Alabama

Alabama is a state rich in history and is probably best known for its key role in two of the most momentous events in US history, the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. In 1861, Southern politicians gathered at the State Capitol in Montgomery and formed the Confederate States of America with Montgomery as its first Capital. The telegram that started the Civil War was sent from here. Three years later in 1864, Mobile Bay in the south of the state was also the scene of an important naval struggle when the outnumbered Confederate fleet surrendered. Alabama was also under the World’s spotlight from 1955 to 1968 when the Civil Rights Movement gathered pace under the leadership of Dr Martin Luther King. Museums, bridges, churches and historic sites chronicle key episodes of this movement throughout the State. The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, the Rosa Parks Museum and Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute are just some of the must-see museums and landmarks.

Alabama offers some of the very best golfing available in the US, with championship standard courses dotted throughout the state. From the fast greens around the sand dunes of the Gulf Coast, to the doglegged fairways surround by dogwoods and magnolias in the north, Alabama makes the perfect golfing destination.

The unique ‘Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’ offering 468 holes of championship golf on 11 sites has been voted ‘Number One Golf Value in America’ by Golf Digest. Three of its golf courses have also been ranked as Number 1, 2 and 38 of the top 50 public golf courses in the U.S. by Golf World Readers. Many of these sites also now offer 5 star luxury resorts and spas.

Golf in Alabama is not just restricted to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail however. See our 5 ‘best of the rest’ golf courses throughout Alabama below:

• Craft Farms, Gulf Shores: Enjoy 36 holes on two courses, Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend. They are the only two courses designed by Arnold Palmer in
  the state.
• FarmLinks at Pursell Farms, Sylacauga: This family farm golf resort and its 7,444-yard, Hurdzan Fry-designed course, chosen by Golfweek as the state’s No. 1 all-access golf course, is often used by the golf industry to test new products.
• TimberCreek Golf Club, Daphne: Carved from a forest of dogwoods, magnolias and pines, this 27-hole course designed by Earl Stone is known for its rolling fairways and elevation changes.
• Joe Wheeler State Park Golf Course, Florence: Earl Stone designed this 18-holer that rolls across gentle hills, sidles up to a river and passes through a wildlife sanctuary.
• Ol' Colony Golf Course, Tuscaloosa: Test your golf mettle on this Jerry Pate-designed municipal course. Water throughout adds to the challenge—and fun.