By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Most people are aware of the stunning natural beauty, the hiking and biking trails and upgraded accommodations at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Alabama State Parks, but some Alabamians and visitors may not be aware of one of the recreational opportunities at three of the system’s parks.
Golf Courses at Oak Mountain State Park, Joe Wheeler State Park and Lake Guntersville State Park offer a day on the links at a reasonable price, and those courses have also been upgraded with new golf carts and facilities.
The Eagle’s Nest Golf Course at Lake Guntersville State Park recently completed a $2 million-plus project to build concrete cart paths throughout the course, which is great news for those days with a rain-soaked course.
“Now that we have the cart paths over the whole course, instead of having to close the golf course because of rain or wet conditions, we’re going to have more days of golf, which will ultimately allow us to bring in more guests and more users to play,” said State Parks Director Matthew Capps. “But for our guests, compared to a private course, our State Parks golf courses offer an incredible value in terms of cost to play 18 holes, with or without a cart.”
Eagle’s Nest is an 18-hole championship course, renovated in 2009 by former University of Alabama and PGA player Jerry Pate. It’s located on top of Taylor Mountain, where magnificent lake views combine with frequent wildlife sightings, including eagles. The mountain course offers rolling hills and elevation changes throughout with TifDwarf Bermuda greens and full-service practice facilities.
“Eagle’s Nest has incredible views, but it’s a challenging course,” Capps said. “I find myself bringing some extra golf balls when I play since my golf game is not in top shape, but I sure enjoy getting out on the course and trying my best.
“We certainly know we need to renovate the pro shop. However, right now our priority is on upgrades to the irrigation system because it’s crucial to the condition of the course. We are excited for these renovations to get underway in the near future.”
Eagle’s Nest Golf Course Superintendent Jeremy Waldrop said the concrete cart paths are significant upgrades from the previous configuration.
“We upgraded from only having asphalt cart paths around the tees and greens to concrete cart paths from tee to green,” Waldrop said. “You never have to leave the cart path on wet days. We’ll be able to open the golf course more often in the winter months and on days when we have a lot of rain. We have 4½ miles of cart path now from the pro shop all the way to No. 18 and back to the pro shop.”
Waldrop provided a history lesson on the golf course, built in 1974. In 1947, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) transferred 4,000 acres on Lake Guntersville to the state in support of the parks system. It was originally known at Little Mountain State Park and later became Lake Guntersville State Park.
“The course has a USGA (United States Golf Association) slope rating of 118 from the blue tees,” he said of the course difficulty, which is more difficult than the USGA average of 113. “This course fits the average golfer well. We don’t have any water features. We have native areas to the left and right of the fairways. Our greens are a good average speed, which is good for most golfers.
“We can be busy anytime of the year, but our peak season is from spring through Thanksgiving. We have a lot of visitors during the summer.”
