Greg Evans
A Senior’s Journey Along Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail with Greg Evans
There are golf trips and then there are golfing adventures that stay with you long after the suitcase is unpacked and the clubs are back in the garage.
Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail belongs firmly in the second category.
Stretching across the state in spectacular fashion, the RTJ Golf Trail is unlike anything else in world golf.
It is a collection of championship calibre courses connected by scenic highways, Southern hospitality, outstanding food, music history, motorsport, culture and some of the friendliest people you are ever likely to meet.
For golfers from the UK, it also remains one of America’s great hidden gems.
Over the course of eight rounds across Alabama, I discovered not only some outstanding golf courses, but a destination that combines sport, culture and travel in a way few golf regions can match.
From the Gulf Coast city of Mobile to the college town energy of Auburn/Opelika, this was a road trip that delivered memorable moments at every turn.
Flying into the deep south
My journey began at London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic, flying to Atlanta connecting onwards to Mobile with Delta Air Lines.
One of the pleasant surprises for UK travellers heading into the American South is just how straightforward the journey can be.
Flying Virgin Atlantic and Delta through Atlanta allows golf bags and luggage to be checked directly through to the final destination without the need to collect and re-check them after immigration.
A small detail perhaps, but one that makes a huge difference when travelling with golf clubs.
After arriving in Mobile, it quickly became clear that Alabama is not the America I expected. There is warmth, charm and a relaxed pace of life here that immediately makes visitors feel welcome.
Mobile – history, hospitality and Magnolia Grove golf club
Mobile sits on Alabama’s Gulf Coast and proudly claims to be the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the United States, predating New Orleans’ celebrations by several years.
The city blends maritime history with Southern culture, colourful architecture and excellent seafood restaurants.
Before the golf even began, there was plenty to see.
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park offers a fascinating insight into America’s military history, while the GulfQuest Maritime Museum and the History Museum of Mobile help explain the importance of the port city through the centuries.
One particularly memorable discovery was Las Floriditas, Mobile’s only speakeasy style cocktail bar inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s favourite watering hole in Havana.
Hidden away and full of atmosphere, it was a superb place to unwind after the long journey.
The next morning, the golf began at Magnolia Grove, just 20 minutes outside the city centre.
As part of the RTJ Golf Trail, Magnolia Grove features two championship courses, the Crossings and the Falls plus a short course.
We played the Crossings course, which has hosted the LPGA Tour for 16 years.
The course immediately set the tone for the week ahead.
Huge fairways, elevated greens, rolling terrain and immaculate conditioning made this feel every inch a championship venue, yet it remained playable and enjoyable throughout.
Capitol Hill Golf Club, links style golf in the heart of Alabama
The following morning, we headed north for the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Prattville, just outside Montgomery, to play Capitol Hill Golf Club.
Capitol Hill is home to three highly regarded courses; The Senator, The Judge and The Legislator and is widely considered one of the flagship sites on the Trail.
We played The Senator, a dramatic links style layout unlike anything I expected to find in Alabama.
The luxurious clubhouse at Capitol Hill
Vast mounds, deep pot bunkers and wide open vistas gave the course a distinctly Scottish feel, albeit with significantly warmer weather.
The course also hosts the LPGA Epson Tour Championship each autumn and provides a stern but enjoyable challenge.
Driving between RTJ venues becomes part of the overall experience.
Alabama’s roads are quiet, the scenery constantly changing, and every stop reveals another side to the state’s character.
Capitol Hill Golf Club
Ross Bridge Golf Club, great golf, great scenery
From Prattville we continued to Hoover, near Birmingham, where we checked into the excellent Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa for a two night stay.
Ross Bridge is one of the most talked about courses on the entire Trail and for good reason. Measuring a colossal 8,191 yards from the championship tees, it is regularly listed among the longest golf courses in the world.
Thankfully, most sensible golfers never need to experience all 8,191 yards.
The spectacular Ross Bridge Golf Club
From the Gold Tees, the course became one of the most enjoyable resort rounds I have played in years.
The layout winds through forests, lakes and wetlands with huge elevation changes and spectacular vistas throughout.
The signature waterfall beside the 18th hole is particularly memorable, while the oversized greens demand a solid putting touch.
Ross Bridge also perfectly captures the resort side of the RTJ experience.
The hotel, spa and restaurants provide genuine luxury without pretension, making it an ideal base for golfers and non-golfers alike.
Birmingham, from civil rights to craft beer
One of the biggest surprises of the trip was Birmingham itself.
Many travelling golfers might simply view the city as an overnight stop between rounds, but Birmingham deserves far more attention.
Our visit to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum was extraordinary.
Situated within an 880 acre complex often described as the “Augusta National of Motorsport”, the museum houses the world’s largest motorcycle collection alongside an incredible array of Lotus racing cars.
Even for those with only a passing interest in motorsport, it is a fascinating experience.
Equally impactful was the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
A selection of beers at the Back Forty Brewery
The museum tells the story of Birmingham’s central role in the American Civil Rights Movement through immersive exhibits, historic artefacts and deeply moving personal accounts.
Seeing the replica Freedom Riders bus and the actual jail cell door from which Dr Martin Luther King Jr wrote his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was genuinely powerful.
That evening, Birmingham showed another side of itself. Dinner at Fairway Social combined food, drinks and virtual sports games in a lively atmosphere, before we sampled local craft ales at Back Forty Brewery.
Oxmoor Valley Golf Club, elevated golf in every sense
We played the Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley, another Birmingham area RTJ property, the following morning.
This was perhaps the most visually dramatic course we encountered during the trip. Built across former mining land, the Ridge Course features enormous elevation changes, tree lined fairways and stunning views over the surrounding landscape.
The greens here were among the quickest we experienced all week and demanded complete concentration.
Once again, though, thoughtful tee placement ensured the course remained enjoyable rather than exhausting.
Oxmoor Valley Golf Club
Muscle Shoals, the soundtrack of Alabama
After golf, we headed north-west towards Muscle Shoals, a place forever linked with American music history.
The legendary recording studio at 3614 Jackson Highway has welcomed artists including The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Standing inside the studio where “Wild Horses” was recorded felt surreal for any music fan.
Muscle Shoals
Once again Alabama offered experiences beyond the fairways.
Our overnight stay at the Renaissance Shoals Resort & Spa in Florence provided a welcome chance to relax.
Dinner at the hotel’s revolving 360 Grille restaurant offered superb food alongside panoramic views across the Tennessee River.
The Shoals Golf Club, river golf at its finest
The Fighting Joe Course at The Shoals, was the venue for our next round of golf.
Named after Native American leader Chief Joseph Wheeler, the course stretches to over 8,000 yards from the back tees and runs spectacularly alongside the Tennessee river.
The Shoals
Wide fairways may offer some forgiveness from the tee, but length remains a major challenge, especially when the wind picks up.
The Shoals also features a second championship course, Schoolmaster, which many golfers consider the sterner strategic test thanks to its narrower fairways and more heavily protected greens.
Together, they form one of the strongest two course combinations on the entire Trail.
Huntsville, rockets and fairways
Another surprise awaited us in Huntsville.
Known as “Rocket City”, Huntsville has long been associated with America’s space programme and is home to the remarkable U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Walking beneath towering Saturn V rockets and exploring one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of spaceflight hardware was an unforgettable experience and a complete contrast to the golf heavy days preceding it.
Not to be missed the Space & Rocket Center
Downtown Huntsville itself had a youthful, energetic feel thanks to its thriving tech and science industries.
We stayed at the stylish 106 Jefferson Hilton Curio Collection hotel, perfectly located within the walkable historic district.
Dinner at West End Grill with representatives from Huntsville CVB showcased yet again just how good the food scene throughout Alabama has become.
Hampton Cove Golf Club, golf without bunkers
The following morning brought a unique RTJ experience at Hampton Cove.
The Highland Course winds beautifully through natural vegetation alongside the Flint River and is notable for one unusual detail: it has no bunkers.
It is the only Robert Trent Jones Senior designed course anywhere without a single sand trap.
Instead, water hazards, slopes and green complexes provide the challenge. It is a course that rewards thoughtful golf rather than brute force and proved especially enjoyable from the senior tees.
Auburn Opelika, a grand finale
The final stop on the journey took us to Auburn Opelika and the outstanding Grand National complex.
We checked into the Marriott Resort & Spa before heading out for dinner at Bow & Arrow barbecue restaurant, where South Texas barbecue meets Alabama comfort food in a lively setting full of college town energy.
The Links Course at Grand National, was the setting for next day of play, a scenic layout wrapped around Lake Saugahatchee.
Robert Trent Jones himself reportedly described Grand National as “the single greatest site for a golf course” he had ever seen, and it is easy to understand why.
The closing holes on the Links Course are superb, particularly the demanding par four 18th.
Later that afternoon, we visited the John Emerald Distilling Company in downtown Opelika before enjoying an exceptional dinner at Botanic, a stylish venue combining excellent food, cocktails and live music atmosphere.
Saving the best until last
For our final round, we returned to Grand National to play the Lake Course.
Quite simply, it was magnificent.
Twelve holes hug the shoreline of the lake, creating one stunning view after another.
The quartet of par threes ranks among the best I have played anywhere, while the island green 15th hole is every bit as photogenic as the famous closing stretch suggests.
It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable golfing journey.
Why senior golfers will love the RTJ Trail
Before travelling to Alabama, I made one important decision: I would play every course from the Gold Tees, the senior tees on the RTJ Trail.
It turned out to be one of the smartest golfing decisions I have ever made.
Too many golfers, particularly men, still feel uncomfortable moving forward a set of tees. In America, there is none of that stigma.
The emphasis is firmly on enjoyment and pace of play rather than ego.
One of the great strengths of the RTJ Trail is that while the courses can stretch to intimidating lengths from the back tees, they also cater brilliantly for senior golfers and high handicappers through multiple tee options.
Every RTJ course offered six separate tee options, allowing golfers to choose a yardage suited to their age, ability and driving distance.
The result? Championship golf became genuinely enjoyable rather than physically draining.
That philosophy may be the Trail’s greatest strength. These are serious golf courses capable of hosting professional tournaments, yet they remain welcoming and playable for ordinary golfers.
Final thoughts
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is far more than a collection of golf courses.
It is a complete travel experience combining world class golf with music history, civil rights heritage, motorsport, culture, outstanding cuisine and authentic Southern hospitality.
For UK golfers seeking something different from the traditional Florida or South Carolina trip, Alabama offers tremendous value, superb golf and a sense of discovery that is becoming increasingly rare in modern travel.
And for senior golfers especially, it may just be one of the most enjoyable golf road trips in America.
Fact Box
I flew with Virgin Atlantic to and from Atlanta www.virgin.com
I flew with Delta Air Lines from Atlanta to Mobile www.deltta.com
For stays in Mobile, Ross Bridge, Muscle Shoals & Grand National www.marriott.com
For stay in Huntsville www.hilton.com
For more information on the Trail www.rtjgolf.com
For more information on Alabama www.alabama.travel
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