University of Alabama Huntsville

UAH is the course to play if you want a workout (walking). This is a pro course, but a must for amateurs that want a challenge. This course has two baskets for each hole if you dare to play it twice i ... show more ›

UAH is the course to play if you want a workout (walking). This is a pro course, but a must for amateurs that want a challenge. This course has two baskets for each hole if you dare to play it twice in a row. The terrain can get muddy in places during rainy season, and you may throw one into the creek, lake or woods. Sometimes the grass can be long but generally only on hidden holes (4 and 5). The key to a good round is to keep your cool, play the long ones as par 4, don't get psyched out with the creek and lake and make good upshots. Watch for students walking, geese flying and cars passing through. The course has long open holes, tight wooded short and long holes, water hazards, some incline changes, both left and right shots, and nice looking. Don't do anything crazy like swimming in the lake or the Campus Police may ask you to help catch some snakes. UAH is special because it has evolved from the first-generation course on the north side around the university buildings. The second-generation course moved south to the lake and occupied land that is now buildings. This third-generation course is as south as possible on the campus and continues to evolve using features of this nice campus. If you haven't played UAH you haven't played Huntsville. The other reason to play UAH is because of the history associated with the World Championship in 1993.

A longer links style course with a few technical plays. PROS: + UNIQUENESS + One of only two courses in the area to sport a 1,000 foot plus par 5 (Redstone). Several longer par 4s, a couple 400 f ... show more ›

A longer links style course with a few technical plays.

PROS:
+ UNIQUENESS + One of only two courses in the area to sport a 1,000 foot plus par 5 (Redstone). Several longer par 4s, a couple 400 foot par 3s and a couple sub 250 foot par 3s. A very long 340 foot water clear on (17) and a few other parallel water features. A few woodsy holes on (3) (4) and (5). The course however is generally set-up more like a links style course being more long and open rather than being short and technical.
+ CHALLENGING + A moderately challenging layout. I'm about a 900ish rated player, I've thrown -2 and even par. I could see an advanced player shooting 5 or 6 down on a routine basis. Players who can't throw 350 and have a mediocre mid game will struggle here.
+ CHARACTER + About average. To start, really nice sized concrete tees. 5 to 6 feet wide and about 12 feet long. There's a practice basket at the entry to the parking and the baskets are nice looking silver painted DISCatchers. There are several extra baskets (not placements) on the layout. Holes (1) (8) (9) (10) (12) and (17) have two baskets each. Course map also claims an extra one on (7) but it's no longer there. There are a few extra tees as well. Holes (8) and (9) can be turned into two extra holes if desired due to the location of both the extra tee and basket. However the extra baskets and tees leads to some navigational confusion as there's some absent hole signage. The course also needs some benches. This is the longest course I've played without a single bench.
+ SIGNATURE HOLE + No doubt (17), but it's not played often. (See cons Flawed Hole.)
+ NATURAL BEAUTY + About average and I scored the course just above a C. Well maintained and some landscaping on a few holes. There are several pleasing water holes like hole (17) noted above. There are drawbacks however with all the roads and buildings in play and in view.
+ MAINTENANCE + The grounds had been well mowed prior to both of my rounds. The course appears to be constantly trimmed and manicured. There was very little trash spotted despite a lack of garbage cans along the layout.

CONS:
A great layout plagued by some substantial issues.
- SAFETY HAZARDS - Wow do the roads come in play here and they parallel several fairways (2) (9) (10) (12) (15) (17) and (18). In my two rounds I found myself constantly stopping for cars to pass. In addition, several of these roads also have a paralleling sidewalk, so joggers and walking will hold up the flow of play as well.
- WATER HAZARDS - The baskets for (8) (12) and (17) are located less than twenty feet from the water. I'll say that the holes are definitely exhilarating to play, but a small error could definitely mean some lost plastic. There is ample bail out room on the drive for two of the three, but a newer player could still easily drop one in on the approach with a misjudged aggressive putt.
- FLAWED HOLE - In addition to the water on the entire right side on (17), there's a fairly busy side road on the left. IMO the hole itself is flawed as the in-bonds fairway approaching the hole is only 40 feet wide for the first 340 feet. I've asked around the area and it's not uncommon for entire groups to skip the hole. There's a short tee but it's listed as a drop area.
- DISCONTINUITY - The course kind-of goes all over the place. Players will have to cross a road six times. downloading the course map to a phone or printing it is a must.
- NAVIGATION - A very confusing layout to follow. There are extra baskets on a few holes and also a few extra tees. Signage is present on many holes but its absent on a couple of the confusing holes. Someone recently posted new hole signage over the older ones but they omitted information. For instance, hole (10) has two baskets, yet the new posted signage completely ignores the longer ones existence. Navigating the course is very doable with the map, but well traveled players will scratch their heads a few times.
- ELEVATION - Not all that much. Perhaps hole (4) changes close to 20 feet and a couple others vary by ten feet or so. Hole (18) has a raised basket that's been built to resembles a rocket. A nice finishing touch.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Not a beginners course. I recommend these two area courses instead; Southside and Brahan Springs.
- TIME PLAY - I'm not able to play this one in under an hour solo and I consider myself a quick player. Figure a group of four could be here 2 1/2 hours or more.
- WIND - With most of the holes having an openish feel to them, expect wind to play a big factor here.

OTHER THOUGHTS
The course reads as intermediate that's one of the longer layouts in the area. Probably a bit to open for players that prefer technical courses, but players that like to admire 450 foot drives will love this place. I personally put it as the third best course in the area behind Indian Creek and Redstone but I do have UAH rated really close to both Monte Sano and Mastin Lake.