March 2021 Ohio Golf Journal

Sweet Home Alabama Gulf Shores and RTJ Trail Await By Pam Shaheen S weet Home Alabama is more than just the title of a song or movie, although they both certainly evoke the spirit of the beautiful state. It’s also a mantra for the hard-working, friendly folks that travelers encounter along the way. From the bagboys and beverage cart girls on the world-class golf courses to the servers and chefs in the award- winning restaurants, visitors are made to feel right at home, ensuring that time spent in Alabama is as sweet as the tea. Sweet Home Alabama is a golfing destination unlike any other, as a home to the original ‘golf trail,’ plus modern and historic golf resorts and over 32 miles of sugar-white beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Both the incompara ble Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and the Arnold Palmer-designed Craft Farms Resort in Gulf Shores put Alabama on the radar of traveling golf groups more than two decades ago. The ensuing years have upgraded the state’s position on all types of vacation bucket lists by spawning award- winning hotels, spas, and luxurious resorts; exciting craft breweries with medal-quality beers; world-renowned bass fishing events and red snapper rodeos; and a thriving culinary scene, ranging from fresh Gulf seafood and a unique BBQ Trail to James Beard-recognized chefs and restaurants. Just a few of the golf resorts that make Alabama so special are: Ohio Golf Journal