Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Trail

I have been trying to get Smooth and Turtle to do a Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail "World Of" for years. For some reason, I get rebuffed. It may be because the "World Of" red-neck (I meant rebel!) contingent does not consider it as exotic as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or Biloxi, Mississippi! In preparation for St. Andrews, I have made inquiries with Turtle and Scratch about a long weekend on the "Trail".

In 1990, the PGA Championship was played at Shoal Creek in Birmingham, Alabama. Shoal Creek is one of the most beautiful golf courses you can imagine, but at the time it did not have any African American members (remember, this is pre-Tiger Woods!). This brought a hailstorm of criticism down against the PGA Tour and the State of Alabama. It was also the precursor to the women's rights movement at Augusta National.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. David G. Bronner, the Chief Executive Officer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, announced that the Retirement System was going to invest $100 million into the creation of Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a network of world-class public golf courses along the interstate through Alabama, to change the public's perception about the state and to make Alabama a golf capital of the United States. The "Trail", as originally envisioned by Dr. Bronner, consisted of seven sites and 324 golf holes. Over the next 15+ years the Trail expanded to eleven sites and 468 golf holes with world class hotels and conference centers. Robert Trent Jones, Sr. came out of semi-retirement to undertake this mammoth project and all of the courses are Robert Trent Jones designs. The Auburn/Opelika’s Grand National and Prattville’s Capitol Hill are frequently included in reader's choice lists of the top 10 public courses in the United States. And the "Trail" is considered one of the best golf values with in-season rates of $50 to $150 for some of the best public courses in the United States. Other states, including Tennessee with the Jack Nicklaus-designed Trail, have tried to copy the Alabama Golf Trail, but none have yet been as successful.

If any of my followers have played the "Trail" and have suggestions for four days of golf starting in Birmingham, let me know. Of course, any suggestions will be subject to Turtle's final approval!