Top Golf Trip Destinations: Exploring the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

In the golf community, Alabama is renowned for three primary reasons.

Gorgeous weather year-round. The Gulf of Mexico, along with the various courses nestled near or on it. And the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Built in the 1990s, the Trail originally featured eight sites. During the last 20 years, three more sites have been added to it, though, leading to over 400 more holes . . . and proving it remains as popular as ever.

Over the years, one primary focal point has been the Birmingham area, as it features two of the Trail’s most famous sites: Oxmoor Valley and Ross Bridge.

Oxmoor Valley has two championship courses (the Ridge and the Valley) and a nine-hole par-three course, known as The Back Yard, giving the location 45 holes in total.

Created with all ages and skill levels in mind, the Ridge and the Valley provide golfers two completely distinct golfing experiences. For example, the Ridge runs alongside Oxmoor Valley’s ridge line, which is located on the Appalachian Mountains’ foothills. Providing bentgrass greens and dramatic elevation changes, the par-72 course is 7,055 yards long from the back tees.

“The Ridge’s signature hole (the par-5 3rd) pays tribute to the US Steel mining area that was once here,” says PGA of America Golf Professional Mike Beverly, the President and CEO of Sunbelt Golf Corporation, which manages the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. “It also has an elevated green that’s set into shale rock, which will challenge any golfer.”

Meanwhile, the Valley was fully renovated in 2021, as it has new bunkers and new TifEagle greens. Measuring 7,327 yards from the back tees, the par-72 course also offers golfers a Biarritz green on Hole 13 — the only Biarritz green on the entire Trail.

Finally, for golfers who are interested in being a bit more laid back, socializing more and working on their short games, The Back Yard is a perfect alternative to the typical 18-hole experience. Situated on 14 acres, the walking-only course is playable for all ages and experience levels, as its holes range from 57 to 132 yards.

“It is designed to be played in 45 minutes to an hour. Golfers should bring three to four clubs and may carry a cocktail or other drink with them,” Beverly says. “Renovated in 2022, The Back Yard also features music, and a food truck called The Shed.”

For golfers interested in an even more challenging experience, they may also consider playing Ross Bridge, which is located in Hoover, a suburb that’s about 10 miles from Birmingham. Measuring 8,168 yards from the back tees, it is currently the world’s fifth longest course.

A host of the PGA Tour Champions’ Regions Charity Classic from 2006-10, the course has also recently been renovated, as a full renovation occurred in 2023. For example, to provide golfers pristine greens, each of its 18 greens were converted from bentgrass to TifEagle Ultradwarf Bermudagrass.

From an architectural standpoint, holes 2, 10, 14 and 18 were especially transformed, resulting in completely different golfing experiences than before. Every bunker on the course was restored too, as their bottoms were eliminated, reshaped and raised to ensure they’d drain more effectively and become more playable. For further playability (and faster rounds), some cart paths were also moved closer to the course’s fairways, greens and tees.

Due to each of these changes, golfers simply can’t go wrong, regardless of which course they choose to play. Of course, if at all possible, Beverly advises golfers to play all of them whenever they visit the Birmingham area.

“These two properties (Oxmoor Valley and Ross Bridge) are only 1.5 miles apart from one another,” Beverly stresses. “And, just as importantly, they’re only 30 minutes from the Birmingham International Airport, allowing out-of-state golfers to easily visit them!”

Ballantrae Golf Club: A semi-private course located less than half an hour from Birmingham, Ballantrae is known for being “fast, fun and friendly” (according to its website) — a great trio for vacationers.

Highland Park Golf Course: Renowned as Alabama’s oldest course, this par-70 layout is only 5,800 yards long. Of note, Bobby Jones won a tournament here in 1916!