Long-delayed Baldwin County course nearly complete
There’s a new entry into the golf landscape of Baldwin County.
Located in Spanish Fort, Longleaf Golf Club and Residences is a new 18-hole course nestled amid lush greenery and rolling hills in Baldwin County. Although an exact opening date has yet to be set, it will open sometime in August.
And in a departure from a couple of new private courses under development in the state, the Longleaf Golf Club will operate as a semi-private facility, offering membership opportunities while serving the local golf community and visitors. Rates and fees are still being finalized.
The property’s history dates to 2005 when the land was purchased by an investment group that included founder and current owner Wade Oney.
Next came LPGA champion Jan Stephenson, who headed a golf development team that started the construction phase and co-designed the original layout along with golf course architect Tim Freeland (Old Hickory, Va., Royal Manchester, Pa). Together they roughed out holes and began clearing lots anticipating smooth sailing, But they abandoned the project when the economy went south in the Great Recession of 2008-2009 and the stock market crashed.
Oney purchased the property and, along with Regi Hill, the current director of golf operations, worked on project development and maintenance for over a decade before deciding to move forward in 2022.
Longleaf Golf Club will have a slope of 151 from the tips
The eventual design resulted from collaboration between Freeland, Hill and Oney. The sprawling venue is spread over 1,750 acres which includes the golf course with related amenities, 76 home sites in Phase 1, with room for over 900 more residences, and a 400-acre Farm Animal Sanctuary.
The result of all their collaboration is a challenging golf course. At 7,108 yards and with a slope rating of 151 from the tips, the par 72 beauty includes four par 5s over 500 yards and a 234-yard par 3 that’s the No. 1 handicap hole.
The layout is filled with bunkers, large lakes, beautifully manicured greens, expansive fairways and rolling hills.
The group’s attention to detail is significant and adds to the overall feel of the course. For example, the tee-markers are made from local pine cones painted in autumnal colors instead of the traditional red white and blue. The cones are tall and slender, but open up when it rains to show off all their glory on the tee. As they dry, they revert to their original shapes.
Longleaf features a large practice area with five target greens. The facility will open with a temporary clubhouse; but once the permanent building is complete members will be able to dine, play pickle ball and enjoy the club’s pool.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to play and write about the Gulf Coast’s many golf courses, and I was pleasantly surprised by Longleaf.
Longleaf Golf Club should have a huge impact on the golf community locally and nationally. The club’s overall beauty, design, special touches, and immenseness make it a perfect venue for an LPGA, PGA Tour Champions, or even a PGA Tour event.
In an area where excellent golf courses are plentiful, Longleaf Golf Club should stand tall.
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Phillip Ellis is Chief Correspondent of Alabama Golf News. Reach him at phillipellismedia@gmail.com
Images courtesy of Longleaf Golf Club
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