Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall is a regular contributor to GolfBrief.
Gulf Shores a “must” trip
http://www.golfbrief.com/articles/548/1/Gulf-Shores-a-amusta-trip/Page1.html
By Stuart Hall
Published on 11/12/2007
http://www.golfbrief.com/articles/548/1/Gulf-Shores-a-amusta-trip/Page1.html
Gulf Shores a “must” trip
Any trip is only as good as the memories generated.
And golfers particularly like destinations that allow them either to connect with history or create their own whether its particular holes or courses. Which is why golfers tend to flock to classic venues, courses ranked highly among the multitude of rankings, or to golf-centric locales.
One of the areas that is growing in popularity, and for good reason, is Gulf Shores, Ala. The Gulf Shores Golf Association, a group of nine championship courses that reside along the Alabama shoreline, makes for an ideal early- to mid-fall golf trip.
There is a perception that the region has not rebounded from devastating Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and that is far the case. Seeing is truly believing.
But that same perception helps make Gulf Shores, a 32-mile swath of land running next to the Gulf of Mexico, so appealing. Unlike other hyped Southern destinations, Gulf Shores is often not overly crowded and the coming mild fall is an ideal time to plan a getaway.
The beaches are routinely described as sugar white and for good reason. There are luxury beach homes, stay-and-play condos and full-service resorts. While this is a no frills region, plenty of amenities make this an ideal family vacation spot.
The region can give thanks to R.C. Craft, an Alabama visionary who over 40 years nurtured a successful gladiola nursery into a sod farm and ultimately a 36-hole golf complex, Craft Farms, which features Cotton Creek (built in 1988) and Cypress Bend (1993) – both designed by Arnold Palmer and both distinctly unique. Lore has it that Palmer needed just 30 minutes on the property to decide that it was a project for him.
Cotton Creek plays 7,072 yards and par 72. And don’t think that just because the course was built on a sod farm, that it lacks intrigue. The course offers plenty of difficulty as it rolls naturally over the acreage. Groves of pines, oak and cypress trees line the fairways and water is in play on 13 holes.
Once finished it’s understandable why Palmer needed so little time to take on the project.
Cypress Bend (6,848 yards, par 72) is the more forgiving of the two courses, but approach shots into slick and well-protected greens give cause for concern.
Over the years, Palmer has returned to design Lost Key Golf Club, which opened in 2006 after an extensive renovation was planned prior to Hurricane Ivan. Lost Key (6,801 yards, par 71) is a deceptively tight course in that environmental areas frame the fairways. Lost is an apt description because most any errant shot is just that.
Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club is a lush 27-hole complex managed by Honours Golf, and features old-fashioned Southern hospitality right down to the iced barrels of apples waiting on the first tees and cool mango-scented towels during heat waves.
This an enjoyable trio of Earl Stone-designed nines [Cypress, Marsh and Lakes], nothing over the top and nothing that will make you scream to the Golf gods for mercy.
As with many of the courses around Gulf Shores, the wait between shots adds to the experience. At Peninsula, there are plenty of wetlands, cypresses and views of the nearby Mobile Bay. Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve also butts up against the property and offers scenic vistas.
Rock Creek, Timbercreek, Glenlakes and Soldiers Creek are also part of the Gulf Shores Golf Association and well worth a visit.
The belle of Gulf Shore, though, is Alabama native son Jerry Pate’s Kiva Dunes (7,092 yards, par 72) or as one local said: “Think of it as a Deep South version of the Ocean Course.” That was hard to envision, as Kiva wends back and forth on a smallish parcel of land squeezed between the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay, much unlike the Ocean Course, which sprawls out along the Atlantic Ocean.
Not until a hole or two into the 18 that the beauty and beastliness of this course emerges. The course still has a very links-style appeal and, not coincidentally, Scott Pool, the shaper architect Pete Dye used at the Ocean Course, was recommended and hired for the Kiva Dunes project.
Kiva Dunes, though, has the look of having been around for many years. The design is breathtaking and creative shot making is not only encouraged, but extremely useful given the vagaries of the coastal winds. There are a number of blind shots throughout the course, but it adds to the experience of whether a shot is well played or cursed.
And it’s at Kiva Dunes’ 175-yard, par-3 13th hole that this trip became especially memorable. The green is large, extremely receptive, but also highly elevated and fortressed by six greenside bunkers and a pond on the left. There is also a tree to navigate. The tee shot comes from out of a shoot and is quickly hurled around by winds.
The anticipation of whether the ball will arrive safely or not is part of the joy. Mine didn’t, but it also made me want to come back for more.
Nothing that good should be played just once.
For information, contact the Gulf Shores Golf Association at www.golfgulfshores.com or call 888-815-1902.
And golfers particularly like destinations that allow them either to connect with history or create their own whether its particular holes or courses. Which is why golfers tend to flock to classic venues, courses ranked highly among the multitude of rankings, or to golf-centric locales.
One of the areas that is growing in popularity, and for good reason, is Gulf Shores, Ala. The Gulf Shores Golf Association, a group of nine championship courses that reside along the Alabama shoreline, makes for an ideal early- to mid-fall golf trip.
There is a perception that the region has not rebounded from devastating Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and that is far the case. Seeing is truly believing.
But that same perception helps make Gulf Shores, a 32-mile swath of land running next to the Gulf of Mexico, so appealing. Unlike other hyped Southern destinations, Gulf Shores is often not overly crowded and the coming mild fall is an ideal time to plan a getaway.
The beaches are routinely described as sugar white and for good reason. There are luxury beach homes, stay-and-play condos and full-service resorts. While this is a no frills region, plenty of amenities make this an ideal family vacation spot.
The region can give thanks to R.C. Craft, an Alabama visionary who over 40 years nurtured a successful gladiola nursery into a sod farm and ultimately a 36-hole golf complex, Craft Farms, which features Cotton Creek (built in 1988) and Cypress Bend (1993) – both designed by Arnold Palmer and both distinctly unique. Lore has it that Palmer needed just 30 minutes on the property to decide that it was a project for him.
Cotton Creek plays 7,072 yards and par 72. And don’t think that just because the course was built on a sod farm, that it lacks intrigue. The course offers plenty of difficulty as it rolls naturally over the acreage. Groves of pines, oak and cypress trees line the fairways and water is in play on 13 holes.
Once finished it’s understandable why Palmer needed so little time to take on the project.
Cypress Bend (6,848 yards, par 72) is the more forgiving of the two courses, but approach shots into slick and well-protected greens give cause for concern.
Over the years, Palmer has returned to design Lost Key Golf Club, which opened in 2006 after an extensive renovation was planned prior to Hurricane Ivan. Lost Key (6,801 yards, par 71) is a deceptively tight course in that environmental areas frame the fairways. Lost is an apt description because most any errant shot is just that.
Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club is a lush 27-hole complex managed by Honours Golf, and features old-fashioned Southern hospitality right down to the iced barrels of apples waiting on the first tees and cool mango-scented towels during heat waves.
This an enjoyable trio of Earl Stone-designed nines [Cypress, Marsh and Lakes], nothing over the top and nothing that will make you scream to the Golf gods for mercy.
As with many of the courses around Gulf Shores, the wait between shots adds to the experience. At Peninsula, there are plenty of wetlands, cypresses and views of the nearby Mobile Bay. Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve also butts up against the property and offers scenic vistas.
Rock Creek, Timbercreek, Glenlakes and Soldiers Creek are also part of the Gulf Shores Golf Association and well worth a visit.
The belle of Gulf Shore, though, is Alabama native son Jerry Pate’s Kiva Dunes (7,092 yards, par 72) or as one local said: “Think of it as a Deep South version of the Ocean Course.” That was hard to envision, as Kiva wends back and forth on a smallish parcel of land squeezed between the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay, much unlike the Ocean Course, which sprawls out along the Atlantic Ocean.
Not until a hole or two into the 18 that the beauty and beastliness of this course emerges. The course still has a very links-style appeal and, not coincidentally, Scott Pool, the shaper architect Pete Dye used at the Ocean Course, was recommended and hired for the Kiva Dunes project.
Kiva Dunes, though, has the look of having been around for many years. The design is breathtaking and creative shot making is not only encouraged, but extremely useful given the vagaries of the coastal winds. There are a number of blind shots throughout the course, but it adds to the experience of whether a shot is well played or cursed.
And it’s at Kiva Dunes’ 175-yard, par-3 13th hole that this trip became especially memorable. The green is large, extremely receptive, but also highly elevated and fortressed by six greenside bunkers and a pond on the left. There is also a tree to navigate. The tee shot comes from out of a shoot and is quickly hurled around by winds.
The anticipation of whether the ball will arrive safely or not is part of the joy. Mine didn’t, but it also made me want to come back for more.
Nothing that good should be played just once.
For information, contact the Gulf Shores Golf Association at www.golfgulfshores.com or call 888-815-1902.