Teach me! Alabama Golf Trip?

[Mace]

I am looking into a potential golf trip to Alabama - RJT - Looking into different options such as Capital Hill or Silver Lakes area.

Does anyone have recommendations of which area to stay, which courses to play, where to fly into etc.

This would be for 12 guys, and we would be looking to play 4 rounds. (course can repeat if needed)

Do any of these sites offer "stay and play" or would be looking to rent an house/ hotel in the area? Any tips/ tricks would be helpful - Thanks in advance.

 

[Keith Prater]

Yes, I worked at two of the properties in college. Most RTJ sites have a package, just call that hotel and speak to a sales manager. I worked at Capitol Hill, Zach Johnson won the Nationwide Championship while I was there. It’s a great property with 3 very different courses. I also worked at Lakewood in Point Clear. Incredible property. Grand National, Ross Bridge, Hampton Cover are all nice. Ballantrae is a nice public course. If you’re a member of a golf club now, try to get a reciprocal pass to The Ledges in Huntsville. There’s some beautiful courses so you won’t be disappointed.

 

[mhuelsman131]

A couple of buddies and I stayed at this property at Oxmoor Valley in Birmingham a couple of years ago now.

PLAYER - Birmingham, AL

www.ostergolfhouses.com

House was awesome and Oxmoor has 2 courses and is close to Ross Bridge as well. They have a couple of bigger houses on the street and can be combined for more.

 

[wadesworld]

I would stay in or near Birmingham.

Within a 2-hour drive you can get to:
Oxmoor Valley (Birmingham)
Ross Bridge (Birmingham)
Grand National (Auburn/Opelika)
Capitol Hill (Montgomery/Prattville)
Muscle Shoals
Huntsville

and Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, which is not part of RTJ but should definitely be on your list.

I would rate them in this order:

Ross Bridge
Grand National / Capitol Hill (pretty even)
Pursell Farms
Muscle Shoals
Huntsville
Oxmoor Valley (which is not to say it's bad. It's close and will probably be played just for that reason - I just don't like it as much as the others)

You can fly into Birmingham, or may be able to save money by flying into Atlanta which is 2 hours away, or Nashville (3 hours away) depending on your tolerance for driving after flying.

 

[McLovin]

I would stay in or near Birmingham.

Within a 2-hour drive you can get to:
Oxmoor Valley (Birmingham)
Ross Bridge (Birmingham)
Grand National (Auburn/Opelika)
Capitol Hill (Montgomery/Prattville)
Muscle Shoals
Huntsville

and Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, which is not part of RTJ but should definitely be on your list.

I would rate them in this order:

Ross Bridge
Grand National / Capitol Hill (pretty even)
Pursell Farms
Muscle Shoals
Huntsville
Oxmoor Valley (which is not to say it's bad. It's close and will probably be played just for that reason - I just don't like it as much as the others)

 

[odom730]

I would stay in or near Birmingham.

Within a 2-hour drive you can get to:
Oxmoor Valley (Birmingham)
Ross Bridge (Birmingham)
Grand National (Auburn/Opelika)
Capitol Hill (Montgomery/Prattville)
Muscle Shoals
Huntsville

and Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, which is not part of RTJ but should definitely be on your list.

I would rate them in this order:

Ross Bridge
Grand National / Capitol Hill (pretty even)
Pursell Farms
Muscle Shoals
Huntsville
Oxmoor Valley (which is not to say it's bad. It's close and will probably be played just for that reason - I just don't like it as much as the others)

I agree with this.

I've played 6 of the RTJ sites. They offer excellent stay and play packages. A few of the sites have resorts on site. The others will put you up in a hotel nearby. But you can leave your clubs at the course if you want. I've done the unlimited special and showed up at sunrise and played until sunset. I'd give them a call and let them know what you're looking to do and what courses you'd like to play. You can also use the build your own package on their website to get a starting point and then call in and tweak and finalize. They've always been friendly and accommodating when I've called.

If you go to Capitol Hill/Montgomery area, then put Cambrian Ridge on your list. It's only an hour south and was one of my favorite sites on the trail. Their website has driving distances and times to and from each site.

And play the par 3 courses if they have them. It's a great way to end the day. Oxmoor Valley has a new par 3 course that looks spectacular.

I'd rank the trail sites I've played as:

Capitol Hill
Cambrian Ridge
Silver Lakes
Oxmoor Valley
Muscle Shoals
Highland Oaks

But all the sites offer great golf at excellent prices. You'll enjoy it wherever you go.

 

[Mace]

awesome info - thanks guys. ideally once we get to a location, we would rather not drive an hour + to a course... with 12 guys. We will need to get transportation to/from with our clubs etc. So will most likely choose a place that has 3-4 courses nearby.

 

[Parrot]

Birmingham and Montgomery are the 2 best places to jump off from. But, Mobile is a very close third. The courses at Lakewood and Magnolia Grove are damned good.

https://www.rtjgolf.com/reservations/ You can find some summer specials there or have them build one for you. The Trail staff are really easy to work with.

 

[odom730]

If you're looking at only 1 site, I'd say look at Capitol Hill. Each course is very different. The Judge is very difficult and has a beautiful 1st tee.


The Senator course is a links style course with rolling hills and tons of pot bunkers.


And the Legislature course is great too. Nice golf thru the pines.

 

[wadesworld]

awesome info - thanks guys. ideally once we get to a location, we would rather not drive an hour + to a course... with 12 guys. We will need to get transportation to/from with our clubs etc. So will most likely choose a place that has 3-4 courses nearby.

If that's the case, I'd still choose Birmingham because you can do Ross Bridge, and Oxmor Valley and Pursell Farms is only an hour away. Capitol Hill is only 1.5 hours.

 

[fdheadwear]

This is what we did and it was fantastic. The greens at one of the courses at Grand National were new and like concrete so it was very hard to hold them. I'd imagine they are amazing now.