By Mike May
One of the must-play venues on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (RTJ), is the Ridge Course at Oxmoor Valley, just outside Birmingham. It will provide a fair and thorough examination of your entire golf game and physical fitness.
The Ridge was designed based on what Mother Nature provided and not what Mankind and a bulldozer desired. As the name of the course indicates, The Ridge offers elevation changes on nearly every hole, which many people are surprised to find in central Alabama.
Another feature, which adds to its allure, is the distance from the cart paths to each putting surface. These short ‘hikes,’ to the greens are often uphill, and are one of the appealing aspects of the course. Being physically fit pays off at the Ridge.
“The Ridge course is, by far, the more popular layout here at Oxmoor Valley,” says Robert Whitt, the head professional at Oxmoor Valley. “The rolling terrain, large bent grass greens and scenic vistas certainly lend themselves to an incredible experience. It is truly a special course that many request on their return visit.”
The greens at the Ridge are often bigger than what you normally expect elsewhere. If your approach to the green falls short and the pin is at the back of the green, a two-putt experience will be an adventure.
One of the Ridge’s big takeaways is the overall quality of its four par-five holes. Some golf pundits have noted that the Ridge has the finest group of par-fives on the entire RTJ Golf Trail. I have experienced most the courses on the RTJ Trail and I tend to agree.
As expected, the Signature Hole at the Ridge is the par-five, third hole. It is cleverly designed as your tee shot must be hit to a peninsula-like fairway. The green, off in the distance, is raised from the fairway and is supported by a shelf of exposed shale rock and a few railroad ties, a testimonial connection to Birmingham’s historic links to the railroad industry.
Another memorable hole is the downhill par-three eighth hole. The tee shot must carry a pond, but because of its downhill nature, you don’t need as much club as the distance would normally indicate. This is a fun hole to play as you watch a well-struck tee shot hanging in the air to go pin-seeking. Although a hole-in-one is always possible, it is not probable.
Whitt is quick to give credit to the exceptional course condition to superintendent Jeff Christianson.
“To keep the golf course looking great, his crew does lots of watering on the course with mobile watering systems and the high-powered fans keep the bent grass greens alive in the heat of the summer.”
Overall, the Ridge is for passionate golfers who can appreciate the efforts of the course’s design team which has built a golf experience that will create an indelible memory for those who decide to play on what should be considered the ‘Beloved and Beautiful Badlands of Birmingham.’
