Heron Lakes Country Club in Mobile

Semi-Private Heron Lakes Country Club Offers Special Cardholder Rates for Discounted Play

Heron Lakes County Club is a semi-private golf course in Mobile Alabama that offers golf both to its members and the public.

There are a variety of ways one can take advantage of the 18-hole layout located near both Interstate 65 and Interstate 10 and adjacent to one of Mobile’s busiest thoroughfares, Government Boulevard.

One of the Most Affordable Golf Courses in Mobile Alabama

In recent years, Heron Lakes County Club, formerly known as Skyline Country Club, began offering a cardholder membership for an annual fee of $99.

This year, that fee provides the cardholder with a complimentary round of golf, two complimentary tournaments, a towel or cap, ten small practice ball bags, a complimentary replay, a complimentary drink ticket, unlimited guest rounds at $5 over the cardholders’ rate, plus 10 percent discount in the pro shop and other enticements.

For Heron Lakes County Clubcardholders, a round of golf with cart is $32 before 1 p.m. and $25 after 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The price is $39 before 1 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and $30 after 1 p.m. For non-cardholders, the cost is $35 Monday through Thursday and $45 Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Once on the course, golfers will find what has been described as an “old country club style’’ golf course, with lots of tree-lined fairways and twists and turns that will require golfers to think their way around the layout. Every club in one’s bag will be required to finish the 18 holes, which aren’t so much challenging from hole to hole as they require a bit of patience and negotiation.

A few examples: while straight-ahead layouts are featured at Nos. 1 and 2, the course starts to wind from there. The par 5 third takes one left, then back right before sliding a touch left again. After the par -3 fourth, with water in the front, comes perhaps the most challenging hole on the front side — the par 4, 342-yard fifth hole (from the white tees) that requires either a big tee shot to clear water on the left or laying up to leave a 150- to 190-yard second shot where the water comes into play again.

On the back nine, No. 11, a par-5 hole, requires some thought. Blasting away could mean hitting through the fairway and into a ditch, while a tee shot that drifts too far left could find water. Both par 3s (Nos. 12 and 17) are protected on one side by water. No. 17, while short, is deceptive.

The round ends on perhaps the most scenic hole on the course, a straight-ahead par 4, uphill at the green. The clubhouse in the background frames the green.

An Old-School Mobile Alabama Golf Course Design

The club opened in 1954 and was originally designed by Harold Stallings. Around 2000, Earl Stone, noted for designing several courses in the are,a including Timbercreek Golf Club in Spanish Fort and the Peninsula Golf Club in Fort Morgan near Gulf Shores, redesigned some holes on the front nine and changed the order of some holes.

The course features five tees to accommodate all levels of play. From the gold tees (tips) it plays 6,860 yards, followed by the blue tees (6,473), white tees (5,953), green tees (5,366 and red tees (4,960). While the course is known as a good test for all levels, it is suited for juniors.

Click here for the Heron Lakes Country Club scorecard. For more about golf courses in and around Mobile Alama, visit the Visit Mobile Alabama website.

Gabi Oubre’, who played for Mississippi State University and Troy University, is the head professional. Justin Joyner is the course superintendent.

Recently, Joyner was working on improvements to the greens and completing an irrigation project on the front nine. A new irrigation pump was installed earlier this year. The greens are Champion Bermuda grass, while the fairways and tees have Champion 419 grass.

To schedule a tee time or learn more about the cardholder program or the various golf-only membership options should phone the pro shop at (251) 706-6370. To learn about the various levels of full country club memberships, call (251) 706-6371.

By Alabama Golf News contributor Tommy Hicks