(GULF SHORES, ALABAMA) – Fall in Alabama revolves around two passions – golf and college football – but golfers shouldn’t put their clubs away once the Southeastern Conference season gets underway this fall.
“Starting with Alabama’s night game on September 17 against North Texas and running through the season, there are plenty of opportunities to combine a trip to several SEC towns for the game and golf in Southern Alabama,” said Golf Gulf Shores Executive Director Duncan Millar. “Gulf Shores is alive with avid fans and nine renowned golf courses that can make a quick game weekend into a longer guys getaway.”
The local tourism bureau’s recent sponsorship of the SEC means fans will have a variety of opportunities to stay and play in Gulf Shores through both football and basketball seasons. As an added incentive, Golf Gulf Shores will enter each group that books a golf getaway between August 1 and November 7 in a drawing to have the value of their golf package rebated, up to $4,000. Stays must be between August 8 and November 7 to be eligible; see www.golf.gulfshores.com/plan/quotes/ for the “Win Your Golf Trip for Free” promotion entry/details.
Prime fall golf conditions, affordable stay-and-play rates starting at $73 per person per night with golf (http://www.golf.gulfshores.com/stay/allrates.aspx) and award-winning courses continue to draw fans each year through early December. Golf Gulf Shores’ golf, countless lodging options, and wealth of fishing and outdoor activities on the 32-mile destination’s waterfront welcome golfers looking for warm weather and fun.
Golfers might even find themselves rubbing shoulders with local SEC and professional gridiron legends/Gulf Shores regulars such as Nick Saban, Ozzie Newsome, Jay Barker and Julio Jones, who’ve been known to frequent the region and hit the links.
Golf packages throughout the Gulf Shores region can be customized for any group through its online booking portal.
Other News and Notes from the Gulf Shores Golf Association:
Unlimited Play A Popular Choice for Fall Golf Trips: Golf Gulf Shores has released its Unlimited Play Golf Package for its prime fall season – a popular choice for those that want to hit the links from sun-up to sundown in its best weather conditions.
Visitors can package unlimited golf any number of days they are on their package for play on the same property. When filling out the custom quote form, golfers need only mention they are interested in unlimited golf options at any of the nine regional courses. This includes Craft Farms, where you can play Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend in the same day, and adding nine more holes at any of Golf Gulf Shores’ 27-hole facilities.
See www.golf.gulfshores.com/plan/quotes/ for the customized quote form.
Glenlakes Golf Club Reopening Aug. 16: Golfers might find themselves rolling their putts better soon at Glenlakes Golf Club, which will officially reopen Aug. 16 – ahead of schedule – after renovating 18 of its 27 greens.
Glenlakes replaced the original 328 Bermuda grass greens on the Devlin-Von Hagge-designed Vista/Dunes 18-hole championship course’s putting surfaces with Champion Bermuda grass. Some minor renovations to the 6,938-yard, par-72 layout’s green complexes included the addition of new greenside irrigation.
Meanwhile, the sporty, nine-hole Lakes course – a 3,065-yard, par-35, resort-style course – remained open during the Vista/Dunes renovations to handle play this summer. The Lakes’ greens will be renovated next year.
Vista/Dunes evokes Scottish links-style strategic mounding, extensive bunkering, and undulating fairways and greens. The Lakes nine features generous fairways, water in play on six holes and multiple tee positions allowing for repeat play at an affordable price.
To get a customized stay-and-play package for any size group, visit www.golfgulfshores.com.
Honours Golf Courses Teeing It Forward: Gulf Shores’ four Honours Golf courses just finished participating in the new “TEE IT FORWARD” initiative partnered by the PGA of America, the USGA and The World Golf Foundation. It is designed to help golfers have more fun, speed up play, lower scores and enhance their overall experience by playing from an ability-appropriate set of tees.
On three separate days in July golfers playing an Honours course – including Cotton Creek at Craft Farms, Cypress Bend at Craft Farms, Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club and Rock Creek Golf Club – had the option of participating in an effectiveness study by either playing standard tees from the tips, special 6,100-yard tees or special 4,600-yard tees. Each course collected data and provided facility implementation feedback for a National Golf Foundation (NGF) consumer research study.
TimberCreek Adds Kids Tees: TimberCreek Golf Club (www.golftimbercreek.com), in conjunction with U.S. Kids Golf and the USGA, has added kids’ tees to its three nine-hole layouts. The circular tees embedded in the fairways are set up for two age groups – Level 1 (ages 5-7) and Level 2 (ages 7-10). The special tees are positioned for variety and to challenge younger golfers and beginners, with holes ranging between 50 and 275 yards as they build their skills.
The special tees complement TimberCreek’s new program allowing kids to play for free on Sundays after 3 p.m. when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information, call TimberCreek at 251.621.9900.
To sign up for a free subscription to the Golf Gulf Shores monthly e-newsletter, visitwww.golfgulfshores.com or call 1.888.815.1902. To view up-to-the-minute news, photos, events and special offers, see facebook.com/GolfGulfShores or follow Golf Gulf Shores on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/GolfGulfShores.
About Golf Gulf Shores
Golf Gulf Shores is the moniker for the Gulf Shores Golf Association, the partnership that promotes the destination and its custom golf packages built by its partners, for golf groups, families, and corporate outings. The destination offers nine golf courses, countless lodging options and a wealth of outdoor activity on its 32-mile waterfront destination. Course highlights:
Cotton Creek at Craft Farms – Arnold Palmer Signature Design with generous fairways lined by Southern Hardwoods, undulating greens and a championship test from 7,028 yards, and owned and operated by Honours Golf.
Cypress Bend at Craft Farms – The sister Honours Golf property to Cotton Creek, the Arnold Palmer Signature Design meanders through cord-grass accented lakes which come into play on nearly every hole.
Glenlakes Golf Club – Scottish-style links course designed by Von Hagge and known for its extensive bunkering and postage-stamp greens.
Kiva Dunes – A “Top 100 Course in America” by Golf Digest, the Jerry Pate design is the only beachfront resort course in Gulf Shores.
Lost Key – The stunning course, redesigned by the Arnold Palmer Design Group in 2006, rewards accuracy off the tee and with approaches as it winds through woods and wetlands. It also boasts a new state-of-the-art clubhouse.
Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club – Owned and operated by Honours Golf, the 27-hole facility offers chilled apples on the tee. The 830-acre park includes 30 lakes and fairways surrounded by Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve.
Rock Creek Golf Club – Also owned by Honours Golf and boasting rolling terrain and fairways lined by pines, the Earl Stone design overlooks freshwater wetlands and the Rock Creek basin.
TimberCreek Golf Club – This 27-hole design was crafted by Earl Stone and feels like an inland Carolina course with fairways lined by loblolly pines, dogwoods and magnolias.
Gulf Shores Golf Club – Formerly known as The Golf Club of the Wharf, this was the Gulf Shores’ first course. Opened it 1960, it was redesigned by Jay and Carter Morrish in 2005.
For more information: www.golfgulfshores.com, 888-815-1902.
Contact:
Janeen Driscoll, Buffalo Communications
910-690-9711, jdriscoll@buffalocommunications.com
Gary Trask, Buffalo Communications
978-228.0314, gtrask@buffalocommunications.com
