re: What are your favorite Robert Trent Jones trail courses?

Played The Shoals, Hampton Cove, Oxmoor, Ross Bridge, and the Capitol Hill courses. Of those, my rankings...

Ross Bridge, Legislator, Judge, Fighting Joe, Schoolmaster, Oxmoor Ridge, Senator, Oxmoor Valley, Hampton Cove Highlands, Hampton Cove River

I would gladly go back and play any of them except the Hampton Cove courses. I know that's where you are going but I was severely disappointed in the Highlands condition when we went. The greens we beyond awful - tons of fungus or something. They have to keep them so damn wet and it really took away from the course.

I thought the Capitol Hill complex was awesome and you can't go wrong at The Shoals or the Birmingham courses either. Legislator really captured some of both the Senator and Judge all in one so that's why I liked it the best. The Judge has some crazy long/tough par 3s and the opening tee shot is remarkable but it was brutally hot and cart path only down in the river bottoms so maybe that skewed my love for it a bit.

To me, Ross Bridge was the best that I've played so far. The layout was awesome and the views were just stunning on several holes. It tips out over 8,100 so it's all you could want and more. So are The Shoals courses - I played Fighting Joe from the purples and at 7,300 - it's a bear.

Next on our RTJ trips will be the Grand National courses and probably stopping back in Birmingham to hit those 3 courses again.

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I hope you like stupid fast greens. Especially has hot as it's been. On Hampton cove.

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The highlands greens are slow right now. They can’t cut them down in this heat.

You will have fun at the Hampton cove courses, but they aren’t quite as good as most of the RTJ trail, imo.

Maybe that’s just because I play them all off the time and I’m used to them.

FYI- the River course had thirty plus trees knocked down by storms at the end of last week. I’m not sure if it is all cleaned up yet

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I liked the Ridge course over the Valley at Oxmoor. Valley was a little easier though.

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I absolutely hate the ridge.

Hit a ball in the middle of the fairway and you’re standing on your head trying to hit it uphill. I’m fine with lumpy lies in links golf. That place tries to be a links setup on the side of a mountain.

I've played
Magnolia Grove Falls=3x
Magnolia Grove Crossings=3x
Magnolia Grove Par 3=3x
Ross Bridge=1x
Cambrian Ridge=1x
Capitol Hill The Judge=1x
Capitol Hill The Senator=1x

All were very nice courses and very enjoyable. Ross Bridge would have to be my favorite, just beautiful and was well manicured at the time at least

The Judge was the toughest, though I was a pretty shitty golfer when I played there a few years ago (not that I'm much better now lol)