The best golf course layouts in Alabama
The golf courses in Alabama that Course Vaults golfers rate highest for layout: routing, hole variety, and design. Each course needs layout ratings from at least 5 different golfers who played it; 9 courses qualify.
Shoal Creek Golf Club
Birmingham, AL, USALayout 4.6 out of 5 from 5 golfers
PrivateJack Nicklaus & Jay Morrish
- 4.8Conditions
- 4.6Layout
- 4.0Scenery
- 2.0Facilities
Difficult course as greens are undulating with many tiered greens. Always in great shape and service is incredible. Fun holes but demanding accuracy.
Written by
@Collierf
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Must play
Judge
RTJ Golf Trail at Capitol Hill Golf Club
Prattville, AL, USALayout 4.3 out of 5 from 8 golfers
PublicRobert Trent Jones Sr. & Roger Rulewich
- 4.8Conditions
- 4.3Layout
- 4.0Value
- 4.0Scenery
- 3.6Facilities
Students get awesome discount to play here. $75 was a steal for this course. Very challenging and has length and lots of trouble. It’s a brute of a course but very memorable.
Written by
@bdunc418
- Challenging
- Must play
- Great value
The Short
RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National Golf Club
Opelika, AL, USALayout 4.2 out of 5 from 5 golfers
PublicRoger Rulewich & Robert Trent Jones Sr.
- 4.8Conditions
- 4.2Layout
- 4.4Value
- 4.4Scenery
- 4.1Facilities
Best short course I have played. 18 holes, varying from 100 to 200 yds. Truly get to play all different kinds of par 3s
Written by
@morrisch
- Great value
- Driving range
- Must play
RTJ Golf Trail at Ross Bridge Resort
Birmingham, AL, USALayout 4.1 out of 5 from 7 golfers
PublicRoger Rulewich
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.1Layout
- 3.4Value
- 3.4Scenery
- 3.8Facilities
Super long from the tips. Some cool holes and good views. Typical RTJ course but feels a little bit nicer than some others.
Written by
@its_lux
- Driving range
- Putting area
- Restaurant
Kiva Dunes Golf Course
Gulf Shores, AL, USALayout 4.0 out of 5 from 8 golfers
PublicJerry Pate
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 3.1Value
- 3.3Scenery
- 3.2Facilities
Kiva Dunes is a hard course for me to rate. It ranks high on the must play list for Alabama, but in my opinion some of the other courses in the area were as good if not better. The course was in decent to good condition, but just didn't love it especially at the green fee price.
Written by
@CCHitman
- Driving range
- Must play
- By water
(Ridge) RTJ Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley
Birmingham, AL, USA
Layout 4.0 out of 5 from 7 golfers
(Farmlinks at Pursell Farms) Farmlinks Golf Club at Pursell Farms
Sylacauga, AL, USA
Layout 4.0 out of 5 from 13 golfers
(Lakes) RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National Golf Club
Opelika, AL, USA
Layout 3.9 out of 5 from 12 golfers
(Link) RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National Golf Club
Opelika, AL, USA
Layout 3.9 out of 5 from 11 golfers
How we rank
This ranking uses each golfer’s layout rating, on a 0.5–5 scale. Layout is the layout score golfers give when they log a round. Every golfer counts once per course: repeat rounds are averaged first, then the course score is the average across golfers. A course needs layout ratings from at least 5 different golfers. Ties go to the course with more golfers, then the higher Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. State pages include courses across Alabama. Rankings refresh about hourly.
FAQ
Shoal Creek Golf Club is #1 on Course Vaults in Alabama at Layout 4.6/5 (5 golfers). 9 courses qualify for this list.
This ranking uses each golfer’s layout rating, on a 0.5–5 scale. Layout is the layout score golfers give when they log a round. Every golfer counts once per course: repeat rounds are averaged first, then the course score is the average across golfers. A course needs layout ratings from at least 5 different golfers. Ties go to the course with more golfers, then the higher Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. State pages include courses across Alabama. Rankings refresh about hourly.
A course appears once at least 5 different golfers have rated its layout on Course Vaults. Log your round and rate it in the app to help it qualify.
This page was last generated Nov 12, 2026, 3:50 AM EST. Scores and eligibility are recomputed about every hour.
