The Best Golf Courses in Alabama

If you really want to maximize the experience of your golf trip, pick a spot that offers more than just a nice course. Alabama already sports some of the best golf courses in the southeast, but what really drives groups to the Yellowhammer State are the opportunities for amazing and affordable "stay-and-play" packages where groups can golf, dine, and do extra activities like shooting, fishing, or just relaxing in the beauty of the south.

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How the Top 4 Golf Courses in Alabama Were Chosen

When compiling this list, we used a mix of criteria.

First, we looked at the different criteria that professionals in the world of golf say about the top Alabama courses. We considered the courses they talked about and why they rated them the way they did. As one example, many pro golfers like Gary Player cite fun as being equally as important as challenge. Player once said that ""The mark of a great course is when it can be enjoyed by both the amateur and the professional. It must offer challenges but also be playable."

Second, we considered public opinion. That is, we looked at some reviews online and in reputable publications. Most golfers have a favorite place to play. We found those spots by looking at online reviews. We also looks at reviews from publications like Links Magazine and Golf Digest.

Finally, we took a holistic look at some of the amenities and accommodations offered on each property. Golf is an experience that extends outside the actual game. Everything from the drive in to the last hour at the clubhouse matters.

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#4 Craft Farms Resort, Gulf Shores, Alabama

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Craft Farms Resort, situated in the scenic Gulf Shores, Alabama, is a golfer's haven, offering the unique experience of playing on Alabama's only Arnold Palmer Signature Design Courses.

The resort is home to two distinct golf courses: Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend, both designed by Arnold Palmer. These courses not only promise a challenging round of golf but also provide beautiful landscapes and meticulously kept fairways and greens. Craft Farms is recognized for its exceptional customer service and the quality of its courses, inviting golfers of all levels to enjoy a memorable experience​.

Craft Farms holds a rich history, originating from the vision of R.C. Craft, a farm boy turned successful businessman, who dreamed of transforming Gulf Shores into a world-class golf destination. This dream was realized through a partnership with Arnold Palmer, one of the most beloved figures in golf. The collaboration between Palmer and Craft has left a lasting legacy of golfing excellence and southern charm at the resort​​.

Beyond golf, the resort's location in Gulf Shores offers access to a variety of activities, including shopping, boating, beach outings, deep sea fishing, and more, making it an ideal destination not just for golf enthusiasts but for anyone looking to experience the beauty and leisure of Alabama's Gulf Coast​​.

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#3 – Shoal Creek, Birmingham, Alabama

Designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and Jim Lipe, Shoal Creek in Birmingham is a private course. Nicklaus looked for a landscape that allowed for more than a par 3 play and eventually found it on the golf course’s current site.

The site first came into being in the late 1970s. By 1984, it gained enough traction in the golf world to be chosen as the site of the PGA Championship. It also hosted the first USGA Championship, the U.S. Amateur in 1986, and the Women’s Open in 2018, to name but a few.

Since its inception, this year-round, 72-par course has earned rave reviews from golf pros and hobby players alike.

The drawback that this top-rated course might have is that it’s an invitation-only, private club. It does offer stay and play golf packages to members and their guests.

#2 – Capitol Hill Golf Course, Prattville, Alabama

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With its stair-stepping waterfalls, cattail-lined marsh areas, and hilly terrains just this side of “just right,” the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (Capitol Hill Judge) has consistently ranked among Alabama’s top golf courses over the years, including by Golf Week – USA Today. The Capitol Hill Judge Course earns a 4.5 out of 5 possible points on TripAdvisor.

This 18-hole stunner sits just a stone’s throw away from Montgomery. Its 1,500 acres include an innovative 360-degree driving range and a multitude of different landscapes to challenge course players to really bring their “A” game. Its first tee overlooks the river, giving golfers an inspiring sight at the outset of their games.

While this course offers excellent play, it doesn’t offer on-site stay and play golf packages. It does offer some lodging recommendations, including Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa And Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa. If you were hoping to offer this course to one of your golfing buddies as a part of a package of golf gifts, it’s helpful to keep that in mind.

#1 – FarmLinksat Pursell Farms, Sylacauga, Alabama

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While we admit that we might be a bit biased about FarmLinks at Pursell Farms being one of the top-rated golf courses in the Southeast, rest assured, we aren’t the only ones who think that. The Farm rates 5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and has been ranked the #1 public golf course in Alabama in Golf Week – USA Today a total of 11 times and the last 12 years.

It’s also one of the only public golf courses in Alabama that’s not on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, offering players a chance to explore other beautiful areas of the state on their next golf vacation.

Granted, FarmLinks, our golf course, offers all the challenges you’d come to expect from a links golf course. Its topography includes different types of grasses, lots of rolling hills, and an incredible preview of the history of Alabama at nearly every turn.

By the time you finish this 72-par course, you’ll know something about the history of the railroad, the sawmill, and even the local bootleg culture. And if you dig deep enough, you’ll even learn about the art and science behind running one of America’s premier golf resorts. FarmLinks is, above all, “the world’s only research and demonstration golf course.”

Aside from this, FarmLinks stay and play golf packages include lodging on our 3,200-acre grounds, the use of a golf cart during your stay, prime tee times, and full, unlimited use of the golf practice facility.

When you’re not playing golf, we invite you to sample farm-to-table fare at the Arrington, listen to live music by the likes of Radney Foster, Brian Owens, and Twitty & Lynn (grandchildren of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn), or to try your hand at sport shooting.

Final Thoughts on Alabama’s Best Golf Courses

The top three golf courses in Alabama offer you the chance to turn your next golf trips into an opportunity for growth and excitement. Each of the courses on this list offers the kind of challenges that will make you grow as a golfer as well as offers you the chance to play at some of the best-rated golf courses in the U.S.

If you’d like to explore playing golf here, reach out to us to learn more about one of our stay and play golf packages today.

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