Grand National
Who would have ever thought that the game of golf could change the complexion of an entire state’s economic system? Well, we know one man who did: Dr. David Bronner.
At the ripe age of 29 years old, Dr. Bronner became the head of the Alabama Retirement Systems and he set out to diversity the pension system for the state and wanted to create a way to increase tourism to the state while also growing the bottom line of the pension fund of hundreds of thousands of public teachers and employees.
Insert the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The scope of this project was massive. Dr. Bronner didn’t want to create facilities with just 18 holes, and the initial project set out to build 378 holes of golf across eight different locations throughout Alabama…all at the same time!
This unbelievable undertaking was not for the faint of heart. The first piece of the puzzle was bringing on Bobby Vaughan to create the SunBelt Golf Corporation to manage the development and operation of all 18 of these courses. The next step was to find the right architect for the job. Many of the biggest names in golf course architecture thought the task was too big to do, but one of the biggest names in golf course design was up for the task who became the namesake of this incredible golf course marvel, Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Jones and SunBelt Golf Corporation worked furiously to develop the first 8 locations. Later on three new golf hubs were added to create 11 main stops in total and over 400 holes of golf. There is nothing else like it in the world of golf travel, and the creation of these courses changed the image of the state of Alabama and has led to massive tourism growth and development over the years including being the home to four major car plants for the likes of Mercedes Benz, Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota. This influx of industry has continued to boost the fund, and needless to say Dr. Bronner’s vision has become an astounding success.
Golf trips on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
As you can imagine, the Trail was built to give golfers the option of enjoying multiple stops along the way, or traveling to stay at one of the hubs and build a vacation around that. It’s all about flexibility when it comes to a trip on the RTJ Golf Trail. We’ve taken the liberty of highlighting a few of the stops along the way for your consideration:
Ross Bridge and Oxmoor Valley – Birmingham, Alabama
Ross Bridge is the only 18-hole facility that you will find on the RTJ Golf Trail, but it almost doesn’t count because only 2 miles down the road you’ll find Oxmoor Valley that features 36 holes of top-notch championship golf as well as the latest addition to the RTJ Golf Trail, The Back Yard which is a great little short course that is the perfect way to cap off your day here. Ross Bridge recently received a beautiful facelift. This big and bold golf course was built to host tournament golf as you’ll quickly see when you play here. It is often a favorite of those who visit the Trail. The hub for these three courses is the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa that offers a warm and relaxing atmosphere alongside luxury accommodations that your group is sure to love.
Oxmoor Valley
Capitol Hill — Montgomery/Prattville, Alabama
The cleverly named Capitol Hill features 3 distinct 18-hole designs named The Judge, The Legislator, and The Senator. Much like the branches of government, these 3 layouts offer a completely different take on the game of golf as The Senator provides you with a distinct Scottish-Links style experience with pot bunkers and thickly covered mounds that will give you all of the feels of playing on the “other side of the pond.” The Judge strikes you right off the bat with a massive 200-foot drop from the first tee to the fairway instantly grabbing your attention as you make your way around this engaging track that places a premium on avoiding water hazards that lurk on 14 of the 18 holes. The Legislator is the true politician of the group, keeping everyone happy with a more traditional design that will be a nice break from its more difficult counterparts. For lodging, the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel is conveniently located next to The Senator, or the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa which is about 15 minutes from the golf courses and is a great option if you’d like to stay in the city.
Capitol Hill
Grand National — Auburn/Opelika, Alabama
With 2 championship golf courses, the Lake and the Links Courses, and the 18-hole Short Course onsite, Grand National is a favorite of golf travelers and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was quoted on record saying that this was the single greatest natural site for golf he had ever seen. That’s some high praise from a legend like RTJ Sr.! With 32 of the 54 holes onsite here playing along the massive 600-acre Lake Saugahatchee, Grand National has had the distinction of hosting events for the NCAA D1 Men’s and Women’s National Championships, the LPGA Tour, the Symetra Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, and the PGA Tour. If that doesn’t sell you on a visit here, we don’t know what will. For your lodging, visit the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National in their modern rooms and enjoy the amenities onsite such as the high-end spa, tennis and pickleball courts, multiple pools, and fitness center. Another feature of this property is it is only a 90-minute drive away from Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport so you can pretty much get here from anywhere in the country.
Grand National
With 11 sites along the trail, we only covered a few of them here and we will be sure to cover more sites along the RTJ Trail in future stories.
Recommendation
The RTJ Golf Trail is a modern marvel. The vision of Dr. David Bronner forever changed the golf travel landscape in the United States. We’ve had the pleasure of playing several stops along the Trail, and each offered a unique experience that we would recommend to anybody looking for a great trip. And one thing we would be remiss to not mention is the incredible value available on a golf trip on the RTJ Golf Trail. With world-class golf and a wonderful variety of great resort properties, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you get quotes for your trips along the RTJ Trail as the value here is as good as you’ll find anywhere. We highlighted a few stops for you here, but be sure to check out the entire Trail and try to hit multiple stops during your trip here as we assure you that you’ll be glad that you did.