a rocky landscape with mountains in the background

Photo by Lisha Riabinina on Unsplash

Golf Trips / Southeast / Alabama

Plan Your Auburn-Opelika Golf Trip in 60 Seconds

Grand National — the crown jewel of the RTJ Golf Trail

Robert Trent Jones Sr. called this the single greatest natural site for golf he'd ever seen. Grand National's 54 holes drape along 600-acre Lake Saugahatchee, anchoring a buddies trip with SEC-town energy in Auburn just minutes away. World-class golf at public prices.

4

courses

Spring, Fall

best season

ATL

105 min drive

10–50k

town size

The rota

Courses

RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National (Lake Course)Bucket ListTOP 100 PUBLIC

Twelve holes hug 600-acre Lake Saugahatchee — voted the #1 public golf facility in America by Golf World readers

$65–$110

Par 72 · 7,149 yds

parkland

RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National (Links Course)Bucket ListTOP 100 PUBLIC

Every bit as scenic as the Lake — long, demanding, and routinely top-ranked among U.S. public courses

$65–$110

Par 72 · 7,311 yds

parkland

RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National (Short Course)Premium

An 18-hole par-3 with lakeside holes — the afternoon money game after 18 on the big tracks

$30–$55

Par 54 · 3,328 yds

parkland · walkable

Moore's Mill ClubSolid

John LaFoy design through Auburn rolling hills — a worthy non-Trail fourth round

$45–$85

Par 72 · 6,973 yds

parkland

Base camp

Where to Stay

houseSleeps 10–16

$350–$1,200 /night

Auburn near campus/downtown — homes walkable to the SEC bar scene

near campusporchoutdoor grillgame roomyard

resort houseSleeps 12–16

$180–$400 /night

Marriott Auburn Opelika Grand National — directly on the RTJ Trail courses

on-site golfspalake viewsrestaurantpool

The table

Dining

Acre

$$$

farm-to-table

Auburn's standout farm-to-table — the nicer group dinner of the trip

4.6★

Niffer's Place

casual

Beloved Auburn wings-and-burgers joint that handles big rowdy groups

4.5★

Ariccia (The Hotel at Auburn)

$$$

italian

Upscale Italian at the campus hotel — easy for a polished crew dinner

4.5★

Hamilton's on Magnolia

$$$

southern

Downtown Auburn Southern spot with shareable plates and a full bar

4.5★

After the round

Nightlife

Skybar Cafe

Late night

honky tonk

Auburn's legendary game-day bar on the corner — the rowdy heart of campus nightlife

1716 / downtown Auburn strip

Late night

patio

Cluster of college bars on the downtown corner — easy crawl on foot

The Hound

whiskey bar

Craft cocktails and whiskey with a more grown-up feel for the early night

Bourbon Street Bar

Late night

dive

No-frills downtown dive for late-night pours after the crawl

Off days

Activities

Lake Saugahatchee / Lake Martin Fishing

fishinghalf day$90–$200/pp

Bass fishing on the lake that frames Grand National, or run to nearby Lake Martin

Lake Martin Boat Day

boat rentalfull day$75–$200/pp

Pontoon day on one of Alabama's best lakes — Chimney Rock cliff jumping included

Auburn Sporting Clays / Shooting

shooting2-3 hours$60–$130/pp

Area sporting-clays courses for a competitive rest-day round

Ready when you are

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