Birmingham Country Clubs

[joe average]

I am moving to birmingham, Alabama and looking for information on Country Clubs/golf courses in Vestavia, Mountain Brook or near 280/459 intersection. Any info is appreciated!

[Tmiller72]

Vestavia CC was always pretty nice, an old friend is the head pro there now.
Old Overton is right off of 459, it's hosted US Open qualifying, US Mid-Am qualifying, college tournaments...
Mountain Brook CC is a Donald Ross.
The Country Club of Birmingham is in Mountain Brook and it has 2 courses. The West course is a Pete Dye design and it might be my favorite golf course.
Greystone and Shoal Creek aren't too far off of 459, maybe 20 minutes (depending on that horrible hwy 280 traffic).
PM me if you want some better info, I grew up in Bham.

[JSunGolfPharmD]

And if you want a bargain - you can always get an annual pass to the RTJ Course. 1500+tax, unlimited golf, walking. Pay cart fees if u take one out. Use at every RTJ course except the 2 resort courses, Ross Bridge and Lakewood.

[Honcho72]

Pinetree is also just off of 459. A George Cobb design that has hosted US open qualifiers, just hosted Regions Champ. tour qualifier. Good track, but all that have been mentioned are very nice. B'ham CC is a great course as is Shoal Creek. Both $$$$$

[bhamgolfer]

Pine Tree and Inverness CC are probably the closest, best options for you. Pine Tree redid their greens recently and are now pure bent grass while Inverness has a brand new clubhouse because their other one burned to the ground. Pine Tree is a better course of the the two.

If you have coin and an in go to Mountain Brook Club, CC of B'ham, Old Overton, Greystone CC or Shoal Creek. B'ham is loaded with good private clubs, unfortunately most are very tight with who they let in, especially in the Mountain Brook area.

[ckern1]

Birmingham country club is a great course. Mountain Brook CC, Old Overton, and Shoal Creek are all fantastic but you have to be "in" and willing to play the six figure initiation fee. I'm not sure how much Birmingham Country club costs though.

[Honcho72]

Not sure on the numbers but same with Birmingham CC. Have an in and plenty of $. Old Overton I dont thinks is overly expensive. Not sure though.

[r9dhicks]

If i'm not mistaken, CC of BHAM is invite only, and six figures of intitiation. I would definitely look into Riverchase Country Club... Used to play out there a good bit....one of the better layouts in the area, exluding Shoal and CC of BHAM, aka Alabama's Augusta....

[Tmiller72]

[quote name='r9dhicks' date='24 May 2010 - 10:35 PM' timestamp='1274754952' post='2465049']
If i'm not mistaken, CC of BHAM is invite only, and six figures of intitiation. I would definitely look into Riverchase Country Club... Used to play out there a good bit....one of the better layouts in the area, exluding Shoal and CC of BHAM, aka Alabama's Augusta....
[/quote]

Riverchase is probably the best value in Bham. Great course and doesn't cost a lot to join these days.

BTW, Farmlinks is awesome. I played there a few weeks ago.

[j_t]

The previously mentioned courses/clubs are all very nice. If you don't have the $$$ for those, you might want to check out [url="http://www.avccgolf.org/"]Altadena Valley CC[/url] just off 459. I do not know what the fees are, but it should be a little less than Pine Tree and Riverchase. I did the Eagle Point yearly membership and when it runs out this month I will be in the hunt for a new place to play.

Anyone here a member of Riverchase or Altandena Valley? I am really looking for a course that is easy to walk in Birmingham.

[Tmiller72]

I grew up playing Riverchase, not a fun course to walk. There are 2 long uphill walks on the front 9. The course is good though. IMO, Altadena is not much of a golf course, a terrible design, but can't cost much to join. Bham has so many good courses, avoid this one if you can.

[j_t]

I have put together a list of south Birmingham area clubs and courses with the fees and dues.

I was hoping you guys could help me fill in the gaps, or add any courses I forgot.

[CODE][color=#ff0000]< HTML Text no longer allowed >[/color] [/CODE]

[color=#0000ff]What happened to the LIST?[/color]

[vsproto]

Vestavia is around 30,000 and 400 per month. Pretty easy to get into -- they are looking for members. Hoover is a nice course currently undergoing a major renovation and will closed for the rest of the year. Around 7,500 and 325 per month - but im told there will be a major membership drive once reopen approaches.

Just moving here, forget Bham CC or Mt. Brook Club. Would take years to get into. Shoal and Old Overton while more expensive, are easier to get into IMO.

If you want to walk, forget Riverchase. Lots of hills and distance between some tee shots. Riverchase and Inverness are built as trail courses thru major subdivisions. Tons of houses on Inverness and many on RIverchase. Hoover is more of a parkland course where many holes run parallel.

Altadena isnt very fun, as others have noted.

Id look Pine Tree, Inverness or Hoover if you are stuck on going private.

[j_t]

Thanks for the update vsproto. I went ahead and updated the table.

[Tmiller72]

If you play Riverchase, the house just off the 1st green on the right is the house I grew up in. Also, you only get into Shoal Creek if you are invited to join. Greystone is $45,000 and they have 2 great courses. Can't believe Vestavia is $30,000! Not worth it IMO.

[vsproto]

[quote name='Tmiller72' date='03 June 2010 - 09:13 PM' timestamp='1275614024' post='2485098']
If you play Riverchase, the house just off the 1st green on the right is the house I grew up in. Also, you only get into Shoal Creek if you are invited to join. Greystone is $45,000 and they have 2 great courses. Can't believe Vestavia is $30,000! Not worth it IMO.
[/quote]
The best course in the mid-range private clubs to play IMO is Pine Tree. Hoover and Riverchase would be next.

[Nat]

I am a member at vestavia - feel free to email me at [email protected] for golf, or any other advice

[j_t]

Anyone have the info (Fees and dues) for [s]Riverchase CC[/s], Oxmoor Valley, or Bent Brook?

Also, can you guys help the Walk ability rating (1 being impossible to walk & 10 being flat easy walk). I have filled in the courses that I have played, but if my assessment is incorrect, let me know.




Where are the folks from Hoover CC playing, if the course is closed for the rest of the year?

[bhamgolfer]

Hoover CC guys have privileges at Bent Brook and a couple of tee times at Pine Tree and Inverness, maybe Riverchase too. As mentioned before, look at Pine Tree or Inverness for reasonable fees in the private sector. Riverchase sucks to walk....we walked it atleast twice a week during college. Pine Tree is hilly but isn't that tough of a walk and has no homes. Hoover is an easy walk and should be nice when it reopens later this year.

[Honcho72]

Pine Tree's FB is 35 and walking it and Inverness are not for the weak of heart. Lots of walkers but not for the novice walking golfer. I think Eagle Point is much easier to walk than either. Might go 6 for eagle point and 4 for PT and Inverness. I've walked the Ridge and Valley courses in the past and would go a solid 2 or 3 on both. 18 on the Valley is a killer. I also think and I'm not sure but Greystone is in the 535 range on monthly dues. They do have 2 nice courses though.

[mrlogsdon29]

I am going to be playing somewhere in Birmingham this weekend. I have played Shoal Creek and want to play somewhere else. What is the best course to play? My buddy and I are both scratch.

[vsproto]

I would play FarmLinks or Ross Bridge.

[mrlogsdon29]

We ended up getting on Old Overton... I heard its really good.

[Tmiller72]

[quote name='mrlogsdon29' date='10 June 2010 - 04:59 PM' timestamp='1276203555' post='2501359']
We ended up getting on Old Overton... I heard its really good.
[/quote]

I like the course. Not very hard, but a nice layout. Couple of really good par 3's. Should be in good shape.

[mrlogsdon29]

[quote name='Tmiller72' date='10 June 2010 - 06:31 PM' timestamp='1276212670' post='2501661']
[quote name='mrlogsdon29' date='10 June 2010 - 04:59 PM' timestamp='1276203555' post='2501359']
We ended up getting on Old Overton... I heard its really good.
[/quote]

I like the course. Not very hard, but a nice layout. Couple of really good par 3's. Should be in good shape.
[/quote]


Old Overton was in perfect shape and was really nice. I think I like Shoal Creek better but Old Overton was a beautiful place and I would highly recommend it.

[ga_pike]

It's a bit of a drive south but my 2 favorite courses in the area when I lived there (aside from Ross Brodge) were Ballantrae and Timberline. Great courses and the price was right.

I was a member at Highland Park. It's the old Birmingham CC and is very short and easy to walk. It has great views of the city skyline. I joined it simply because I worked downtown and lived in Hoover. it was easier to go there and walk 9 or 18 after work then fight traffic on 280 or the interstate. Funny thing was, if I got off at 4:30 and drove straight home, it was sometime 6 before I got in. If I walked 9 and then went ome, I could still be in the door by 6 or 6:15.

Also, make sure to check out Capstone Club outside Tuscaloosa and Limestone Spirngs in Oneonta. 2 more great courses!

Someone already mentioned Farmlinks.

Another course I really enjoyed was Horse Creek in Dora. A fun layout, kinda linksy on the front and tight and hilly on the back. It's inexpensive and fun to play.

Roebuck is an old, municipal course. It's cheap and easy to walk. It's a decent layout, but you will run into a less upscale group there. Not that there's anything wrong with that... I played it at least twice a month.

Lastly, go play The Meadows just south of Harpersville. Another really fun track and fairly inexpensive.

I never played any of the private courses there... no need as there was plenty of great, public golf available!!

[ga_pike]

I forgot to mention Montevallo Golf CLub in Montevallo (outside of Pelham). It's a really neat track and was always empty!

I didn't mention Bent Brook simply because it seemed to always be crowded. I got a hole in one there the first weekend I lived there They were threatening to close the Windmill 9 (it was 27 holes at the time). I don't know if they ever closed it or not.

I seriously suggest you play everything you can before you make a decision. They are all great places to play.

[j_t]

[quote name='ga_pike' date='08 July 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1278594237' post='2562239']
It's a bit of a drive south but my 2 favorite courses in the area when I lived there (aside from Ross Brodge) were Ballantrae and Timberline. Great courses and the price was right.

I was a member at Highland Park. It's the old Birmingham CC and is very short and easy to walk. It has great views of the city skyline. I joined it simply because I worked downtown and lived in Hoover. it was easier to go there and walk 9 or 18 after work then fight traffic on 280 or the interstate. Funny thing was, if I got off at 4:30 and drove straight home, it was sometime 6 before I got in. If I walked 9 and then went ome, I could still be in the door by 6 or 6:15.

Also, make sure to check out Capstone Club outside Tuscaloosa and Limestone Spirngs in Oneonta. 2 more great courses!

Someone already mentioned Farmlinks.

Another course I really enjoyed was Horse Creek in Dora. A fun layout, kinda linksy on the front and tight and hilly on the back. It's inexpensive and fun to play.

Roebuck is an old, municipal course. It's cheap and easy to walk. It's a decent layout, but you will run into a less upscale group there. Not that there's anything wrong with that... I played it at least twice a month.

Lastly, go play The Meadows just south of Harpersville. Another really fun track and fairly inexpensive.

I never played any of the private courses there... no need as there was plenty of great, public golf available!!
[/quote]

How much did a yearly membership Highland Park cost? FYI: The Meadows in Harpersville closed last summer. It was fun track and cheap too. Another one in that direction is Coosa Pines CC. It is now semi-private and just over the Coosa River. I was a member there for several years. It is a long drive out there.

[j_t]

Has anyone here played Altadena Valley CC lately?

I ride by it weekly and it looks very walkable and in good condition. They have Tif Eagle Bermuda greens.

I saw in the news where the Alabama State HS champ named AVCC as his home course. I have never played it and I was wondering why others seem to dislike this course.

[joe average]

Thanks everyone for all the responses! I haven't checked back on this topic since I posted and didn't get any immediate response - My mistake.