I really didn’t want to bore all of you with the details from my golf outings here in Birmingham so I didn’t do daily posts. Today however, it’s the end of the trip and I’ll hit the highlights for you. As you may or may not know, Alabama is the home of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail – 468 holes of some of the greatest golf around. Here are the courses we played; some of them part RTJ and others not. A friend of mine from LA Center invited me to join this group of guys that have been going on a spring golf outing somewhere in the U.S. together for over 20 years. It’s a diverse group but about half of them are or have been (many are retired) involved in aviation in some way or another.
Sunday – Timberline: Very nice introduction to the style of courses we’ll be playing this week. I could NOT read the greens here.
Monday – Oxmore – Valley Course & Short Course: This is one of the RTJ courses. The Valley course here was good but the short course (all par 3′s) is one of the top rated par 3 courses in the nation. Even though we got rained out after 12 holes, I have to say – I am putting this 18 hole par 3 course on my gotta play that one again list.
Tuesday – Farmlinks: An interesting course with an interesting story. Golf World says this is the #1 course in Alabama. I have to say it’s a great track and the wide fairways allow you to let the shaft out; which was a nice change of pace from what we have been playing. If you’ve got a minute – click the link and check out the story on Farm Links.
Wednesday – Capitol Hill – The Judge: Another RTJ course. This will beat you up if you’re not prepared. The first hole is the signature hole for The Judge and one of the signature holes for the RTJ Golf Trail. I’m playing this one again when I get a chance.
Thursday – Limestone Springs: Nice track but nothing special. I played it from the tips with my buddy Gordo; who is a scratch golfer. That, combined with the fact that we went through a couple Bloody Mary’s and several beers could have something to do with my opinion of this course. Wouldn’t mind playing it again minus the alcohol just to verify.
Friday – Ross Bridge: Another RTJ course & easily, IMHO, the best course we played. It looked like we were going to get rained out and I was seriously contemplating not even going to the golf course with the rest of the guys this morning. Sure glad I decided to go (and so are Dean-O and Ivy, cuz we were WAY off course with Ivy’s GPS – but that’s another story). This course is one of the best I’ve ever played. Based on the golf we’ve played, the best golf day in the area would be 18 holes here at Ross Bridge then, literally across the street, to Oxmoor and play their 18 hole short course. If I’m ever back, that is exactly what I’ll be doing!!
First at The Judge.
Back on the scooter: Today is Friday, May 10. Two of the LA Center guys hopped a flight home right after golf, the rest are staying in Birmingham another night. I paid for the room through Saturday in advance, but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get farther west and hopefully miss some of the pending rain. SO – about 4:30 I said my goodbyes & headed for Tupelo, MS. I could swear that I smelled gas and-uh that ain’t good eats. Pulled over but couldn’t find anything and a couple gas stops with odometer checks revealed normal mileage – strange…..oh well, Tupelo here I come. I got here just in time too – it was dark enough (because of the clouds) that I’d swear I could see my headlight shining on the road. Right now I’m holed up in the Super 8 doing laundry & watching the nasty thunderstorm go through.