Michigan Golf Journal May 2020

Michigan Golf Journal RTJ Trail in Alabama course is 18 par 3s with just as much thought and design from the RTJ team as its big brothers. “Short” is not the right word; “Captivating” is better. My next stop was the Shoals Golf Club in Florence, tucked away in the remote northwest corner of the state with two monster golf courses, the Schoolmaster and Fighting Joe. The 7,971 yards Schoolmaster, named for President Woodrow Wilson, has narrow but receptive tree-lined fairways. With little water in play, the course seemed to blend into the countryside perfectly, playing among soft elevation changes. Driving into the open side of the fairways provides good shots into the large contoured greens, and with a little study, you can master this one. The scenic finishing 18th is one of those Kodak moments. This uphill par 4 has a grand view of Lake Wilson with the beautiful clubhouse next to it. Fighting Joe was named after a Confederate General, who after the Civil War, became a General in the United States Army named Joe Wheeler. The golf course is one of the longest in the world at 8,092 yards, virtually timeless with water on 14 holes bordered by 3 feet long prairie grass rough. Play the right tee length to make your experience an enjoyable round. I stayed at the Marriott Muscle Shoals Resort & Spa, overlooking the Wilson Dam on the Tennessee River. The 200-room resort Photo by Tom Lang