Gulf Shores, Alabama – White Sand Beaches and Championship Golf

Going to a golf destination with a fully open mind has its advantages. Such was the case when Golfing Magazine recently experienced Gulf Shores, Alabama on a golf writer’s trip. I learned that no matter which direction you head; you’ll be greeted by one of the 15 golf courses that are part of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism. Gulf Shores has a rich history of serving all kinds of escapes at any time of the year, with numerous activities highlighted by miles of white sand beaches and stunning views from the Gulf.

I joined other golf writers from around the country for a tour that included golf at Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club (a 27-hole facility), Gulf Shores Golf Club, Kiva Dunes Golf Course, and the Cotton Creek Course at Craft Farms Golf Club (36 holes of golf designed by Arnold Palmer).

I flew in and out of Pensacola (Fla.) International Airport then took an easy 1-hour drive to Gulf Shores to check in at our Gulf-side condo at The Beach Club. The views of the Gulf from our luxurious condominium were endless miles of white sand beach and an endless horizon.

It was my first time to the Gulf Shores / Orange Beach area, the golf was excellent as anticipated, and the seaside setting with fabulous restaurants and bars put the entire experience over the top.

The freshest of seafood options, flounder, grouper, red snapper, and of course any style of oysters you could want. Steak lovers do not despair, you too will find as we did, some of the finest in the country.

The first course we played was the Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club. Peninsula is the home to three different nines, Marsh, Lakes, and Cypress designed by Earl Stone. Up for us were the Marsh and Lakes nines.

The Marsh nine I would consider more of a players course where accuracy and placement off the tee, club selection on second shots are make it, or break as the key to a good round. On The Lakes nine you will find water in combination with marshes and some awesome golf course bridges on 8 of the nine holes.

Cypress could be considered grip it and rip in style. Generous landing areas off the tee. Several forced carries make tee selection extremely important for your day. Add in strategically placed bunkers, waste bunkers, and water hazards and you find out why Peninsula is a world-class experience.

Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club (peninsulagolfclub.com)

After lunch in the Peninsula clubhouse, we were off to Gulf Shores Golf Club, the oldest facility in Gulf Shores. Gulf Shores Golf Course is a far more modest course with a distinct “muni” feel to it. The course provided rather generous landing areas, but drives that strayed too far off line, in many places, brought the many oaks and pines into play. There was also enough water to make one pay attention off the tee into the green, particularly on the par-4 18th with a large pond guarding the green.

To celebrate a full day of golf in Gulf Shores we headed to one of my favorite parts of this trip, Jesse’s on the Bay, a spectacular steakhouse on Mobile Bay. While Jesse’s is known for their unique cuts of dry and wet-aged steaks, and bone-in cuts, you should not overlook the fresh fish that is brought in daily or the amazing setting on the Bay.

The following day, we teed it up at Kiva Dunes Golf Course. Not much more can be said about this course whose layout was created by former US Open Winner Jerry Pate that is not captured within the accolades from Golf Digest, Golf Pass, Golf Advisor, Golfweek, and Links Magazine to name a few. Topping that list of accolades might be, the #1 Course in Alabama in 2017 by Golf Advisor. With the Robert Trent Jones Trail running through Alabama, we all know how many great courses there are throughout the State.

Winds off the bay add another dimension to your day here. As the locals will tell you, “No two days are the same.” We were rather fortunate on our day to have relatively no wind. Par 3’s offers up great variety with none more challenging than the all-over water 17th. The 375-yard, par-4 ninth hole is Kiva Dunes’ signature hole because of its forced carry-over water to a long, diagonal green. Seems to me that I am a sucker for water holes, number 2, might be my Par 5 of choice, 2 good shots leave you a wedge to a green protected by water right. Hole 18, although, the water that lines the right side of the fairway should not come into play, “takes you to the house!”

Kiva Dunes: Gulf Shores Resort – Vacation Rentals, Golf & More

We spent that late afternoon aboard a 53-foot open-sea catamaran with Sail Wild Hearts, out from the bayside dock at Perdido Beach Resort for nearly two hours on the Gulf. Complimentary soft drinks and bottled water were provided, but adults are welcome to bring along small coolers stocked with their beverages of choice—which, as you can imagine, made for a particularly enjoyable sunset cruise among a crew of golf writers.

After dinner at The Pier House the evening continued for us with a special treat, at least for me. I had heard of the infamous bar that straddled the Alabama and Florida border. The Flora-Bama is a beach bar that has been serving up music and good times since 1964 and the world-famous Flora-Bama Bushwacker  — a “boozy milkshake” that pairs vanilla ice cream with a devilish mix of rum, Kahlúa, amaretto and créme de cacao. No fewer than five stages for live music feature bands of country, rock, dance, and beach music. You can relax in any of the areas and select the entertainment of your choice. Feeling a little peckish, you might also slide up to the Oyster bar or Ole River Grill. If you need a little away time the Flora-Bama has several beach-front bars where you might enjoy a beautiful sunset. FLORA-BAMA | WORLD FAMOUS BEACH BAR AND LIVE MUSIC (florabama.com)

The final day was a round on the Cotton Creek Course at Craft Farms, the older of the two Arnold Palmer designs at the 36-hole facility. Cotton Creek opened in 1987; Cypress Bend followed in 1993. If you are an Arnold Palmer design fan, which I am, then you are in for a real treat at Craft Farms with 2 4 ½ star Golf Digest-rated courses. Both are modern links style courses and in typical Palmer style, they offer challenge without intimidation. Semi-private tells you that the courses are maintained “to the tee” as their members would have it no other way. Both courses feature five sets of tees (Cotton Creek can play as long as 7,127 yards; Cypress Bend as long as 6,848) and continue to carry out Palmer’s mission of challenging golfers without intimidating them.

The Cotton Creek course is a fun course to play with numerous risk/reward opportunities throughout. Here you deal with more tree-lined and rolling fairways and for water lovers do not despair as small lakes, ponds and rivers come into play on 14 of the 18 holes.

The lush course is challenging for low handicap players but with five staggered tee boxes, it is a fun challenge for all. Fun and challenges come into play on the Par 4, 6th, small lake down the entire right hand and forms to surround the large undulating green, along with some protective bunkers. Bite off as much as you can chew for a short second shot. Maybe???

Cypress Bend is a perfect complement to its big sister, Cotton Creek, this course has a coastal feel as it traverses a unique system of cord-grass accented lakes which come into play on nearly every hole. Cypress Bend offers wide fairways, vast landing areas, and large undulating greens. For a guy who likes Palmer design and playing around water, there is no shortage of challenging holes.

The Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend courses at Craft Farms are Alabama’s only Arnold Palmer Signature Design Courses. The courses are distinctly different, and both assure a challenging yet playable golf experience. Craft Farms Golf Course | Gulf Shores, AL | Arnold Palmer Design

The Gulf Shores / Orange Beach area of Alabama is an excellent destination whether for a golf vacation or any occasion at all and might be one of the most affordable destinations in America. We visited in early October when there isn’t a greens fee higher than $135 and there are accommodations to fit any budget. With the fresh Gulf Coast breezes and warm winter sunshine, Gulf Shores is the hidden jewel of the Gulf Coast. Enjoy nearby shopping, boating, beach, tourist attractions, deep sea fishing, and, of course, golf! Experience Alabama’s Gulf Coast in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach,