By Len Ziehm
Let’s make this perfectly clear, Gulf Shores-Orange Beach, sandwiched between Pensacola and Mobile offers much more than beautiful white sandy beaches and great golf.
Gulf Shores is a unique spot for golfers. Not only are its courses good, but they’re not far from each other with a total of 15 courses in the area.
“We’ve got an island that is 32 miles long in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach,’’ said Easton Colvin, public relations coordinator for Gulf Shores-Orange Beach Tourism. “There’s 32 miles of pretty, white sand beaches and 20 miles of golf, if you add the yardages of the courses there together. All the courses are public and you can schedule a tee time on your own at every one of them.’’
Three courses on the island, Kiva Dunes, Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club and Gulf Shores Country Club make a tasty trio.
Kiva Dunes
Over the years Kiva Dunes has earned the most accolades. This links-style layout was designed by Jerry Pate and Jim Edgemon.
In its early years Kiva hosted the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School three times and was named the No. 1 public course in Alabama in 2017. Located on the Fort Morgan Peninsula, the facility has condominiums and beach houses to rent, plus four swimming pools, two on-site restaurants and over a mile of waterfront.
Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club
Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club opened in 1995. Earl Stone designed the 27 holes on 800 acres. Peninsula features three nine-hole layouts, the Lakes, the Cypress and the Marsh, plus it has an 8,000 square foot fitness center, eight tennis courts, plus indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Gulf Shores Country Club
Gulf Shores Golf Club was the first course to open in the area. It was built by the father-son team of Jay and Carter Moorish in the early 1960’s. They also completed a renovation of the course, in 2005. With its sharp doglegs and numerous water hazards, the course make for a challenging test.
Craft Farms
Across the intercoastal from Gulf Shores, Craft Farms has a total of 45 holes with two Arnold Palmer Signature designed championship courses, Cotton Creek and Cypress, plus a nine-hole par-3 short course. Cotton Creek and Cypress courses are the only Arnold Palmer designs in Alabama.
Palmer was just beginning to dabble in course design when he developed a close friendship with Robert Craft Sr and his son Robert Craft Jr. They worked together for the 1987 opening of Cotton Creek and the 1993 debut of the Cypress course.
“Gulf Shores in November is as good a place to play golf as you’ll find anywhere,’’ said Dan Dorrough, now the head superintendent at Gulf Shores Golf Club after stints as an assistant at Kiva Dunes and Craft Farms.
Fun for the Whole Family
New attractions are constantly being added to the fun at Gulf Shores. The Gulf Shores State Park has 6,150 acres creating a haven for hikers, cyclists and Segway tours. The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail spans all of the park’s 28 miles and connects both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. There’s also a nature center, over two miles of uninterrupted pristine beachfront and a lodge, the 350-room Hilton hotel that was rebuilt in 2018, featuring the Perch Restaurant.
Our favorite dinner spot was Big Fish, a great place featuring seafood and a sushi bar but steak, pasta and sandwiches are also available. Lucy Buffett, Jimmy Buffet’s sister and piano player, owns LuLu’s restaurant featuring great food along with live music, a fun arcade, three-story climbing ropes course and children’s activities.
Sassy Bass Cookout Tiki Bar has a somewhat hidden location between Kiva Dunes and Peninsula but the food, served in hot iron skillets, was delicious in addition to having a unique presentation.
And then there’s the sprawling Flora-Bama Yacht Club with its world-famous Flora-Bama Lounge, Package & Oyster Bar, as well as open-air waterfront dining. This legendary entertainment center near Orange Beach appeals to all ages with music, interesting decor and numerous bars. The Flora-Bama remains a must visit no matter the duration of your stay in the Gulf Shores-Orange Beach area.
On rainy days there is miniature indoor golf, at the glow-in-the-dark Jurassic dinosaur adventure. It has a unique 5,000 square foot prehistoric setting and was a nice diversion for even the most serious golfers in our group. We really enjoyed the relaxing two-hour sunset cruise on Sail Wild Hearts’ 53-foot open-ocean catamaran.
To plan your family vacation to Gulf Shores visit: gulfshores.com.
