Best golf courses in Alabama

Home to the legendary Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Alabama certainly isn’t lacking in championship courses. An Alabama golf trip will have you experiencing outstanding golf during the day and welcoming Southern hospitality by night.

To make planning your bucket-list golf vacation a little easier, we have picked out some of the best golf courses in Alabama to get the most bang for your buck.

Located just outside of Alabama’s state capital, the Judge Course at Capitol Hill Golf Club is one of the top 10 public courses in America. Situated at the second-best golf club in the country and one of the most popular courses along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the Judge Course spans an impressive 7,813 yards, alongside a variety of challenging water hazards on 14 out of 18 holes.

Positioned 200 feet above the fairway, the breathtaking views of the Montgomery skyline from the first tee make it clear to see why hole No. 1 is not only the signature hole on this course, but the most famous hole on the entire Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The Judge Course will have you using every club in your bag but will certainly be an unforgettable experience.

Regarded as one of the top-ranked golf courses along the RTJ Golf Trail, Ross Bridge Golf Club is the newest and longest addition measuring a staggering 8,200 yards! Named one of the top golf resorts in North America by GOLF Magazine in 2019, this old-parkland-style course meanders through the indigenous landscape of Shannon Valley providing a unique experience on every hole.

Located just two miles from Oxmoor Valley Golf Club, Ross Bridge is the perfect accompaniment for a golf trip to Alabama. The course’s par-3 holes are particularly notable as they provide you with great elevation changes combined with water and other natural obstacles. Big and brawny, Ross Bridge is the perfect course for golfers of any skill level to take on.

The Links Course at Grand National can be found at the eastern tip of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and is the newest of the three courses found at Grand National. This course sports arguably the toughest finishing hole on the whole Trail, due to the abundant water obstacles the par-4 18th offers. The Links Course is considered one of the best on the trail, not following the traditional links format, the tightly lined tree course will test your aerial game.

Recently renovated in 2021, The Links Course received new tees, bunkers and greens further enhancing the sensational standards of this course. The Links course is a definite must-play for a golf package to Alabama, with multiple holes that have serious elevation changes or where water and wetland come into play making it a demanding course for any golfer.

Also located at Capitol Hill Golf Club is the Senator Course. Inspired by Scottish links features, the Senator Course offers something slightly different to the other more traditional courses set along the Trail. Playing just over 7,600 yards, the Senator Course boasts an outstanding amount of elevation throughout the entire course with over 160 pot bunkers as well as mounds of up to 40 feet in height, offering a sense of privacy throughout your game.

The signature 17th hole is a 559-yard par-5 and is the only hole on the entire course where water comes into play. This hole requires precision from each and every shot and provides a classic risk/reward element to your game. The treeless expansive terrain makes this course very reminiscent of playing some of the traditional Scottish links of St Andrews – the only thing missing here are the sea views!

Just south of Birmingham, at the Oxmoor Valley Golf Club you’ll find the most photographed course along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The Ridge Course will have you encounter more thrills and challenges compared to the classic Valley Course. This course will take you through 200 feet of elevation change as well as water hazards, large undulating greens, and tumbling fairways as you play through dense woodlands. Ranked No. 5 by GOLFWEEK in 2021 for the best golf courses you can play in Alabama, this roller coaster course is a must-play.

Known for its back-to-back par 5’s, The Ridge Course is not short of impressive holes making it hard to decide on a signature. One contender is the par-3 8th, played from an elevated tee, this hole will see you hit your shot down a 200-foot drop to a green nearly surrounded with water. Finishing off on the par-5 18th gives you the chance to end with a birdie, but the steep drop-offs either side of the fairway mean you need to bring your A-game right until the very end.

The sister to The Ridge Course at Oxmoor Golf Club is the Valley Course which features many of Robert Trent Jones's more classic design features. Measuring 7,273 yards, the elevated tee boxes provide stunning views down the fairways and the combination of fairway bunkering, pot bunkers and elevated greens make this course a long test of skill.

Located on the former mining land owned by U.S. Steel, the out-and-back layout runs down two miles of the valley. The abundance of small lakes, creeks and woodland make this course an immersive experience that will make you forget suburbia is right outside. Renovated in 2021, the Valley Course received a complete make-over with the greens being re-laid with TifEagle Bermudagrass as well as new teeing areas and bunkers.

Like the Links Course, the Lake Course at Grand National also provides an excellent golfing challenge. As a former PGA TOUR site, this tree-lined, open parkland course is abundant with lakeside holes, with 12 out of the 18 holes played alongside the scenic shores of Lake Saugahatchee. The perfect complement to its sister course, these two are a must-play for a golfing vacation in Alabama.

Understandably, the signature hole for the Lake Course has to be its par-3 15th that plays to an island green. Played from an elevated tee 230 yards away your shot will need some serious accuracy to avoid penalty!

Often referred to as the most traditional of the three, The Legislator Course at Capitol Hill Golf Club is the best “warm-up” round at Capitol Hill. Its parkland layout makes this course suitable for golfers of all abilities offering outstanding views and a thoroughly enjoyable round.

However, don’t let the fact water only comes into play on four of the holes fool you. The front 9 will have you weaving in and out of dense forest, whereas the back 9 will have you playing amongst native cypress swamp – accuracy is key to scoring well for this round. A relaxing, yet challenging round on The Legislator Course is an essential for your golfing trip to Alabama.