Short at RTJ Golf Trail at Cambrian Ridge

The Short Course at RTJ Golf Trail at Cambrian Ridge is a par-3 layout designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. with Roger Rulewich as part of Alabama's ambitious Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Opened in the mid-1990s as part of the Trail's mission to bring championship-caliber golf to underserved regions of the state, Cambrian Ridge sits in the rolling terrain of south-central Alabama near Greenville. The facility includes four regulation eighteen-hole courses alongside this shorter layout, all carved from the area's natural ridges and valleys.

The Short Course serves as both a practice facility and a legitimate test of iron play and short-game skills. Jones designed it with the same architectural principles he applied to the full-length courses—strategic bunkering, elevated greens, and thoughtful use of the property's elevation changes. The holes vary in length and challenge, requiring players to execute a range of shots from wedges to mid-irons. Water features and Jones's characteristic large, contoured greens appear throughout the routing.

Cambrian Ridge operates as a public facility within the RTJ Golf Trail system, which was funded through Alabama pension investments to promote tourism and recreation. The complex attracts both destination golfers exploring the Trail's multiple venues and local players. The Short Course provides an accessible option for those with limited time or those looking to sharpen specific aspects of their game without committing to a full round on one of the longer championship layouts.