Tag Archives: golf trips

The Shoals – Fighting Joe (Muscle Shoals)

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It is as tough as it is beautiful, there is no question in that. The Fighting Joe Course at the Shoals has a really long history under the Confederate – as long as its 8,092 yards of golf on 18 neat holes for a par of 72. Golfers would definitely struggle to make the difficult shots, all the while delighting their senses with the wonderful view of the Wilson Lake on Tennessee River. Golf trips headed this way are sure to be exciting and pleasant.

The links style Fighting Joe Course shares The Shoals facility with the Schoolmaster course, and both are part of the roster of premiere golf vacation destinations at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Both courses are wedged between the Wilson and the Wheeler Dams on the River Tennessee. The Fighting Joe Course at the Shoals boasts of a challenging golf facility that involves water play on the lakes surrounding it. Because of its beauty that only its counterpart Schoolmaster course can equal, the Fighting Joe Course was hailed one of the top new golf courses in 2004 by Travel + Leisure Golf.

The signature hole in the Fighting Joe Course at the Shoals has always been a favorite subject of debate among its visitors. They simply couldn’t decide on whether it is the 17th or the 18th hole. These holes are nothing less than beautiful, with awe-inspiring views of the Lake, but are equally as dangerous as a rose with thorns. The only way to decide is to make a golf vacation hereabouts and experience it firsthand. There may still be questions on which truly is the true signature hole, but only one thing remains unquestionable about it: THE FIGHTING JOE COURSE IS AS TOUGH AS IT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND IT’S SIMPLY ONE OF THE BEST.

The Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley (Birmingham)

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Set amidst the rolling hills, thick forests and creeks of what used to be the mining land of US Steel stands a premiere golf vacation destination designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones: The Oxmoor Valley in Birmingham, AL. The Oxmoor Valley is a championship golfing facility that is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. It has three 18-hole championship courses that offer diverse levels of challenge and vistas to suit every visiting golfer’s taste. One of the most picturesque courses in the facility is The Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley.

The Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley is characterized by tree-lined rolling fairways and large undulating greens. Golfers find the extra challenge on their golf trip when they play at the Ridge course because of the numerous uphill and downhill shots to be taken, not to mention a lot of blind tee shots over the hills that are cleverly disguised by the subtle breaks. Golfers need to arm themselves with a lot of shot-making skills, strategies, and gut to make that risky shot. The signature hole of The Ridge Course is the beautiful 176-yard par 3 with its artful combination of a challenging 90-foot drop and panoramic view of the whole course.

Apart from giving a treat to the eyes, the Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley also aims to cater to golfers of all handicaps and give them truly memorable golf trips at the course. It has four sets of teeboxes to accommodate every playing level. The developers of this golf course has truly made something out of this mining land, something that makes every round of golf here precious.

Dunes West Golf Club

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Dunes West Golf Club is the perfect marriage of rich history and exquisite golf facilities. It has also witnessed the marriage of so many hearts as it is not only a favorite golf vacation destination but of wedding ceremonies and receptions as well. Located in Charleston County, South Carolina, Dunes West was the site of the historic Lexington Plantation. Long before it became a golf trip fantasy, history has it that it was once owned by a royal Italian couple, Prince and Princess Guido Pignatelli in the 1930s.

Today, Dunes West stands amidst 200-year old oaks on Spanish moss and carpeted with endless acres of well maintained Bermuda grass – offering the best golf trips. Designed by Arthur Hills, the Dunes West Golf Club is a par-72 18-hole, 6,871 yards of great rounds of golf and the perfect golf vacation escape. The place offer only the best kind of golf facilities and that perfect touch of Southern hospitality – which makes every golf trip a delightful experience both to look back and look forward to.

The Dunes West Golf Club is also every golfer’s must try golf vacation escapade. It has, surprisingly, very few bunkers for a golf club of its caliber. But this and its verdant tree-lined freeways are as tricky as they seem harmless and should not be taken lightheartedly. They pose more threat than they seem. The greens are equally unpredictable, though undulated and fairly fast.  These qualities of this well-loved golf trip destination and its old South, Lowcountry charm has earned it its reputation and hordes of awards to its name. It was named one of the “Top 10 New Resort Courses” both by Golf Digest and Golf Week when it opened in 1991. And in 2009, Dunes West was cited by the Charleston Golf Club Owners Association as the Golf Course of the Year. Perhaps the best attribute of the Dunes West is what is written in its rich past that makes for its colorful future, making it one of the best Golf Courses and Resorts in the country today.

 

 

 

Heron Ridge Golf Club

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Great things come from small beginnings, or so they say. These fairly simple beginnings more often than not, don’t become great things overnight and requires tons of work in it to achieve its destined greatness. In the case of Heron Ridge Golf Club, it was the collaborative effort of Gene Bates and Fred Couples of the PGA Tour fame. This Virginia Beach favorite for golf trips was, unbelievably, once a flat piece of cornfield bounded by oaks, Elm trees and natural wetlands.

Today, there is not a trace of its agricultural past. What stands in its place is a championship 18-hole par-72 golf vacation haven that’s only fifteen minutes away from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Its unusual elevation, constant blow of the ocean breeze, and its own helping of the natural wetlands and water hazards all come together to give every visitor at Heron Ridge Golf Club a unique experience at every hole. It requires not only excellent shot making skills, but even better techniques and strategies to get past the tricky greens and mounds of the course.

A golf vacation destination with an attitude, Heron Ridge Golf Club has enough elements of surprise challenge and fun to make for a novel story for a golf course. Its 5 separate tees for all playing levels are nice enough to welcome its visitors, and with the right amount of difficulty to make them want to step their games up and become better golfers. With all its merits and patrons, Heron Ridge Golf Club has indeed become so great that it could only look back to its humble beginnings with a contented smile and look at its future to become even greater.

Virginia Beach National Golf Club

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The Virginia Beach National Golf Club just might as well call itself “Every golfer’s course”. Whether the player calls himself a pro or is on his way to getting there, there’s a place for him at the Virginia Beach National Golf Club. It was designed by Pete Dye, with the assistance of the Hall of Famer Curtis Strange, bearing his philosophies in golf design: “to provide a challenge to advanced players without creating so much frustration that beginners leave the game of golf or migrate to a less difficult course”. And true enough, this golf trip favorite has lived up to this design principle.

The Virginia Beach National Golf Club is all 7,200 yards of great golfing experience. This par-72 18-hole Championship course offers its visitors 5 different tee boxes to allow for all players from all playing levels to enjoy the course. A premier golfing vacation destination in Virginia Beach, it has the perfect blend of waste areas, rolling fairways, natural greens, and “tour quality” greens that make for the perfect golf challenge.

Over the years, the Virginia Beach National Golf Club has not only hosted hundreds of golf trips of golf lovers from all over the country. Its greens have also been tested and played on by the best golfers in the world when it hosted the Nationwide Tour’s Virginia Beach Open. Indeed, Virginia Beach Golf Club has mastered the art of marrying great challenge and great comfort to make golfers of every level come back to it over and over.

Country Club of Hilton Head

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Are you looking for a golf vacation destination that features a relaxed, lazy, country club atmosphere? Should that be the case, Country Club of Hilton Head is a perfect golf course you should be heading down to. This 18-hole semi-private course located on the north end of the island in the Hilton Head Plantation was designed by an American golf course architect named Rees Jones.

The first nine greens at Country Club of Hilton Head features country-side layout. Visitors to these locations can almost always hear birds twittering in the trees and see leisurely people enjoying themselves with fun activities. But then again, be prepared because the back of the ninth green literally comes with a surprise. Golfers would soon find out that the 9th hole is actually a blend of fine and dangerous, parkland course.

The 12th hole at Country Club of Hilton Head is considered the most scenic part of the golf vacation destination. This 575-yards, par 5 course ends with a picturesque vista of the Intracoastal Waterway and Skull Creek. This portion is also referred to as the most photographed part of the massive golf course.

The rest of this relaxing golf estate reflects Rees’ signature accents like salt-water marshes and freshwater lagoons. There are also shady little creeks and little wooden bridges over ponds that feature deep blue waters. Old moss-draped oaks also abound throughout the golf estate.

Country Club of Hilton Head not only provides a picturesque setting. This way, it is definitely not just for leisurely golf trips. As a matter of fact, this popular golf vacation destination was a qualifying site for both the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Open where only two pros and top amateurs scored below 70 in the last qualifying round.

The Country Club of Hilton Head features 6,919 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. It was created in 1985 and was eventually opened for play in 1986. As of press time, ClubCorp runs the facility under the aegis of its competent General Manager in the person of Richard Beetle.