Case in point, the Par 5 3rd hole, which is considered by many to be the course’s signature hole. It’s one of the most photographed courses on the entire RTJ Trail and boasts some of the most thrilling par 5s in the state. The Ridge Course features roller coaster-like fairways, lots of tree-lined holes, elevated greens, and over 200 feet of elevation changes. As you play your way around the courses, you’ll encounter over 200 feet of elevation changes, scenic forests, and several creeks that you may or may not know are there. Steel and the holes are sculpted from the peaks and valleys that make up the Appalachian Mountains. It’s built on mining land that was once owned by U.S. The starter told us that if your range finder tells you to hit a 7-iron, it’s probably a good idea to hit a 6! After my approach shot into the first green came up a little short, I too was a believer! Oxmoor Valley offers 54 holes of golf with two championship courses (Ridge and Valley) and a Short Course. I found The Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley to be a lot more of a challenge than I thought it would be, mainly because all of the greens were extremely elevated.

Whether you’re playing one of the many championship layouts or a “short course,” all are immaculately maintained! Over the years I have had the opportunity to play several of the RTJ Trail courses and ultimately my goal is to play them all. But one thing they all have in common is that they were designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr and use the natural topography of the land. Some are affiliated with neighboring hotels, some are stand-alone. Some are executive-length courses, some will make the best golfers in the world cringe. Some sites have multiple 18-hole layouts, others offer several 9-hole courses. The RTJ Golf Trail consists of 469 holes of championship golf on 26 golf courses at 11 sites across the state of Alabama. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama whose “build it and they will come” mentality paid off. Ross Bridge and Oxmoor Valley are part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the largest golf course construction project ever attempted. Arguably, none are as fine as Ross Bridge and the two championship courses at Oxmoor Valley. There are nearly 40 public, private and municipal courses within a 20-mile radius of downtown Birmingham, including the infamous Shoal Creek Club, designed by Jack Nicklaus which has hosted a couple of PGA Championships, as well as several courses accessible to the public. Some of the Best Golf in the State Birmingham Alabama has a lot of options for golfers, both residents, and visitors.

Rtj golf course locations