Eagle Point Golf Club 
Birmingham, AL 

www.eaglepointgolfclub.com

Reviewed: 1998
Eagle Point Golf Club
By Ian Thompson


When Joe Lee Griffin and Don Huff decided to build a golf course, they knew they had the market, because when Eagle Point opened in April 1990 there were relatively few golf courses that were a comfortable drive from Birmingham.

"It was a good time for this venture. The area needed upscale public golf courses. We found the property, and within 16 months of getting started we were open," Huff said.

Earl Stone, the noted Mobile-based golf course architect, did the design. "We knew him to be a designer of fun-to-play, public golf courses."

Peninsula, TimberCreek, Rock Creek, Indian Bayou, Marcus Pointe and Deer Run are just some of Stone's other local designs. He's approaching 50 new courses, plus some redesigns, over his career.

Andy Plate is the Director of Golf and General Manager. He oversees the day-to-day running of the facility. Chris Hollon, who was formerly at the Country Club of Birmingham, is the head golf professional. His specialty is teaching and to this end he has set up a series of junior golf clinics, which will help children learn every facet of the game.

Also important to this team equation is Dennis Parker, who has been the superintendent since the day they started construction of the course.

The course is located off of Highway 280, less than a mile east of Highway 119, but is set well back from the road. Attention to detail at Eagle Point is evident as soon as you enter the gates into the facility. The micritic sandstone pro shop, Point Room, which is used as a conference room, and the Eagle's Nest snack room really stand out. They form a triangle around the putting green, which is almost adjacent to the first tee.

To say the course is tree-lined would be an understatement. Every hole requires an accurate drive, otherwise you will be practicing your recovery shots from the trees all round long. However, at only 6470 yards from the back tees, length off the tee is not at a high premium.

Also important at a public facility are large greens. Eagle Point has them in abundance, which really helps the greens not get worn down during high traffic times as multiple flag positions exist on each green. The greens roll very well and were rebuilt with Crenshaw bent in 1996.

Elevation is evident throughout the course. In fact, seven holes feature tee shots that are severely downhill. Not only does this make for a spectacular view of the hole before you, it also invites the player to hit a good shot, as getting the ball airborne is easier from an elevated tee.

Three of the four par threes all incorporate this design feature. Nos. 7, 11 and 15 (No. 5 is ever so slightly uphill) all head sharply downhill, which makes clubbing difficult to judge. However, they are all fine holes that invite a well struck ball. As well as being downhill, No. 11 has a little seen design feature in that it shares a double green with the par 4 17th, which is undoubtedly the hardest hole on the course.

A clever idea on the par threes is that the yardage for each one is placed on a plaque embedded in the side of the teeing ground. Therefore you do not have search for the yardage and will know what club to take up to the tee. Seemingly small touches like this always add to the enjoyment of your game.

The front nine starts off at a fairly pedestrian pace as the first four holes, all par fours, run parallel to one another. The character of the course begins to show itself at the par 3 seventh, and from then on the holes get better and better. Indeed, I think the back nine is one of the finest in the state. You need to be able to move the ball both ways, use your imagination on many of the downhill shots and with two par fives in the final three holes you have the chance to go for broke at the end of your round.

Talking of par fives, two of of the three (Nos. 8 and 16) are reachable in two by longer hitters, with only the very longest being able to reach the final hole in two shots. In fact, you could say the course finishes with three par fives, because although No. 17 is a par four, most players will be very satisfied with a five on the hole.

The final three holes at Eagle Point represent quite a finish. The 16th is the ultimate risk-reward hole. It's a short par five of only 475 yards, but fairway bunkers on the right side must be avoided to leave yourself a chance for a look at the green in two. Also on the second shot the bulk of the trouble is on the right side, which is where most golfers miss their bad shots. A bunker that wraps around the final 80 yards of this side, with a lake immediately to its right, will gobble up shots missed here. But if you can keep your second shot straight, you will have a chance to make a birdie or even an eagle.

The 17th is played in the opposite direction, and from the very back tee represents one of the hardest driving holes you'll ever play. The same lake that was right of the previous hole must be carried off the tee, with further trouble left and right. A hooked tee shot certainly will spell disaster, as the out-of-bounds cuts in very close on this side. Should you safely negotiate the tee shot, you will still be left with a shot of at least 200 yards uphill to a raised green. Good luck!

The final hole gives you a little relief as there is no water on this hole to play havoc with your mind. However, trees on both sides mean you need to hit a straight ball. The hole doglegs to the right at the landing area and goes uphill toward the green. You should be hitting a short iron for your third, and thus hopefully will have a birdie chance with which to end your round.

In addition to the 18-hole course, Eagle Point offers one of the best driving ranges around. It is lighted and thus is very popular in spring and summer evenings.

Fairly recently reopened, it has an expansive teeing area and is framed by a high fence separating it from the course and an access road. Also a short-game practice facility is under construction adjacent to the left side of the teeing area.

Eagle Point has everything the local public golfer needs for a highly enjoyable day's golf. Give it a try if you haven't already done so; you won't be disappointed.