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ALABAMA
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FOLLOWTHE TRAIL
ALABAMA’S TRENT JONES LEGACY
Raised eyebrows, there were a few,
when it was announced that Alabama
would make a major play to become
an international golf travel destination.
Off the beaten track would be an
understatement in golfing parlance;
heading to the American Deep South is
unlikely to be high on the list of things-
to-do for many golfers, but that’s all
about to change. A project of incredible
ambition has transformed Alabama from
golfing backwater to genuine contender.
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is the
largest golf course construction project
ever attempted; a collection of 468 golf
holes on 11 different sites across the
state which, according to the New York
Times, includes “some of the best public
golf on earth.” Considering Trent Jones’
reputation as one of the finest golf
course architects the game of golf has
seen, this assertion should ring true.
The Trail meanders from the beautiful
foothills of the Appalachians in North
Alabama to the sparkling Gulf of Mexico
in the South and each stop along the
way offers a challenging, yet
enjoyable, round for golfers of all skill
levels. Stops along the Trail are all
conveniently located near an interstate
highway making it a fantastic way to
explore the golfing, natural and cultural
delights of the most famous of states in
America’s Deep South. No two courses
are more than two hours from one
another, making it possible to discover
an incredible array of golfing wonders in
the same week.
Twinned with eight superbly equipped
resorts, the courses laid down by RTJ
and associates form the basis of a totally
unique experience; most other popular
golf holiday destinations focus on a few
courses in one distinct area or provide
access to stay and play itineraries.
Choose Alabama and the Trent Jones
Trail, however, and you will not only play
superb golf but also have the chance to
explore the sights and sounds of a state
not frequented by European visitors.
Highlights – and there are many –
include The Shoals, a two-course venue
joined by a superb Marriott resort
wedged between the Wilson and
Wheeler Dams. Of the two brilliantly
named courses, the Schoolmaster and
Fighting Joe, the latter creates a buzz by
stretching beyond 8,000 yards from the
tournament tees.
At Magnolia Grove, near the state
border with Florida, RTJ made full use
of the extraordinary natural landscape
to craft 54 excellent holes, including
a championship layout ranked in Golf
Digest’s Top 50 Public Courses, while
nearby Lakewood, actually formed in
1947,
represents one of the Trail’s more
established stop-offs.
The RTJ Trail is truly a unique prospect
–
where else can you play more than
100
miles of golf penned by one of the
world’s greatest and most decorated
course architects? It’s the realisation
of one man’s vision: Dr. David Bronner.
Involved in state legislation, particularly
in retirements systems and funds, he
devised a plan to attract visitors,
home buyers and consumers to
the area by using golf as the lure.
“
Some of the best public golf on earth”
-
New York Times
The final hole at Ross Bridge