An Exciting & Fun Golf Club in Point Clear, AL
On the shores of Mobile Bay, sits the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa. For over 170 years, The Grand has welcomed visitors for an exciting getaway. Since 1947 the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa has also provided guests with exciting and demanding golf at The Lakewood Club. Beginning as an 18-hole course, it was designed by legendary golf course architect Perry Maxwell. Today, The Lakewood Club offers 36 holes of championship golf and is consistently recognized as GOLF Magazine’s “Best Golf Resorts in America.” Here golfers delight in the cool breezes from Mobile Bay, while playing courses with fairways winding through stands of Southern Pine and 200 year old Live Oaks. The Live Oaks, their logo, creates wonderful elements at the course and resort. Additionally, the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa along with the Lakewood Club is a key resort and golf club of the famous Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama.
In the last two years we have stayed in resorts and golfed on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at the Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill and Grand National Golf Course at the Auburn Marriott Resort & Spa. On this Gulf Coast getaway, we are excited to experience the southern warmth and charm of the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa and play the Lakewood Club’s Azalea course. At the Pro Shop, we chat with Director of Golf, Naill Fraser, who provides insight into the history of the Club and the excitement of recently hosting The US Senior Women’s Amateur Championship on the Dogwood Course. Niall shares that the Dogwood course was completely renovated in 2018 while the Azalea course was renovated in 2019. Each staff members brags on the condition of the course and the TifEagle Ultradwarf greens. Everyone keeps saying be prepared for fast and firm greens.
Playing the Azalea Course
After warming up at The Experience practice facility, we are ready to tackle the Azalea Course. With five sets of tees, we easily find the tees that meet our handicap. The starting hole is a long par-5 that is slightly uphill. We play behind a threesome and the pace of play stays smooth. Yes, the greens are firm but we are pleased to consistently two putt. On No. 3 a par-4, I make a beautiful shot to the green avoiding the large greenside bunkers. It lands perfectly. NO! Hitting the firm green it rolls all the way off the back. A good lesson to be sure to play short as we approach these firm greens. As the course winds along the trees, we find hazards, fairway bunkers, numerous greenside bunkers and water on a few holes.
The course does wind through the Southern Pines and we see many beautiful old oaks trees. The course is a parkland setting with hazards of both fairway bunkers and green side bunkers quickly grabbing poorly struck shots. Approaching Hole No. 5 a par-5, we determine the best strategy for playing this hole where water comes into play before the green. Richard plays it perfectly, getting a par. Each hole on the front nine brings its own unique challenges and keeps us alert as we play the course.
Teeing off on the back nine at No. 10 a par-4 is exciting. Here there is a significant elevation change that adds a new dimension to playing the hole. We both take advantage of our tee shots from the elevated tees. Now to avoid the fairway bunkers and four bunkers surrounding the green. Then we tackle No. 11 an uphill par-5. Hurrah it’s a par for me! On some holes we find trees to be avoided, lots of bunkers, marshes, and water comes into play on the back nine.
It’s a slightly uphill shot to the green at No. 13, a par 3. The Signature Hole is Hole No. 14 a par-5 that requires a good layup. There is no room for error approaching this green with water and bunkers. Terrific! We both play the hole perfectly and each get our par. We have to beware of marsh and sand on No. 15. This adds to the challenge of playing this par-3. As we play the back nine we find excitement of hazards, water and again plenty of bunkers. Some holes, like No. 17 has three bunkers in the fairway that create a challenge on shots and two greenside bunkers to avoid. Thankfully, we avoid the fairway bunkers and greenside bunkers. Playing Hole No. 18, a long par-4, we finish our exciting round of golf on the Azalea course.
Now to chill and relax at the inviting Clubhouse at the Lakewood Club. On this beautiful day with the cool breeze from Mobile Bay, we enjoy lunch outside on the patio. Then it is time to do some shopping. I really like their “Live Oak” logo, and purchase a couple of hats. A great finish to a fun and exciting day of golf. We are impressed with the Lakewood Club and the Azalea course. Despite renovations over the years and challenges of hurricanes, the Lakewood Club continues to offer great golf in the South. Be sure to check out our captivating visit at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa.