Take a Look at How Golf is Evolving
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Traditional golf is alive and well in Alabama’s Gulf Coast communities with multiple courses that offer challenging holes alongside stellar scenery. Kiva Dunes Golf Course is one of these courses that has evolved into a beachside treasure located on Fort Morgan in Gulf Shores. Kiva Dunes is consistently rated in the state’s top courses and a 2015 renovation only made the course better. Take some practice swings in the dedicated, full-swing practice area and garner tips from the resident PGA instructor. There’s a clubhouse, fitness center, and the Kiva Beach Club to enjoy as well, rounding out a spectacular golf outing experience.
Grow the Game Activities
In addition to traditional golf rounds, some Gulf Coast courses offer unique grow-the-game activities designed to grab the millennial golfers who may not have the time for the traditional 18-hole round of golf.
Among these activities is footgolf (available at GlenLakes and Craft Farms). Large soccer balls are kicked into oversized golf holes. Also, you’ll find paintball golf, where shots are fired at a golf course vision board and points are earned for pars hit on the course.
If you’ve ever wondered what night golf might be like, then Glow Golf at ONE Club Gulf Shores might be for you! Hidden in the shadow of Craft Farms Golf Resort, you’ll find this one-of-a-kind nine-hole course’s after-hours experience to be loads of fun with glow-in-the-dark targets and fluorescent golf balls.
Putting in the Work
Many golfers just want to work on their game rather than play a full 18 holes. Orange Beach Golf Center is the perfect place to shore up your game with a lighted driving range, practice putting and chipping greens, practice sand bunker and a Pro Shop. There are self-serve ball dispensers, and the driving range features 30 grass tees and 10 covered mat tees. If you decide to play, there’s a nine-hole, par-three course available as well. Enjoy the facilities seven days a week.
“Short-on-Time” Courses
For those short on time, some courses are encouraging golfers to play short courses or nine holes. Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club has three nine-hole courses, so there are plenty of options! Every course on the Gulf Coast allows nine-hole play, and they meet the USGA handicap requirements.
Destination golf packages, not just golf course packages
Golfers aren’t just looking for good golf courses to play. They are now looking for a golf vacation that incorporates dining, entertainment, and overall atmosphere into their vacation requirements. That is one of the reasons golfers keep coming back to the Alabama Gulf Coast. We have been named to multiple lists for top travel destinations throughout the years, and golf plays a small part in that decision. What convinces golfers to keep coming back is the area’s great courses, but also the 32 miles of white-sand beaches, multiple restaurant options, luxury accommodations, entertainment, fishing, watersports, and nightlife! Gulf Shores and Orange Beach consider beach accessibility a priority and have access mats on some public beaches that allow wheelchair access.
