Recommend May 2013 - (Page 10)
robert
trent jones
golf trail
MICHAEL CLEMMER
hoteldesk
Golf course at the Renaissance Birmingham
Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa.
deserae del campo
When it comes to the topic of golf course architecture, the name
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. definitely comes to mind. Both novice and
professional golfers have tested their skills on his acclaimed courses (more than 500 in 35 countries), and major golf tournaments are
held on RTJ courses around the world. RTJ courses require a high
level of strategy and seem to blend in with the landscape as if they
have always been there, which is why Jones is known as the father
of modern golf course architecture.
In America’s Deep South, there are 468 holes of championship
golf on 11 golf courses scattered across the state of Alabama. The
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail encompasses the entire state from
north to south offering golf enthusiasts a full experience of different
landscapes—from the rolling hills of the north to the wetlands and
beaches bordering the Gulf of Mexico.
The Trail, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, has
hosted tournaments from the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic to the
Golf Digest/RTJ Couples Challenge and will soon welcome its
10 millionth golfer, says John Cannon, CEO of Sunbelt Golf
Corporation, the company that manages the Trail.
“When it comes to the Trail, it’s all about the design and the
value,” adds Cannon. “These golf courses are not designed
between rolls of condominiums; it’s just the golf course and not
much else. Our courses test every type of player and their game,
and our team has done a fantastic job in keeping our courses
maintained and renovated throughout the years to make them
better than new.”
Golfers have 11 unique courses to choose from like The Shoals,
which is home to two 18-hole championship courses nestled
between the Wheeler and Wilson dams on the Tennessee River in
the north, to Magnolia Grove in the south, featuring two renovated
courses; it was also named one of the “Top 50 Public Courses”
by Golf Digest readers.
But it’s not only Jones’ golf courses that make up the Trail.
There are eight luxury resort hotels that fly the Marriott and
Renaissance flags and offer the best in quality when it comes to
accommodations, spas, and you guessed it, championship golf.
The entire Trail resort portfolio includes: Marriott Shoals Hotel
& Spa; Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort
& Spa; Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference
10 may 2013
10-11 HotelDesk.indd 10
Center at Capital Hill; Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel &
Conference Center at Grand National; Renaissance
Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center; The
Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa; Renaissance
Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel; and The Grand Hotel Marriott
Resort, Golf Club & Spa.
Two of Cannon’s favorite properties are The Marriott Shoals
Hotel & Spa in the north and the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf
Club & Spa in the south.
The Marriott Shoals in the city of Florence overlooks the Tennessee River and offers 200 guestrooms, including seven suites, with
private balconies; a 6,000-sq.-ft. spa with a menu that includes the
customary massage and body treatments; the 360 Grille, the city’s
only revolving restaurant; a fitness center; and The Shoals golf
course located only 9.8 miles from the property. Standard rates
start from $159 dbl.
Meanwhile, every day at 4 p.m., there is a military salute and
cannon firing followed by afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel Marriott
in Point Clear, which opened its doors in 1847 and was used as
a military hospital during the Civil War. The property features 405
guestrooms; a 20,000-sq.-ft. luxury spa; tennis courts; a croquet
lawn; and bike and kayak rentals—all on 550 acres of property.
Standard rates start from $159 dbl.
With the quality of the golf courses found along the Trail, you
would expect overpriced greens fees, but on average, greens fees
range from $46 to $80. So does this mean Alabama golfing is really for anyone?
“That was absolutely the goal when we first developed the Trail,”
Cannon says. “That this would be golf for the masses and a great
golf destination that anyone can afford.”
Cannon says that travel agents should speak to a call center
representative directly for information on golf specials and hotel
packages since reservations are not available via their website.
“First of all, know who you’re booking for and talk with us. We will
help ensure that your group or client walks away with a great
experience. We customize everything and can put packages
together to make sure we get the right product for your clients.”
contact information
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail: (800) 949-4444; rtjgolf.com
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http://www.rtjgolf.com
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May 2013
Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
Tour Talk: PerryGolf
Viking Aegir
A-ROSA Cruises
New York City
United States
UK & Ireland
Caribbean
Fairmont Mexico
The Road to Ruins-Peru's Northern Kingdoms
Kush Kelibsiz!: Welcome to Uzbekistan
Touring Israel & Jordan
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