Alabama
A feature from the IAGTO Directory
2020
Alabama
Alabama Sweet Home Alabama – a golfing destination unlike any other Sweet Home Alabama is more than just a song or a movie, although they both certainly evoke the spirit of the beautiful state. It’s also a mantra for the hard-working, friendly folks that travellers encounter along the way. From the bagboys and beverage cart girls on the world-class golf courses to the servers and chefs in the award-winning restaurants, visitors are made to feel right at home, ensuring that time spent in Alabama is as sweet as the tea.
RTJ Golf Trail Ross Bridge
Sweet Home Alabama is a golfing destination unlike any other, as home to the original golf trail, modern and historic golf resorts, and over 32 miles of sugar-white beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. The incomparable Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and both the Arnold Palmer-designed courses at Craft Farms Golf Resort and Jerry Pate’s Kiva Dunes in Gulf Shores put Alabama on the radar of travelling golf groups more than two decades ago.
The ensuing years have upgraded the state’s position on all types of vacation bucket lists by spawning award-winning hotels, spas and luxurious resorts; exciting craft breweries with medal-quality beers; world-renowned bass fishing events and red snapper rodeos; and a thriving culinary scene, ranging from fresh Gulf seafood and a unique BBQ Trail to James Beard-recognised chefs and restaurants.
Craft Farms Golf Resort, Gulf Shores 50
Alabama
Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, Birmingham
Just a few of the golf resorts that make Alabama so special are Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa in Birmingham, boasting an RTJ Golf Trail golf course, luxurious spa and delectable dining; the Marriott Grand National Resort & Spa located 90 minutes southwest of Atlanta in Auburn-Opelika, which has 54 holes of Robert Trent Jones golf on site; the century-and-a-half-old Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa on Mobile Bay, considered the “queen of Southern resorts;” and Kiva Dunes in Gulf Shores, Alabama’s only beachfront golf resort offering a Jerry Pate-designed course, clubhouse and fairway condominiums, as well as beach homes to rent.
Kiva Dunes Golf & Beach Resort, Gulf Shores The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa (below)
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, with its eight hotels/resorts and 26 courses at 11 sites around the state, and Coastal Alabama Golf, the booking entity for nine premier golf courses and lodging options ranging from golf resorts and hotels to beachfront condos and homes in the Gulf Shores-Orange Beach area, are eager to put together customised golf packages for your clients. Here’s a snapshot of some of the golfing locales in the state to allow you to create a custom golf vacation to Sweet Home Alabama... 51
Alabama
Huntsville Huntsville is a great place to start your Alabama golf journey, as the most northern location of the golf trail (RTJ Golf Trail at Hampton Cove). Situated in the Tennessee Valley, it’s often referred to as the “Rocket City” for its role in America’s space exploration programme and it offers an experience like no other destination. Home to the Earth’s largest space museum at the US Space & Rocket Centre, you’ll find high-tech cool mixed with Southern hospitality and captivating valley views.
US Space & Rocket Centre
A day of golfing can take a lot out of you, so downtime to kick back and relax is a must. After the rounds are over, check out Campus No. 805, a repurposed school building turned brewing and mixed-use entertainment complex, billed as the “coolest middle school in the country.” Throw an axe at not one, but two, axe-throwing centres in downtown Huntsville. You’ll have over 550 options when it comes to dining. Whether it’s the mouth-watering steak at Nick’s Ristorante or the bone marrow and bourbon special at Purveyor, your taste buds are sure to thank you for choosing Huntsville. Wrap up the night with a cocktail and cigar at local hotspots such as SiP or Vintage Cigar Lounge. Plus, there are two more trails to enjoy while in the Rocket City. Wet your whistle on either the Downtown Huntsville Craft Beer Trail with 10 stops or the Downtown Huntsville Craft Coffee Trail with 10 stops as well. Lodging options range from convenient hotels near golf to upscale accommodations downtown. You’ll discover more details at www.huntsville.org RJT Golf Trail at Hampton Cove
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Alabama
Auburn-Opelika Auburn-Opelika is the coolest college town in the South, according to them, and one of the top cities in America to live, according to CNN. Easy to get to and easy to love, it’s a perfect choice for a golf getaway. Grab your clubs and follow the world-renowned Robert Trent Jones Trail right over to Opelika to play the 54-hole Grand National. Here, you’ll find the site that Mr Jones himself proclaimed “the single greatest site for a course” he had ever seen. Golf Digest‘s Number One Golf City in the US, Auburn-Opelika also features 100 additional holes of the South’s most beautiful public golf, including the “Number One Public Course in America” and one of the “Top 10 Most Affordable Courses in the US”. The mild temperatures mean you can comfortably take in a few rounds any day of the year. Let the adventure continue after dark with an indulgent dining experience from one of the James Beard-nominated chefs and local craft brewers and distillers. With over 50 independent and chef-owned experiences to choose from, you’ll see why – if you haven’t yet heard the hype – you’ll totally get it. You’ll also find plenty of speciality retailers as well as a variety of activities and diversions. The community offers year-round outdoor experiences and a wide variety of nightlife vibes from campus, college student hangouts to art deco jazz lounges. Your overnight choices include the on-site Marriott Golf Resort & Spa at Grand National, the on-campus Auburn University Hotel and a wide variety of hotels and B&Bs. www.aotourism.com is your resource for more information.
RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National 53
Alabama
Birmingham Born out of the iron and steel industry, remnants of Birmingham’s early beginnings are preserved in places such as Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and Vulcan Park & Museum. The city is also well known for its prominent role in America’s Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. A visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute gives visitors an in-depth look at that important era. Today, Birmingham wears a much different face. It’s a place that’s brimming with entertainment, the arts, nightlife, outdoor recreation and world-class cuisine. Should you have Birmingham pigeonholed as serving only barbecue and fried pies, remember that the city is home to “Oscars of dining” with James Beard Foundation Award winners and nominees.
Barber Vintage Motor Sports Museum
Alabama’s largest city is home to two RTJ Golf Trail sites (Ross Bridge and Oxmoor Valley) and the state’s most luxurious golf resort at Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa, plus the Barber Vintage Motor Sports Museum, four craft breweries and exciting nightlife options that only a city this size can offer. You can choose to stay on-site at Ross Bridge, at an historic downtown hotel, a boutique inn or any number of convenient branded hotels. The website, www.inbirmingham.com, provides more destination information.
Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa 54
Alabama
Mobile Once called the Paris of the South, Mobile has long been the cultural centre of the Gulf Coast and you'll find an authentic experience like nowhere else in the southern United States. As the birthplace of America's original Mardi Gras, a good time is easy to find in this port city. Attractions include the USS Alabama battleship, Bellingrath Gardens & Home, riverboat dinner cruises, the Dauphin Street entertainment district, restaurants with water views and a couple of craft breweries.
The Chefs Table view at Dauphin's Restaurant
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Mobile Mardi Gras
Not only is the RTJ Golf Trail’s 54-hole southern stop, Magnolia Grove, in Mobile, but there are several other challenging courses to keep you in town a bit longer. And choosing to stay longer will be easier when you stay at either the historic Renaissance Battle House Hotel & Spa or the Renaissance Riverview Plaza in downtown Mobile, or the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, all part of the RTJ Golf Trail collection of hotels and resorts. Visit www.mobile.org for more information.
Alabama
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Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, An Autograph Collection Hotel 57
Alabama
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are home to 32 miles of white sandy beaches that line the pristine, turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Along with the beach, this area offers a plethora of adventurous activities including a variety of fishing excursions, Jet Ski and boat rentals, parasailing, kayaking and biking, and much more. Then, after a full day of fun in the sun you can grab a hearty meal at one of the many locally-owned restaurants that specialise in everything from fresh Gulf seafood to sweet Alabama BBQ. Wash down your meal and end your day with a cold beer at Big Beach Brewing Company or an infamous bushwacker (aka adult milkshake) at the legendary Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar. And don’t forget about golf. Championship courses like Peninsula and Craft Farms Golf Resort give great options to play every day. At the end of the night, you’ll want a comfy place to lay your head and, fortunately, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have an outstanding selection of accommodation options from high-rise condos and colourful beach houses to nationally-branded hotels and resorts. If this all sounds like a hole in one to you, visit www.gulfshores.com to learn more about the area and order a vacation guide to start your planning right away. Gulf Coast fishing
GOLF THE GULF COAST
Craft Farms • Peninsula • Rock Creek • Kiva Dunes • Glenlakes Gulf Shores Golf Club • Lost Key • One Club • Timbercreek
Gulf Shores, Alabama is emerging as one of the South’s best golfing destinations, and Coastal Alabama Golf is the easiest way to book tee times at all nine championship courses. Whether you are looking to book a couple of rounds or need help creating custom golf packages, we will create the perfect trip for your group!
Call us today! • 888.315.2729 • www.CoastalAlabamaGolf.com
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Alabama
It’s so easy to get to Alabama from around the world. The state is just a two hour’s drive from two major international airports – Atlanta and New Orleans. Plus, every major Alabama city offers connecting flights to and from airports all around the country, including Charlotte, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington DC and more. Check out www.alabamagolftours.com for sample itineraries and more information on how you can make Sweet Home Alabama the next golf destination you offer to your customers. Copy supplied by Alabama Tourism Department
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Cover Photo: Mission Hills Resor t Haikou • www.missionhillschina.com
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