Ambition in Alabama

Alabama Golf Coast Travel Life Magazine

Ambition in Alabama

How one man’s dream turned a sleepy beach town into a world-class golf destination

By Dave Finn

Without determination and dedication, dreams don’t come true. It took time, effort and more than a little grit for farmer Robert Craft and his father J.C. to realize their ambitions. Thirty years ago, the pair opened Cotton Creek Golf Club in Gulf Shores and since then, the town has never looked back.

As Robert explained over a recent dinner at Nolan’s steakhouse, that  his family understood that the Gulf Shores had been “forever” recognized as a beloved “summer vacation destination”. From Memorial Day until Labor Day, tourists and travellers flocked to their sunny shores. The problem was that come the fall, all the vacationers returned home. Restaurants and shops closed for the season and many condos and resorts stood empty until Spring. Robert was adamant that something had to be done to ensure that the local community would not only survive but thrive, and with the help of his dad, set his sights on turning the area into a year-round destination.

At first, the townspeople resisted the idea that golf could bring greater prosperity to their area but when it was announced that Arnold Palmer himself would be the architect and builder of their future, they quickly embraced a new opportunity.

The Crafts believed that Myrtle Beach “was a good example of how golf was used to expand the season using the inventory that was already in place” and were instrumental in organizing an association to collectively combine golf and accommodations.  As Robert said “We copied the best”. Today, the Alabama Gulf Coast boasts seven championship golf courses and more than 15,000 rooms ranging from modern hotels, fully-equipped villas and beach homes to quaint B&B’s and numerous camping and RV options.

During my last stay, we played five courses starting with Craft Farms Golf Resort with two 18-hole championship courses designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer. Both are well-manicured, resort-style layouts that are easy to walk and with five sets of tees provide fair play for any caliber of golfer.  Unfortunately, this time around I did not get to play the original Cotton Creek, but I found Cypress Bend to have wide, subtle fairways that meandered through live oaks and towering pine groves. With water evident on every hole, positioning and accuracy are much more important than distance. The 18th is a great finishing hole and epitomizes the beauty and playability of this course.  Info:  craftfarms.com

Next, we were off to Gulf Shores Golf Club, the elder statesman in the area that was designed in the 60’s then updated in 2005 by the renowned father and son team of Jay and Carter Morrish. Pro-shop Manager Wayne Taylor forewarned us, and he was right, that “the course plays longer then the scorecard indicates” due to a couple of short par 4’s and five par 3’s. This 18-hole, par 71 has private club conditioning with a mature tree-lined parkland feel to go along with relatively flat generous fairways and short rough for ease of play.  But don’t be fooled, since water comes into play on twelve holes. There are also many strategically placed trees and deep soft sand bunkers that provide more than enough trouble along the way. Info:  gulfshoresgolfclub.com

Kiva Dunes Golf Club was our next stop. When the facility opened in 1995, Golf Digest honored it as the #2 Best New Public Courses in the US, and still ranks Kiva Dunes as one of the finest in Alabama today.  This superb Jerry Pate design is a links-style layout offering plenty of forced carries over sand dunes, lakes and natural wildland areas, so play from the right tee blocks or you will pay the price! Manager Mark Stillings told us that in 2015 they spent $1.5 million to replace the greens with Bermuda Tiff-eagle as it is much more heat, salt and wind tolerant. The landscaping team have also trimmed back the lower branches under the oak trees that line the fairways and eliminated some of the “flashed-up” sand-walled bunkers for better ease of play.

A word to the wise; the greens are hard since they are relatively new and extremely fast with an average size of 7,500 square feet. In fact, the 18th is the largest putting surface in the State, at almost 1/3 of an acre, so bring your flat stick.  Info: kivadunes.com

Our last day was spent at the Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club. It may be my favorite in the Gulf Shores simply because it is so photogenic. Architect Earl Stone designed 27-holes around some thirty lakes that gracefully flow through live oaks, cypress and an unspoiled natural terrain. The Lakes, Cypress and Marsh nines are all in immaculate condition featuring wide fairways, lots of tall natural grass as well as well-defined water hazards on every hole, so buyer beware!  The greens are large and extremely fast thanks to the Champion Ultra Dwarf grass. You can play almost 7,200 yards from the tips or less than 5,000 yards from the forward tees, so with a slope of 133 and a course rating of 74.7, pick the one that best suits your game.  Info: peninsulagolfclub.com

I came to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama to conquer the links but quickly discovered many more reasons why this little town of 10,000 attracts over five million visitors every year.  The local motto reads “Leave Only Fingerprints” but if you’re looking for a laidback golf experience, I guarantee that you’ll also leave with fond memories of this vibrant region perched on a 32-mile stretch of pristine, white quartz sand beach and an appreciation for genuine southern hospitality.

For more information visit golfgulfshores.com

Dave Finn is an award winning Canadian golf travel writer and photographer. You can follow his adventures at golftrtavelandleisure.com

Side Bar

The King Reigns

When the Crafts hatched the idea of building their own golf course, they immediately hired a consulting company to do a feasibility study on the project.  Hearing that the community needed a “Marketing Accelerator”, they were determined to recruit a signature architect, and as the saying goes, timing is everything. In 1985, there was no bigger name in golf than “The King” himself and it just so happened that when J.C. and his son went looking, the newly established Palmer Course Management company was also looking for their first client. Fate brought the Crafts and Arnold Palmer together and a bond was formed that would last a lifetime.   

Robert told me that “My father was a lot like Arnold, a self-made man who was determined not to fail” and over the years they became fast friends. When J.C. passed away, Mr. Palmer personally called Robert’s cell phone so he could speak to his mom and express his condolences.  Robert speaks of Arnold Palmer with genuine respect and admiration. “That shows the kind of man he was,” and in my opinion, he was “responsible for kick-starting our destination”. 

Robert Craft has been the Mayor of Gulf Shores since 2008 and is proud of the legacy his father and Arnold left behind, a thriving town that has stayed true to its roots while expanding its horizons.