Tag: Robert Trent Jones

Top 15 Golf Resorts and Public Courses: Hawaii

Royal Hawaiian Golf Club

The Hawaiian Islands offer some of the most spectacular golf in the world. Of our Top 15, three are located on the Big Island, while Maui, Oahu and Kauai boast four each—so you can’t miss regardless of where you go.

Designs by many of the towering figures in course architecture can be found in Hawaii, including Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (Mauna Kea and Ka’anapali),  Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (Wailea, Poipu Bay, Princeville Makai, Ka’anapali and Kiahuna), Rees Jones (Mauna Kea), and Jack Nicklaus (Manele and Hualalai).

The great courses at Kapalua on Maui were most recently updated by the renowned team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and if you are looking for a terrific Pete Dye design, be sure to include Royal Hawaiian on Oahu.

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

Hawaii may be a bit of a hike, and can also put a dent in your wallet—but it has to be at the top of your bucket list. Until you decide to make the plunge, the golf experience of a lifetime will always be calling.

Resorts

Kapalua, Lahaina HI (Maui)
  1. Kapalua Resort/Lahaina, HI (Maui)
  2. Troon Golf
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/Francis Duane/Hale Irwin/Robin Nelson/Rodney Wright/Neil Haworth/Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Bay:                    72.7 Rating/137 Slope
    • Plantation:      77.0 Rating/144 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golf Digest Top 200, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.7
    • Location
Mauna Kea/Marriott, Kohala Coast HI (Big Island)
  1. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel/Kohala Coast, HI (Big Island)
  2. Marriott
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Rees Jones/Neil Haworth/Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Mauna Kea:    76.6 Rating/144 Slope
    • Hapuna:          74.7 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 200, Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.6
    • Location
Wailea Golf Club, Wailea HI (Maui)
  1. Wailea Golf Club/Wailea, HI (Maui)
  2. Wailea Resort
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Gold:                74.5 Rating/138 Slope
    • Emerald:        72.8 Rating/135 Slope
    • Blue:                71.6 Rating/129 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.6
    • Location
Manele Golf Course/Four Seasons, Lanai City HI (Maui)
  1. Manele Golf Course/Lanai City, HI (Maui)
  2. Four Seasons / Lanai
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with bunker. ProV1 Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.8
    • Location
Hualalai/Four Seasons, Kailua HI (Big Island)
  1. Hualalai Resort/Kailua Kona, HI (Big Island)
  2. Four Seasons
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Tom Weiskopf/Phil Smith
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Nicklaus:         74.1 Rating/129 Slope
    • Ke’olu:              74.7 Rating/133 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (unlimited ProV1 Balls and complementary TaylorMade clubs provided).
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top-15 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
Mauna Lani/Auberge Resorts, Kohala Coast HI (Big Island)
  1. Mauna Lani/Kohala Coast, HI (Big Island)
  2. Auberge Resorts
    • Holes: 45 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses and Nine Hole Par 3)
    • Course Architects: Homer Flint/Raymond Cain/Robin Nelson/Rodney Wright/Mark Miller
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • North:              74.2 Rating/136 Slope
    • South:             73.3 Rating/127 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Bunker, Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15 Public, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
Poipu Bay/Grand Hyatt, Koloa HI (Kauai)
  1. Poipu Bay/Koloa, HI (Kauai)
  2. Grand Hyatt
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.7 Rating/131 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.2
    • Location
Kukui’ula, Koloa HI (Kauai)
  1. The Club at Kukui’ula/Koloa, HI (Kauai)
  2. The Lodge at Kukui’ula
Turtle Bay/Four Seasons, Kahuku HI (Kauai)
  1. Turtle Bay/Kahuku, HI (Oahu)
  2. Four Seasons
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/George Fazio
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Palmer:           75.2 Rating/134 Slope
    • Fazio:               73.8 Rating/130 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.0
    • Location

Public Courses

Princeville Makai, Princeville HI (Kauai)
  1. Princeville Makai Golf Club/Princeville, HI (Kauai)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Rating: 75.5 Rating/135 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green. Range Balls included with Greens fee.
    • Junior Golf
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100-Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 100
    • Location
Ko Olina, Kapolei HI (Oahu)
  1. Ko Olina Golf Club/Kapolei, HI (Oahu)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ted Robinson, Sr./Mark Miller
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6 Rating/138 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Junior Golf
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Resorts, GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.9
    • Location
Ka’anapali, Lahaina HI (Maui)
  1. Ka’anapali Golf Club/Lahaina, HI (Maui)
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arthur Jack Snyder/Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Robert Trent Jones, Jr./Robin Nelson/Neil Haworth
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Ka’anapali Kai:            71.6 Rating/136 Slope
    • Royal Ka’anapali:       73.7 Rating/129 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (250 Yard Max), Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Accommodations/Packages
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.9
    • Location
Kapolei Golf Club, Kapolei HI (Oahu)
  1. Kapolei Golf Club/Kapolei, HI (Oahu)
Royal Hawaiian, Kailua HI (Oahu)
  1. Royal Hawaiian Golf Club/Kailua, HI (Oahu)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Perry Dye/Greg Norman
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.1 Rating/138 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens fee.
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 88.9
    • Location
Kiahuna, Poipu HI (Kauai)
  1. Kiahuna Golf Club/Poipu, HI (Kauai)
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr./John Colligan
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5 Rating/131 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green.
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 88.5
  • Location

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Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail/The Judge at Capitol Hill
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail/The Judge at Capitol Hill

When you start thinking about your next golf get-away, give serious consideration to one of the many great golf trails that have sprung up throughout the U.S. Golf trails offer the opportunity to play a wide variety of courses, while at the same time enjoying the diverse scenery and local cuisine in various regions of the country. Trail packages offer group discounts on greens fees, accommodations and dining—or you can plan your own journey along the trail. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama offers many of finest courses you will find anywhere in the country, and wonderful weather is pretty much guaranteed throughout the year.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

The RTJ Golf Trail includes eleven locations and twenty-six courses, from the southern-most point of the Appalachian mountain chain in northern Alabama to the tranquil waters of the gulf coast, each offering first-rate golf and gorgeous scenery. In addition to the great courses, eight of the locations offer wonderful accommodations including the Marriott Grand Hotel at Lakewood Golf Club in Point Clear on the gulf, and the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort in Birmingham. All of the courses on the trail are either Robert Trent Jones, Sr. original designs (in collaboration with Roger Rulewich), or courses that were remodeled and updated by RTJ, with the exception of Ross Bridge that was designed by Roger Rulewich and Bobby Vaughn after Jones passed away in 2000.

Cambrian Ridge

The Courses

  • Cambrian Ridge/Greenville, AL 36037
    • Holes 36
    • 3 nine-hole courses (Loblolly/Sherling/Canyon) and 9-hole par 3
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Loblolly:         37.0/142
    • Sherling:         37.5/147
    • Canyon:           37.3/152
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 10 public courses-Alabama.
    • Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express & Suites
    • GolfDay Rating: 99.1

  • Capitol Hill/Prattville, AL 36066
    • Holes 54
    • 3 eighteen-hole courses (Judge/Legislator/Senator)
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Judge:              78.5/147
    • Legislator:       76.9/149
    • Senator:           77.4/132
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
    • Rankings:        Golf Digest Top 10 courses-Alabama, Golfweek Top 10 public courses-Alabama

  • Grand National/Opelika, AL 36801
    • Holes 54
    • 2 eighteen-hole courses (Links/Lake) and eighteen-hole par 3
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Links:    75.2/142
    • Lake:      73.9/132
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker

  • Hampton Cove/Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763
    • Holes 54
    • 2 eighteen-hole courses(Highlands/River) and eighteen-hole executive course
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Highlands:      76.2/143
    • River:                76.6/143
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker

  • The Lakewood Club/Point Clear, AL 36564
    • Holes 36
    • 2 eighteen-hole courses (Azalea/Dogwood)
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Azalea:              74.4/131
    • Dogwood:        73.7/136
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2). Range Balls included with Greens Fee (Callaway Chrome Soft Balls Provided for short-game practice)
    • Accommodations: Marriott Grand Hotel Resort & Spa
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.3

  • Highland Oaks/Dothan, AL 36305
    • Holes 36
    • 3 nine-hole courses (Highlands/Magnolia/Marshwood) and 9-hole par 3
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Highlands:     37.9/149
    • Magnolia:       37.1/139
    • Marshwood:  37.6/138
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2)
    • Accommodations: Hampton Inn
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5

  • Magnolia Grove/Mobile, AL 36618
    • Holes 54
    • 2 eighteen-hole courses (Falls/Crossings) and eighteen-hole par 3
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Falls:                  74.6/130
    • Crossings:        73.7/139
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
  • Oxmoor Valley/Birmingham, AL 35211
    • Holes 54
    • 2 eighteen-hole courses (Ridge/Valley) and eighteen-hole par 3
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Ridge:             74.3/141
    • Valley:            74.9/146
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range (Mats-Monday through Friday/Grass Saturday-Sunday), Putting and Chipping Greens

  • Silver Lakes/Glencoe, AL 35905
    • Holes 36
    • 3 nine-hole courses (Backbreaker/Heartbreaker/Mindbreaker) and eighteen-hole par 3
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Backbreaker:     38.5/143
    • Heartbreaker:    38.2/140
    • Mindbreaker:     37.7/151
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker

  • The Shoals/Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
    • Holes 36
    • 2 Eighteen Hole Courses: (Fighting Joe/Schoolmaster)
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating
    • Fighting Joe:         78.6/146
    • Schoolmaster:      77.6/148
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 10 courses-Alabama

Trail History

Established in 1992, The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is the largest golf course project in history, with eleven locations, 26 courses, and 468 holes of golf. Stretching almost 400 miles from the gulf coast to Muscle Shoals in the northwest corner of Alabama. The concept for the RTJ Golf Trail sprung from the vision of David G. Bronner, head of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, which manages the pension funds for Alabama state employees. Bronner’s goal was to provide the residents of Alabama with world class golf facilities, strengthen the economy of the state and diversify the assets of the pension fund. The RTJ Golf Trail has achieved all of these, and provided every golfer in the country an unforgettable opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Alabama and the genius of Robert Trent Jones. To date, more than 13 million golfers have visited the trail—an experience you definitely should include in your bucket list.

The Architects

Robert Trent Jones is one of the most celebrated golf course architects in history. His original designs include Spyglass Hill, Bellerive Country Club, Firestone Country Club and Hazeltine National Golf Club. He has also updated and remodeled many of the great courses in the country, including Congressional, Oak Hill, The Olympic Club, and Baltusrol Golf Club. RTJ also collaborated with Bobby Jones to design both the 11th and 16th holes at Augusta National, and President Eisenhower asked him to design a putting green for the White House. Roger Rulewich received a degree in civil engineering from Yale University in 1958, and began working for Robert Trent Jones in 1961. Together they designed hundreds of great courses, including the Apple Rock course at Horseshoe Bay Resort in Texas, which was awarded best new resort course by Golf Digest in 1986. Since the passing of RTJ in 2000, Roger Rulewich has established himself as one of the finest course architects of his generation, with notable designs that include Ballyowen Golf Club in Hamburg, NJ and Grande Dunes Golf Course in South Carolina.

Trail Guide

Trail Map

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