There’s a lot of new at Quail Creek Golf Course in Fairhope.
Colin McKern recently took over as director of golf, and the course completed its greens renovation project on Oct. 1.
Designed by Barney Shull and opened in 1988, the city-owned Quail Creek is a popular walking course with challenging fairways and lots of water hazards. The facility also features a large practice range that offers driving, putting, and chipping along with a stocked pro shop and restaurant. It’s a par-72 layout that stretches to 6,426 yards.
But it was time for the 38-year-old course to upgrade its greens complexes.
“For a course to be successful, you must have great greens,” McKern said. “The city has embraced that concept and made the investment to move into the next level. The average yearly rounds of golf are about 30,000 players a year; we hope to break 40,000 soon. We tweaked a few other areas and we’re hearing from our golfers that it’s never looked better.”
The greens renovation project began in the fall of 2025 and was done nine holes at a time using temporary greens to replace the ones undergoing renovations. The temporary greens used 8-inch cups instead of the regulation 4.25-inch size.
Quail Creek’s new greens feature the popular Tif Eagle, a durable hybrid Bermuda grass McKern said is easier to keep fast and smooth.
“The Grand Hotel’s Lakewood course uses the same product as do many of top courses around the country,” McKern said.
McKern brings experience to Quail Creek
McKern, who began as director of golf at Quail Creek in August, brings a wealth of experience to the job.
Originally from Indianapolis, McKern’s family moved to Birmingham when he was in middle school. It was a round at Oak Mountain State Park Golf Course with his grandfather that set McKern on the path to becoming a PGA of America professional.
McKern played collegiately at South Alabama where he played for coach Hal Williams and Greg Jones. Heath Slocum, who went on to play professionally on the PGA Tour and is now on the PGA Tour Champions was one of McKern’s teammates at South Alabama.
McKern’s first job as a professional came in 2000 when he accepted an assistant’s job at Azalea City Golf Course, a Mobile city-owned course. By 2008 McKern was the head professional.
McKern spent six years at Vestavia Country Club, followed by a brief stint at Florida’s Perdido Key before moving back to Azalea City as an assistant. He was named head professional at Azalea City in 2023. McKern had a brief stop at TopGolf before taking over at Quail Creek in August.
McKern has numerous honors on his resume, including the Alabama Chapter Junior Golf Leader award and has qualified for the Senior PGA Championship twice. He’s a three-time PGA Professional of the Year nominee for the Alabama/Northwest Florida section.
Phillip Ellis is a freelance golf writer. Contact him at PhillipEllisMedia@gmail.com
Featured image courtesy of DriveSouth Indoor Golf
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News
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