Best golf courses in Alabama.

Sylacauga, AL

Hurdzan/Fry resort design at Pursell Farms in the Appalachian foothills

Auburn, AL

The Links Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National is an 18-hole, par-72 public course in Opelika, Alabama, near Auburn. Grand National opened in August 1992 as the fourth site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama and designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work. The Links shares the 54-hole property with the Lake Course and an 18-hole Short Course, on land bordering 600-acre Saugahatchee Lake. The routing follows the site's existing terrain through tree-lined corridors.

Mobile, AL

The Falls Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove is an 18-hole, par-72 public course in Mobile, Alabama, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work. Magnolia Grove opened in June 1992 as the second site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama on 650 acres inside the city's Miller Park. The Falls shares the property with the Crossings Course and an 18-hole short course.

Greenville, AL

The Sherling nine is one of three nine-hole courses that make up Cambrian Ridge on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Greenville, Alabama, about 40 miles from Montgomery. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the nine, which opened in 1993 and starts at the highest point in Butler County before dropping to play alongside Sherling Lake. A clubhouse sits atop the ridge with views over the surrounding forest land. The nine plays to a par of 36 over about 3,681 yards from the longest tees, with Bermuda greens and fairways. Sherling is paired with the Canyon and Loblolly nines to form the full Cambrian Ridge facility, which is open to the public and includes a driving range and a short par-3 course.

Point Clear, AL

The Senator Course is part of Lakewood Club at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear, a 36-hole Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail facility along Mobile Bay. The Lakewood Club's golf dates to 1947, when Perry Maxwell built the original 18 holes, later expanded and renovated as the property joined the Trail. The resort has hosted USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championships in 1974, 1986, and 2021. Rolling fairways, spring-fed lakes, and mature trees define the grounds shared across its courses.

Mobile, AL

The Crossings Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove is an 18-hole, par-72 public course in Mobile, Alabama, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work. Magnolia Grove opened in June 1992 as the second site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama on 650 acres inside the city's Miller Park. The Crossings plays 7,212 yards and shares the 54-hole property with the Falls Course and an 18-hole Short Course.

Tuscaloosa, AL

Ol'Colony Golf Complex is an 18-hole, par-72 municipal course in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, owned and run by the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority. Jerry Pate designed the course on former farm land once known as Cain's Colony, and it opened in December 2000. The layout plays 7,546 yards from the back tees with a course rating of 76.6 and a slope of 138. About 25 acres of lakes come into play, and Bermuda grass covers the fairways and greens. The University of Alabama uses Ol'Colony as its home course and built the Jerry Pate Golf Center on the grounds in 2005.

Auburn, AL

The Lake Course at Grand National in Auburn, Alabama, opened in 1992 as part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. The site sits on the shore of a 600-acre lake, and many holes touch the water. Jones built the course long, with big bunkering, elevated tee shots over water and greens set on peninsulas. Several holes play directly along the shoreline, and the wind coming across the lake changes club selection on the exposed stretches. The Lake Course hosted the PGA Tour's Barbasol Championship from 2015 through 2017. It is a public facility, priced as part of the state's golf trail, and shares the property with the Links and Short courses.

Anniston, AL

Backbreaker is one of three championship nines at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Silver Lakes, near Anniston and Gadsden, Alabama, alongside Heartbreaker, Mindbreaker and a short course. It is a par-36 nine designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work. Silver Lakes opened in November 1993 as the seventh site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The property sits in the Appalachian foothills around Lee's Lake, with forest, wetlands and heavy elevation change, and has served as the home course for Jacksonville State University golf.

Gulf Shores, AL

Kiva Dunes Golf Club is a resort course on the Fort Morgan peninsula near Gulf Shores, Alabama, between the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay. It was designed by former U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate for developer Jim Edgemon and opened in 1995. The par-72 course plays a links style over dunes covered in beach oaks and pines, running 7,092 yards from the back tees, on a property that includes about 3,000 feet of Gulf beachfront and roughly 2,800 feet on Mobile Bay. Kiva Dunes operates as a resort course with on-site lodging and requires collared shirts, with denim not permitted.

Oxford, AL

Cider Ridge Golf Club is located in Oxford, Alabama, bordering the Talladega National Forest at the base of Cheaha Mountain, the state's highest point. The property was once home to an apple orchard, and the course crosses varied terrain from a flood plain to mountain ridges. Bill Bergin of Bergin Golf Designs laid out the course, which opened in 2002. The front nine plays in a more traditional parkland style with tree-lined fairways and Choccolocco Creek in play, while the back nine climbs into rolling hills with dramatic elevation changes, mountain vistas and a natural waterfall on the par-three 12th hole along Little Hillabee Creek. Owned by the City of Oxford and managed as a public/semi-private facility, Cider Ridge plays to a par of 72 at roughly 6,946-6,978 yards from the back tees.

Opelika, AL

Grand National is a 54-hole public golf complex in Opelika, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama and opened in 1992 as part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the facility is built on 600-acre Lake Saugahatchee, with 32 of its holes running along the shoreline. It includes two championship 18-hole layouts, the Lake Course and the Links Course, plus an 18-hole par-3 Short Course. The terrain preserves much of its natural topography with tree-lined fairways and gently sloping ground.

Dothan, AL

Highlands is one of three championship nines at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Highland Oaks in Dothan, Alabama, with Magnolia, Marshwood and a short course completing the 36-hole property. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work. Highland Oaks opened in July 1993 as the fifth site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The Highlands and Magnolia nines combine for the site's main 18 and include some of the longest holes on the Trail.

Last verified 2026-09-29

Birmingham, AL

The Ridge Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley is an 18-hole, par-72 public course southwest of Birmingham, Alabama, built on former U.S. Steel mining land between Red Mountain and Shades Mountain. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work and opened in May 1992 as the first site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The Ridge plays 7,053 yards and has some of the steepest elevation change on the Trail. It shares the 54-hole property with the Valley Course and an 18-hole short course.

Point Clear, AL

Lakewood Golf Club at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama, is a historic resort course on Mobile Bay, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The 36-hole complex features the Azalea/Dogwood and Magnolia/Azalea 18-hole configurations designed by Perry Maxwell (original 1947 layout) and renovated by Joe Lee. The Grand Hotel is one of the oldest and most storied resorts in the South, and Lakewood Golf Club offers guests a classic Alabama resort golf experience along the shores of Mobile Bay.

Guntersville, AL

Gunter's Landing Golf Club sits in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Guntersville, Alabama, along the shores of Lake Guntersville. The course winds through wooded terrain, with tree-lined fairways that give each hole a distinct, secluded feel. The 18-hole layout offers a range of difficulty from moderate to demanding, with multiple tee options for different skill levels. A full practice facility with a range and putting green sits near the clubhouse. Gunter's Landing operates as a semi-private club, taking tee times Tuesday through Sunday. A collared-shirt dress code and soft spikes are required, and carts must stay on cart paths.

Daphne, AL

TimberCreek Golf Club is a public course in Daphne, Alabama, on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, just off Interstate 10. The facility is a 27-hole championship layout designed by architect Earl Stone, with fairways carved through dogwoods, magnolias and pines, along with elevation changes and wetland preserves that give it a different character from other courses on the Gulf Coast. TimberCreek opened in 1993 and is open to public play, with a full-service restaurant and practice facilities on site. It is easily reached from Mobile, Gulf Shores and Pensacola.

Fairhope, AL

Rock Creek Golf Club is set in a golf community on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Fairhope, Alabama, a short drive from Mobile. The 18-hole course was designed by architect Earl Stone and opened in 1993. Its routing uses the area's rolling terrain and elevation change, along with pines, hardwood forest, and freshwater wetlands, to shape tree-lined fairways and large, undulating greens. The par-4 second hole drops roughly 70 feet from tee to fairway before a forced carry over wetlands to the green. The course plays to 6,915 yards at a par of 72 and operates as a semi-private club with a restaurant and event space in the clubhouse.

Pelham, AL

Birmingham's best semi-private value

Gulf Shores, AL

Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club is a semi-private golf facility on the Fort Morgan Peninsula in Gulf Shores, Alabama, between Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The club opened in 1998 and was designed by architect Earl Stone across 800 acres adjacent to the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve. The facility comprises three distinct nine-hole courses, Marsh, Lakes, and Cypress, which combine into three 18-hole routings. The layout winds through live oaks, cypress trees, marshland, and wetlands, with water hazards in play on many holes and views of Mobile Bay from several tees. Peninsula offers member and public access, along with practice facilities and event hosting. Wildlife such as alligators and eagles is commonly seen on the grounds.

Bessemer, AL

Bent Brook Golf Course is a public facility in Bessemer, southwest of Birmingham. The 27-hole facility plays over rolling, wooded terrain, a busy facility that serves the Birmingham area.

Mobile, AL

Heron Lakes Country Club is located on Government Boulevard in Mobile, Alabama. The eighteen-hole course places a premium on driving accuracy and features Champion Bermuda greens installed during a 2004 renovation. The course was originally designed in 1954 by architect Harold Stallings. When the surrounding Heron Lakes residential subdivision was developed starting in 2000, architect Earl Stone added four new holes built around six lakes on the property. Heron Lakes operates as a semi-private club with tee times open to the public alongside a membership program. Practice facilities include a driving range of more than 300 yards, practice bunkers, and a large two-tiered putting green, with PGA-certified staff offering lessons.

Owens Cross Roads, AL

The Highlands Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove is an 18-hole public course in Owens Cross Roads, near Huntsville, Alabama. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work, and Hampton Cove opened in 1993 as the third site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The Highlands runs over rolling ground framed by tall grasses, with bentgrass greens, inside a natural bowl that also holds the River Course.

Owens Cross Roads, AL

The River Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove is an 18-hole, par-72 public course in Owens Cross Roads, near Huntsville, Alabama. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich leading the work, and Hampton Cove opened in 1993 as the third site on the Trail, developed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The River plays 7,668 yards through Flint River bottomland and is the only course on the Trail routed along a river. It shares the 54-hole property with the Highlands Course and a short course.