Blackberry Trail 
Florence, AL 



Reviewed: 2002
Blackberry Trail
By Ian Thompson


Back in our November/December 2001 issue of GolfSouth I featured a then recently opened golf course: Blackberry Trail in Florence. A lot of water has flowed under the dam since then, as they say. The course was closed last summer to facilitate replanting the greens, which was necessary as the tift eagle bermuda grass putting surfaces had suffered greatly from a fungus called bermuda grass root decline.

They were replanted with tift dwarf bermuda Aug. 1 and the course was scheduled to reopen for play mid-June. A new superintendent, John Freeman, has come on board and he brings 30 years of experience with him from nearby Turtle Point Yacht & Country Club in Killen. I recently returned to take another look and found the greens to be in good order.

Nothing else on the layout has changed, so let's take a look back at some of the highlights of my earlier story.

The course, which is owned by the city of Florence, is about a two-hour drive from Birmingham. The architect was Steven Plumer, of Arlington, Texas, but this was not his first course in Alabama, as he already has his name on Tannehill National in McCalla, The Meadows in Harpersville and Chesley Oaks in Cullman.

Built on an old plantation, Blackberry Trail has generous fairways and large, rolling greens. Water hazards proliferate including lakes, ditches and creeks which will get your attention and require accurate shot-making.

The sweeping terrain lacks for trees except on parts of its perimeter, but quite a bit of dirt has been moved to create mounding and separation between holes. Also natural wetlands serve the same purpose. Naturally on an open course such as this the ever present breeze will be a factor.

The name Blackberry Trail was christened by Jo Ann Thomas, chairman of the parks and recreation committee (at that time). The property was full of blackberry thickets before it was cleared and hence the name stuck. Very few now remain, but I like the uniqueness of the name.

This is a very playable golf course and it won't break the bank for you to play it either. Green fee and cart is just $27, with some very reasonable annual passes also available.

An interesting fact about the course is that almost adjacent to the fourth green can be found Wilson Cemetery. The speculation is that the maternal grandparents of Florence's W.C. Handy, known as the Father of the Blues, are buried there.

Let's take a look at some of the key holes. In these days of many courses that measure well over 7000 yards, Plumer has put together a challenging course at just 6851 yards from the purple (back) tees.

After a couple of gentle opening holes, the par 4 third will get your attention. Somewhat of a strange design in that two trees split the fairway in half just beyond a hazard that crosses the fairway. With wetlands left and out of bounds right you better be careful on this hole.

Then begins a series of fine holes, as Nos. 4-8 are really the meat of the golf course. The fourth is an uphill par 5 dominated by a statuesque oak tree some distance up the fairway. Two big shots could see you home on this hole, but most likely you will be left with a short third to a green that is guarded by a bunker to the right and a severe drop off to the left looking down on the sixth green.

Nos. 5 and 6 are lengthy par fours played in opposite directions, running parallel but divided by wetlands and scrub land. A small pond is found in front of the fifth tee, but this should not come into play. Multiple bunkers to the left of the landing area will be in play however, and need to be avoided to reach this hole in regulation.

A creek cuts across the sixth fairway, thus taking driver out of your hands. Lay up with a fairway wood and be left with a mid-iron to the green which sits in an amphitheater-like setting. There is as much movement in this green as there is in any on the course.

The pace is relentless as you face 181 yards all carry, all over water on the par 3 seventh. Strike it solid or your ball will be wet. The green is large, but is raised and will make for a fine par if you can escape with one.

Water is the theme on the next hole too as this par 5 moves from right to left. Bunkers well to the right could catch a tee shot pushed to this side, but the fun begins with the second and third shots. Water must be cleared on your lay up and then it really eats in to the right of the green. To add to the difficulty, there is a hazard to the left of the green also. It would take a long-hitting, brave man to go for this narrow target in two shots with a watery grave the most likely result.

After some breather holes comes the 13th, another fine par 3, with water again in play. Not as tough as No. 7, along with which it almost shares a double green, it will nonetheless get your attention. Played downhill to a bowl-like green, it encourages a good tee shot.

So is the final par 3, No. 15, a good short hole. Water in front of the green and to the right means trouble for a wayward mid to long iron. The raised green is a fairly narrow target to hit, especially given the trouble to the right which is where most golfers miss-hits tend to end up.

The 17th might just be the best hole on the golf course. This is the last of a strong quartet of par fives and it can be reached in two, but the second shot is over water and wetlands. The tee shot should be fairly straightforward and then it is decision time. The lay up isn't the easiest, but must be taken unless you are absolutely sure you can clear the water in two because if you don't you will be taking a drop and facing essentially the same shot again, albeit somewhat shorter. The green is large enough to receive fairway woods and long irons, thus potentially rewarding you with an eagle putt.

Although a city owned course, this is a far cry from stereotypical municipal courses of years gone by. Indeed, this is the trend as courses, be they privately or publicly owned, fight for golfers' business with better quality courses, which are kept in good condition and charge a fair price to play.

This statement describes Blackberry Trail to a tee. Give it a try.