Been a while since I’ve been on the boards here…just moved to Madison/Huntsville area. 40 years ago my dad did a PGM internship at Huntsville Country Club (cc @IRBS), so it’s a pretty wild full circle.
Ha that’s awesome - very small world. HCC is in great shape, starting a big practice area revamp now. Let me know if you wanna play sometime. Several NLU fans out there as well.
I saw. We went over there when I moved, pops wanted to see everything. Talked to the head pro for a while. Looks great…we’ll be in touch.
Went through some tough times, but they really turned it around, huh?
My parents were members when I was a kid - it was so awesome in the early 90s
1 Like
Lower Alabama here; really only ever play/played Lakewood courses in Point Clear
2 Likes
Just throwing this out there:
Always wanted to play some of the RTJ Trail, never gotten around to do it. Just wanted to see if that would be something everyone would wanna do? Wouldn’t be a bad refuge trip.
1 Like
I’d be up for something when this damn rain stops.
Similar to the thread that already exists, what are some of the best public courses/hidden gems in the state, mainly non-RTJ?
Hey guys, so my wife is finding out next Friday where she’ll be attending residency for the next 3 years. We are currently in Houston but we’ll hopefully be on the move to Birmingham, AL! I have been in industrial construction since I graduated college 3 years ago but I will most likely be looking to move into commercial or specialized residential construction or something kind of niche and cool. I have no connections in the area so I figured I could reach out and see if any of you fellas had any advice on jobs, areas to live, best golf, and other things to partake in while being there! Any help is greatly appreciated!
1 Like
Stillwaters is a gem depending what area you are in. It’s close to where I grew up and whenever I’m home that’s where I get out to play. Normally good prices too.
Lots of work for big GC’s in Birmingham. Obviously Brasfield and Gorrie being one of the biggest, so that would be somewhere to look into. I don’t think Homewood can be more underrated from the outside looking in. It’s a great part of town, doesn’t have as high of a price tag compared to
Vestavia and Mountain Brook and it shouldn’t be far away from any hospital she’d go to. Oh yeah, I’m also hoping to match in Birmingham as well, so good luck with absorbing the stress and anxiety from it. Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions. I don’t live there, but have family and friends there and have rotated there as well.
1 Like
I appreciate it, man! We looked around Homewood some when I visited and we both loved it so that’d probably be the move. Good luck with match! If we both end up there we’ll have to link up and play.
1 Like
Any quarantine golf being played? Drove over to the Frog in Villa Rica Ga yesterday. Awesome day. Driving up to Sweetens next week.
I would argue that the RTJ Trail, overall, is the best collective value of public courses anywhere from a dollars perspective. We play RTJ Shoals pretty much every week. I have played most of the rest of the Trail over the years (play Hampton Cove in Huntsville fairly often and it is my least favorite of them all). Obviously some are better than others - but for the money, its fantastic. Buy a Trail Card every year and then $45 per round (and replays are like $25/30 I think). I’m a big fan of the Fighting Joe and Schoolmaster over in the Shoals.
They can get a little repetitive - big/open courses, not super architectural or quirky, but always in really solid condition.
If there is a Middle/North Alabama swing you guys want to make, I’m in.
1 Like
B’ham native here. New to the message boards. Due to Covid-19, I’ve been playing Bent Brook recently. 3pm-ish tee time is 30 bucks walking and you can’t beat it. It’s a beautiful course with some of the best greens in public courses here in B’ham. It’s a perfect walk and a few cold ones fits perfectly into it. Hopefully everyone can find somewhere to play some rounds during these crazy times.
2 Likes
The RTJ Trail and great food options are just sitting here tailor-made and waiting for Strapped
1 Like
Originally from North Alabama, but I now live just south of Birmingham and recently joined Timberline GC in Calera. It’s a very solid track and extremely well-maintained. Great practice area as well.
Fair course with a lot of birdie chances, but it also has some serious teeth on the Par 3s.
I’d love to see Icarito fly just a bit to close to the sun here in my hometown. Imagine the money round being played at Highlands or Oxmoor Valley or even Oak Mountain, the cheapest and biggest bang for your buck. One can dream I guess.
2 Likes
Just moved to the Enterprise/Dothan area, was looking into getting a RTJ card to play Highland Oaks. Anyone else down this way?
1 Like
I have an annual golf event coming up in June so I am trying to squeeze in as many rounds as I can. If any Refuge folks want to play Timberline or any B’ham area courses in the next few weeks, I am in.
Live in the Wiregrass area too. Absolutely get a trail card- best value in golf this way at least.
Me and another NLU pal play Highland Oaks a lot. We walk the short course after work more than anything (9$ with trail card can’t be beaten).
Def down to get together for a round sometime soon!