If you’re ever looking for an amazing golf trip, the Robert Trent Jones golf Trail has some of the best accessible golf in America. When I did this trip a couple years ago we decided to play the two stops with the highest ranked /regarded courses. Grand National near auburn and Capitol Hill, outside Montgomery.

All courses we played were very good, the Lake Course at Grand National is a personal favorite. However, easily the best course in the trip was the Judge Course at Capitol Hill. If you travel down to Montgomery make time for other courses at Capitol Hill, Senator (which has hosted the LPGA tour) and Legislator would easily be the featured course at almost any other resort. Also a cool feature, the driving range is the biggest I have ever seen. A 400 yard full circle so that you can practice with any wind direction.

The Judge Course is Considered by most as the best public course in Alabama and one of the very best throughout the south. Golf Magazine ranked it in its list of 10 public access courses that could host a US Open.

It is certainly dramatic in nature and that starts right off the bat with the first hole, the most famous in all the RTJGT. The first tee is elevated 200 feet above the fairway, that although fairly wide, looks tiny from the tee. Be careful when you play this hole - the farther you hit it, the more it narrows. The Alabama river flanks the holes right side and comes into play on 14 of the 18 holes.

The 10th hole is a 711 yard par 5...no joke. I teed it up from the tips on that hole just to say I did. I hit a 280 yard drive, 240 yard 5 wood and still had 175 into for my third shot. I walked away with 6 and was happy about it.

There is a great variety of holes, variable lengths and multiple hole shapes here...no hole feels like a repeat of another. Also be prepared for island greens and many forced caries that will challenge you to make your best shots.

It’s a must play, especially coming from the west. Southern golf is truly a unique experience and there is no better place For that experience than Capitol Hill.

A couple shots of the first tee:




Driving range: