Alabama Golf Travel

The 15th Fairway at the Highlands The 8th Green at the Highlands

Highlands @Hampton Cove: A Gateway To The RTJ Golf Trail

By Mike May, Contributing Writer

Many inland golf courses claim to have a links-like feel and look to them. And yet, when you play them, you really don’t get that feeling at all. Ahh, but when you play the Highlands Course at Hampton Cove in Huntsville, Alabama, it is everything as advertised and then some.

The Highlands Course is one of three 18hole golf courses at Hampton Cove, which is considered the northern gateway to Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The other two courses at Hampton Cove are the River Course, which has no sand traps, and the 18-hole Short Course which features 18 par three holes, where water is in play on 11 of the holes.

At the Highlands Course, there are liberal landing areas in the fairways for your tee shots, but if your shots stray off into some of the longer, thicker grasses, add a stroke to your score, take a drop, and keep playing. You’ve seen on television how tall and thick that British Open rough can be in Scotland. It’s not coincidental that the name of this course is the Highlands. The first three holes get you in the mood for links golf as trees don’t come into play, but the large mounds on each hole dictate the best route from tee to green. As you play the 4th and 5th holes, look for the big red mule barn. The barn doesn’t impact play, but it’s a landmark which you’ll always remember. Very rarely will you play a golf course where the hardest hole on the course is a par four that is less than 400 yards long -- with the exception of the back tees which measure 412 yards. At the Highlands, the 5th hole has a left-toright configuration, is somewhat tight, and has a steam that crosses the fairway at an odd juncture. If your tee shot hugs the left side of the fairway, you probably won’t have a clear shot at the green, which is rather deep and raised, which adds to the hole’s overall degree of difficulty. At the 5th, birdies are rare, pars are exceptional, bogeys are the norm, and double bogeys (or worse) are more common than birdies. That Scottish links theme returns on the 7th and the 8th. The front nine concludes with a somewhat lengthy, uphill par five. The key is to hit an accurate tee shot. If you run into trouble off the tee, it can be a long and frustrating hole.

As is the case on many links golf courses, the ninth green is not located next to clubhouse. Instead, it’s out in the country, as they say back in the ‘old country.’

The tee shot at the Highlands’ 10th is the most scenic on the course as it provides an unmatched view of the course. That tee box is certainly perched on one of the highest peaks on the course.

While water hazards play a relatively minor role on the front nine, water plays a big role on the back nine as it comes into play on seven of the nine holes. If you can successfully navigate the aqua, then you can post a respectable score. But, one of the more special holes on the back nine is a hole with no water hazards. It’s the left-to-right, downhill par four 13th hole. As you walk from the tee through the fairway to the green, there’s a sense of calm and serenity as you descend into a quiet, sleepy hollow. The ambiance at the 13th hole is simply refreshingly peaceful. It’s a hole which is in a category unto itself.

The most penal water hazard is the lake that borders the right side of the fairway of the par five 17th. As you hit your approach shot to the green, don’t let your shot drift right of the pin or else it may not finish on the putting surface. If you don’t play the 17th conservatively and with care, it can put a damper on your first 16 holes of hard work.

The 18th hole is no pushover par four. With it being listed as the 4th handicap hole, it requires focus and feel to finish in four.

Overall, a round of golf at the Highlands is a memorable way to spend your golfing day and a choice worth repeating when you have a chance. GRD