collection of public golf courses in the world, and run them as a successful business investment. Indeed, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a dream come true for the people of Alabama and for golfers all over the world. There is no venue in the world where such a golfing experience is possible.