Shoal Creek
Shoal Creek, AL
Shoal Creek is a private 18-hole, par-72 golf course in Shoal Creek, Alabama, playing 7,394 yards with a course rating of 76.2 and slope of 145. It is ranked #1 on Golf Digest's Best in Alabama (2025-26).
🏛 Designed by Jack Nicklaus (1976); Jay Morrish (1977)
Shoal Creek, southeast of Birmingham, opened in 1977 to a Jack Nicklaus design. It hosted the 1984 and 1990 PGA Championships, the second overshadowed by founder Hall Thompson's remarks on Black membership, a controversy the club addressed by admitting Louis J. Willie and that led the PGA and USGA to set new inclusivity requirements for host clubs.
Accolades
- Ranked #1, Best in Alabama (Golf Digest, 2025-26)
📍 100 New Williamsburg Drive, Shoal Creek, AL 35242
Course layout
Hole lines and layout © OpenStreetMap contributors. Tap a hole line for par and yardage.
Scorecard, hole by hole
- Par 72 over 18 holes: 4 par 3s, 10 par 4s, 4 par 5s
- Longest hole: No. 17, 551 yards, par 5
- Shortest hole: No. 8, 165 yards, par 3
- Hardest hole by handicap: No. 9 (par 4, 453 yards)
- Biggest elevation change: No. 5, about 50 ft downhill from tee to green
- Water in play on holes 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 17 and 18
- Doglegs: 3 right
| Hole | Par | Yards | Hcp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 404 | 13 | 3 bunkers |
| 2 | 4 | 415 | 9 | dogleg right, water in play, 2 bunkers, plays about 35 ft downhill |
| 3 | 5 | 531 | 7 | 8 bunkers, plays about 10 ft uphill |
| 4 | 4 | 482 | 3 | |
| 5 | 3 | 217 | 15 | water in play, 1 bunker, plays about 50 ft downhill |
| 6 | 5 | 540 | 11 | dogleg right, water in play, 4 bunkers, plays about 20 ft downhill |
| 7 | 4 | 471 | 5 | 5 bunkers |
| 8 | 3 | 165 | 17 | water in play, 2 bunkers, plays about 20 ft downhill |
| 9 | 4 | 453 | 1 | water in play, 2 bunkers, plays about 25 ft downhill |
| Out | 36 | 3,678 | ||
| 10 | 4 | 430 | 8 | water in play, 2 bunkers |
| 11 | 5 | 522 | 6 | water in play, 2 bunkers, plays about 50 ft uphill |
| 12 | 4 | 527 | 2 | 3 bunkers, plays about 15 ft downhill |
| 13 | 3 | 214 | 16 | water in play, 4 bunkers |
| 14 | 4 | 389 | 14 | dogleg right, 10 bunkers, plays about 30 ft downhill |
| 15 | 4 | 421 | 12 | 3 bunkers, plays about 30 ft uphill |
| 16 | 3 | 214 | 18 | 3 bunkers |
| 17 | 5 | 551 | 10 | water in play, 3 bunkers, plays about 20 ft downhill |
| 18 | 4 | 448 | 4 | water in play, 5 bunkers, plays about 10 ft uphill |
| In | 36 | 3,716 | ||
| Total | 72 | 7,394 |
Scorecard from the 5 Star tees. Doglegs, water and bunkers are read from the OpenStreetMap hole lines and mapped hazards © OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: Open-Meteo / Copernicus DEM, approximate.
Tournaments hosted
- PGA Championship: 1984, 1990
- United States Women's Open Championship: 2018
Source: Wikidata Q7499733 (CC0).
Nearby golf courses
| Course | Miles | Holes | Par | Rating / slope | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greystone G&CC LegacyHoover | 1.7 | 18 | 72 | 75.6 / 145 | Private |
| Greystone Golf & Country Club - Founders CourseBirmingham | 2.3 | 18 | Private | ||
| The Back Nine BirminghamBirmingham | 3.5 | Public | |||
| Old Overton ClubVestavia Hills | 5.4 | 18 | 71 | 74.6 / 134 | Public |
| Pine Tree Country ClubBirmingham | 6.5 | 18 | 72 | 73.9 / 137 | Semi-private |
| Mountain Brook ClubBirmingham | 8.4 | 18 | 71 | 73.3 / 131 | Private |
| Vestavia Country ClubBirmingham | 9.6 | 18 | 71 | 72.7 / 134 | Likely private |
| Country Club of Birmingham - West CourseBirmingham | 9.8 | 18 | Private | ||
| Country Club of BirminghamBirmingham | 9.8 | 18 | 70 | 73.1 / 132 | Private |
| Highland Park Golf CourseBirmingham | 10.8 | 18 | 70 | 67.6 / 124 | Municipal |
Straight-line distance from this course.
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