Another jewel on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is Grand National's Lake Course, a 6,488-yard beast that challenges accuracy off the tee and on the greens.
The sister course to Grand National's Links Course plays along the banks of Lake Saugahatchee with 10 holes offering water hazards. The greens are large, soft and tricky with elevation changes. Fairways are wide, but a number of fairway bunkers can turn otherwise perfect drives into wasted opportunities.
This course is arguably the best in east Alabama. Fairways, greens and traps are in near perfect shape. Carts offer GPS locators. The clubhouse is immaculate, and a separate driving range/putting green is one of the best around.
Difficulty of the Lake Course is relatively the same as the Links. Both offer water and sand, with undulated fairways. The Links course may be a tad tighter and longer, but this doesn't make the Lake Course easier. One great difference is the Lake Course allows players to return to the clubhouse for a break after nine holes. The Links Course does not.
The Lake Course has been the home to a number of top-notch tournaments, including the NIKE Tour (now Nationwide) Championship, the LPGA, and NCAA Men's and Women's Championships. Some of the world's best players have attacked these fairways, including Charles Howell III, Matt Kuchar, Steve Flesch, and Se Ri Pak. It is also a stop on the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour, where tomorrow's stars compete today as kids.
According to the Lake Course's scorecard, its par 4, 381-yard second hole is the most difficult. For those who hit it straight, it's easily reachable in two. But any deviation left or right could spoil the hole. To the left is wind-whipped Lake Saugahatchee. To the right are woods, and along the right side of the fairway (approximately 220 to 250 yards out) lie sand traps. There's danger everywhere.
Another challenge lies on the 521-yard, par 5 seventh hole. There's woods to the left, trees and the lake to the right. Obviously, the best bet is to hit in-between. A strong approach shot, however, can be "rewarded" with your ball falling into one of several sand traps that guard the green. The player can walk away from this hole without hitting a bad shot -- and a double-bogey on the scorecard.
The 10th hole, a par 4, 397-yarder, is wildly undulated. Water does not come into play, but the fairway features more ups and downs than Pamela Anderson's chest. A perfect tee shot in the middle of the fairway can rest on an uphill or downhill lie. Make sure your approach shot does not fall left of the green, otherwise your next shot on to the green will be played far below the hole. The gully to the left is easily 30-40 feet below the putting surface, but its grass is smooth, so your uphill shot should be clean.
One of this course's "signature" holes is the par 5, 493-yard 12th. The left fairway runs entirely along the banks of Lake Saugahatchee, so errant tee shots have great opportunities to get wet. The hole veers toward the left, forcing the player to hit directly over the lake off the tee. Sliced shots go into the woods. A straight drive of 250 yards will perfectly put your ball into the fairway. Once you've cleared the lake and did not drive beside the trees to the right, it's smooth sailing, unless you plunk your second shot into the water.
The course's most attractive hole is the 174-yard, par 3 15th -- pictured above -- which takes aim over Lake Saugahatchee on to a thin green with a bunker to the rear and sharply sloped bank to the front. Tee shots toward this "island hole" are played entirely over water. There is little margin for error as the green is wide from left to right, not front to back. Bring an extra ball to the tee box. Mulligans are accepted.
It's hard to pick between the Lake and the Links Courses at Grand National. I'd say play both, then perhaps head over to Grand National's nifty par 3 course. But that course is for another blog. Greens fees at Grand National vary from season to season. Rounds can vary from $59 to $79. Those with RTJ Trail Cards (purchased for $39) can play rounds for $39 to $44, depending on the day of the week.
For more information about the Lake Course or Grand National's facilities and the complete Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, check out its Web site at http://www.rtjgolf.com/courses/grand_national/
Rating (1 to 10)
Fun: Combine near perfect conditions with natural beauty, a great challenge and a wide variety of holes, Grand National's Lake Course ranks with the best. Score -- 9
Value: Another RTJ course gives Trail Card-holders the chance to play for $40. That's pretty hard to beat. Score -- 8
Conditions: A full-time staff is devoted to keeping this place pristine. Fairways remained perfect green in the winter and didn't wilt in the summer heat. Score -- 9
Amenities: Let's see, large practice facility (though the ground could have been better), putting green, immaculate clubhouse with everything you want, excellent service, ect. Score -- 9
Difficulty: Not as tight as its sister course, the Lake Course still offers a numbers of challenges, including water and sneaky bunkers. Elevated and undulated greens challenge your putting. Score -- 8
Overall: Excuse me while I drool. There is water, woods, beauty, great playing conditions and a strong variety of holes to test all aspects of your game. Score -- 8.6
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