By jake proctor
Deep in the heart of Dixie, about 30 minutes outside of Birmingham, Alabama, is a rural road known as State Highway 41. The road is long and desolate. You can drive for miles and see nothing but a canopy of trees that engulfs the asphalt.
But if you drive far enough, you will come to a set of flagpoles, proudly displaying the American and Alabama flags. If you turn into the gate by these flags, you will find one of the South’s most prestigious golf courses, Shoal Creek.
The course, founded by the late Alabama business giant Hall Thompson, is championed throughout the professional golf community. Shoal Creek opened in 1977 and was designed by none other than golf legend Jack Nicklaus. It was home to the PGA Championship in 1984 and 1990 and the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1986. Its signature design and difficulty has attracted world-renowned golfers such as Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods. Other notable patrons include Nick Saban, Peyton Manning, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Paul Allen and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who is a member of the club.
Unlike most golf courses around the country, Shoal Creek is not a country club, but rather a golf club. Shoal Creek’s Director of Golf Eric Williamson said that the emphasis on golf was a big reason he took the job.
“The thing that attracted me to Shoal Creek, as a golf professional, is that it’s a golf club,” Williamson said. “Its not about the tennis court or the swimming pool. It’s not about the tea. Its all about golf.”
Williamson isn’t your average golf director. He was a standout golfer at Presbyterian College, where he was awarded SAC Freshman of the Year and eventually became an All-American. A South Carolina native, Williamson won the Dixie Section Championship in 2014, which qualified him to play in the PGA National Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Aside from being one of the best golf venues in the South, Shoal Creek has a rich history as well. The property was occupied by the Creek Indian Nation at one point, and there’s an Indian burial ground not far from the course. Williamson said that if golfers look close enough, they could find arrowheads scattered around the property.
The course lies in a valley between the Oak and Double Oak Mountains, and the scenery is magnificent. As summer turns to fall, the surrounding mountains burst with an array of warm colors, while the grass maintains its bold green. Much like Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, Shoal Creek is known for its fast greens, narrow fairways and the ability to turn any golfer’s Sunday round into 18 holes of frustration.
Williamson’s former assistant professional at Shoal Creek, Blanton Tessin, is now the director of golf at nearby Vestavia Hills Country Club.
“I used to work with [Williamson] at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina,” Tessin said. “I reached out to him to let him know I was looking to move, and if he knew of any golf professional jobs to keep me in mind. It just so happened that he had a position available, so I began working at Shoal Creek in October 2011.”
During Tessin’s tenure at Shoal Creek, he helped orchestrate one of the state’s largest golf tournaments, the Regions Tradition, a major championship on the PGA’s Senior Tour.
“It was very exciting for Shoal Creek to host a major for the Champions Tour,” Tessin said. “This event is very important for Birmingham and the state of Alabama, and it was very humbling to host this event and represent our community in a positive fashion.”
Tessin said Shoal Creek is the only club in Alabama that has a caddy program and also offers guests the option to stay at cottages that line the first hole.
“The experience of taking a trip to Shoal Creek and never having to leave the property throughout your stay is unlike any experience offered in the area,” Tessin said.
Shoal Creek is planning big things for the future. In fact, they will host the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open, the biggest tournament in all of women’s golf. The club is making preparations for the tournament, which will bring the world’s eyes to the yellowhammer state.
When it comes to golf courses, there are few courses in the South or even the country that compare to Shoal Creek. This Alabama gem brings people from all around the world to experience its magic. Words cannot truly describe the beautiful elegance that is Shoal Creek, but the late Hall Thompson came as close as anyone could.
“I feel very much as so many other people feel as they play Shoal Creek. It is an enjoyable golf course even when you are playing poorly. The beauty of the valley between Oak and Double Oak, far from the noise of major highway or airport traffic, provides for us a serenity that is conducive to good golf and fellowship with God and mankind.”
But if you drive far enough, you will come to a set of flagpoles, proudly displaying the American and Alabama flags. If you turn into the gate by these flags, you will find one of the South’s most prestigious golf courses, Shoal Creek.
The course, founded by the late Alabama business giant Hall Thompson, is championed throughout the professional golf community. Shoal Creek opened in 1977 and was designed by none other than golf legend Jack Nicklaus. It was home to the PGA Championship in 1984 and 1990 and the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1986. Its signature design and difficulty has attracted world-renowned golfers such as Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods. Other notable patrons include Nick Saban, Peyton Manning, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Paul Allen and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who is a member of the club.
Unlike most golf courses around the country, Shoal Creek is not a country club, but rather a golf club. Shoal Creek’s Director of Golf Eric Williamson said that the emphasis on golf was a big reason he took the job.
“The thing that attracted me to Shoal Creek, as a golf professional, is that it’s a golf club,” Williamson said. “Its not about the tennis court or the swimming pool. It’s not about the tea. Its all about golf.”
Williamson isn’t your average golf director. He was a standout golfer at Presbyterian College, where he was awarded SAC Freshman of the Year and eventually became an All-American. A South Carolina native, Williamson won the Dixie Section Championship in 2014, which qualified him to play in the PGA National Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Aside from being one of the best golf venues in the South, Shoal Creek has a rich history as well. The property was occupied by the Creek Indian Nation at one point, and there’s an Indian burial ground not far from the course. Williamson said that if golfers look close enough, they could find arrowheads scattered around the property.
The course lies in a valley between the Oak and Double Oak Mountains, and the scenery is magnificent. As summer turns to fall, the surrounding mountains burst with an array of warm colors, while the grass maintains its bold green. Much like Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, Shoal Creek is known for its fast greens, narrow fairways and the ability to turn any golfer’s Sunday round into 18 holes of frustration.
Williamson’s former assistant professional at Shoal Creek, Blanton Tessin, is now the director of golf at nearby Vestavia Hills Country Club.
“I used to work with [Williamson] at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina,” Tessin said. “I reached out to him to let him know I was looking to move, and if he knew of any golf professional jobs to keep me in mind. It just so happened that he had a position available, so I began working at Shoal Creek in October 2011.”
During Tessin’s tenure at Shoal Creek, he helped orchestrate one of the state’s largest golf tournaments, the Regions Tradition, a major championship on the PGA’s Senior Tour.
“It was very exciting for Shoal Creek to host a major for the Champions Tour,” Tessin said. “This event is very important for Birmingham and the state of Alabama, and it was very humbling to host this event and represent our community in a positive fashion.”
Tessin said Shoal Creek is the only club in Alabama that has a caddy program and also offers guests the option to stay at cottages that line the first hole.
“The experience of taking a trip to Shoal Creek and never having to leave the property throughout your stay is unlike any experience offered in the area,” Tessin said.
Shoal Creek is planning big things for the future. In fact, they will host the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open, the biggest tournament in all of women’s golf. The club is making preparations for the tournament, which will bring the world’s eyes to the yellowhammer state.
When it comes to golf courses, there are few courses in the South or even the country that compare to Shoal Creek. This Alabama gem brings people from all around the world to experience its magic. Words cannot truly describe the beautiful elegance that is Shoal Creek, but the late Hall Thompson came as close as anyone could.
“I feel very much as so many other people feel as they play Shoal Creek. It is an enjoyable golf course even when you are playing poorly. The beauty of the valley between Oak and Double Oak, far from the noise of major highway or airport traffic, provides for us a serenity that is conducive to good golf and fellowship with God and mankind.”