Colonial Golf Course

Colonial Golf Course in Meridianville, a community just north of Huntsville in northern Alabama, was designed by Byron Nelson and Joe Finger and opened in the mid-1970s. Nelson, the legendary player who won eleven consecutive PGA Tour events in 1945, collaborated with Finger—a respected Texas-based architect—on several projects during this period. The course represents a regional example of their work in the southeastern United States, bringing Nelson's strategic playing philosophy and Finger's technical design skills to the Tennessee Valley area. The layout occupies rolling terrain characteristic of the region, where the Cumberland Plateau transitions into gentler piedmont topography. The design likely emphasizes playability for a range of skill levels while incorporating strategic elements that reward thoughtful course management, consistent with Nelson's approach to shot-making. Tree-lined fairways and traditional green complexes define the playing corridors, with natural elevation changes providing variety in stance and approach angles. Colonial serves as a semi-private facility that has been part of the Huntsville area's golf community for nearly five decades. The course provides a local venue for competitive play and recreational golf in a region where the sport has grown alongside the area's aerospace and technology industries. The Nelson-Finger collaboration gives the course historical significance within Alabama golf, connecting it to a designer whose playing career remains one of the sport's most remarkable achievements.