Refined Gulf Coast Luxury

A Refined, Southern, Stay & Play:

The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort and Lakewood Golf Club.

Posted by: Rick Parnham

The Stay: Grand Hotel Marriott Resort

The Gulf States of the southern U.S. boast some of the most remarkable stretches of waterfront found on the continent, home to slender strips of barrier islands filled with scraggly dunes and hotel towers dotting the skyline and backwater bays and bayous provide an aquatic oasis for a more relaxing connection to the water. The Gulf is a little of everything — sprawling beachfront meccas for the party crowd and quiet, charming resorts to unwind and reconnect.  One of these charming, historic resort experiences is found at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, Alabama. 

A visit to the Grand Hotel begins with your arrival at the gatehouse. Greeted with a welcoming smile by one of the formally adorned attendants, you then proceed to the main lodge building to secure your reservation. The charming hexagonal main hotel (built in 1940 after one of the many changes in ownerships) features an impressive common area set amongst architecturally grand timbers leading to the spoke-like corridors.  Offering comfortable sitting areas wrapped around the centerpiece two-storey stone fireplace, this area is filled with historical photos of the resort. Also housing the Dining Room and Saltwater Grille, the main hotel is the hub of the resort boasting remarkable water views. Surrounded by gentle coastal walkways, it is a beautiful spot to enjoy the sights and bay breezes. 

The original hotel was built with 40 guest rooms and the resort now features 405 guest rooms spread across the 550 acres of waterfront property.  The resort has accommodations in the main hotel building as well as within the Marina and Spa buildings, with their great views of the golf course, spectacular pool complex, beachfront, and marina.  With its variety of activities, a wide array of dining choices, and access to the tranquil shores of Mobile Bay, The Grand Hotel continues the tradition of providing a refined and charming southern vacation locale.

Spectacular Relaxing Pool

“The Queen of Southern Resorts” was established along the shoreline of Mobile Bay in 1847. A member of the Historical Hotels of America, this spectacular property is now part of the Marriott brand which continues to celebrate the roots of the original hotel and a past that spans more than 150 years. The hotel's history is deeply connected to the military. Part of the hotel was used during the Civil War as a hospital with many of the deceased soldiers being buried across the road in a cemetery that frames the finishing hole at Azalea Course. Used again in World War II as a training base for the Army Air Corps, The Grand Hotel's diverse and rich history is celebrated by a walk through its yesteryears with period photographs lining the walls. The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort is a wonderful combination of contemporary delight amid a vast historic refined charm.

The Play: Lakewood Golf Club

A drive and a three wood from the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort lies Lakewood Golf Club. Home to the Azalea and Dogwood courses, Lakewood is the only Robert Trent Jones Trail facility to predate the late 80’s genesis of the most successful trail in the industry. Golf was added to the spectacular hotel setting shortly after WWII and has been a staple for guests of the property ever since. The facility had its beginnings in 1947 with two nines being carved out of the oak and pine forests by renowned architect Perry Maxwell. Over the years new nines designed  by Joe Lee and Ron Garl have been added to create a now 36-hole experience. With the recent renovations between 2004-2005, Lakewood was added to the fine collection of RTJ Trail facilities. Currently a members club, Lakewood is accessible to guests of the spectacular resort that has graced the eastern shores of Mobile Bay for over a century.

The Azalea Course is a blend on Maxwell and Garl, creating a lengthy beast and a most formidable test. This round will give your woods and hybrids a full workout. The updated layout features a unique design element on a pair of the short holes. Two separate greens welcome tee shots on holes 4 & 15, requiring careful planning to attack with both club selection and direction of play.

The meat of the course is found with the par 5’s. Given that your first shot of the day may be a mere couple feet above sea level, and playing uphill at 636 yards, there is no shortage of challenge right out of the gate. With a pinching bunker around 200 yards out that is lined with trees and wetlands, there is no room for error. The 6th plays shorter than the gargantuan opener, but requires more attention to your yardage. A large pond protects the right side of the landing area of your second, and the right side slopes away from the center with cart path and trees ensuring that anything struck less than true will find trouble.

Hole 11 is the shortest of the three-shotters, but certainly no pushover due in large part to the tight right-to-left driving corridor and the considerable uphill approach to the green. Be careful here to get the tee shot in play and take at least one extra club on the approach. The final par 5 is one of the signatures of the design featuring a challenging island green complex. Two carefully placed shots leave you with a short iron or wedge to the daunting, buttress-fronted putting surface. Wide and shallow, the green is backed by a large bunker to save a big number for anything struck a little long.

Course Stats: Azalea

The Dogwood Course, renovated in 2004, is a terrific blend of length, precision, and challenge. Routed over a variety of landscapes, the Lee / Maxwell design features tree-lined doglegs and a great collection of water holes. Eleven of the holes have water in the line of play, so carefully plotting your attack is critical to keeping the ball retriever in the bag. The second hole is a stern test early in the round. The gentle dogleg left forces you to shape a right-to-left shot or you risk flirting with the heavy woods and wetlands on either side of the fairway. A menacing creek cuts the fairway at the 100 yard mark and the green is well guarded with deep bunkers and slope. The 9th is a wicked temptress with water down the left side. The safe play avoids the water by playing to the right toward the framing bunker. The green is surrounded by water short and left, and bunkers front and back.

The exacting drive needed on Hole 15 must be long enough to carry the pond and straight enough to avoid the oaks that line the fairway, all while avoiding the sentinel tree in the center of the fairway. The raised green is protected by fall offs and a large bunker in front. The last of the water is found to the right of the par 3 17th. A gator habitat protects the right side while the long, deep green requires you to hit the right shape of shot with precise distance control, to account for the three club difference back to front.

Course Stats: Dogwood

Lakewood was not part of the original conceptual plan set out by Dr. Bonner back in the 80's, but is certainly a proud addition to the RTJ Trail's list of great golf experiences. A wonderful stay & play opportunity is found along the eastern shores of Mobile Bay, blessed with the historic, refined luxury of the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort and the unique RTJ Trail facility traversing the splendid designs at Lakewood Golf Club. A definite must, this southern belle needs to be part of any Gulf Coast vacation.

Drive Times: Mobile 35mins, Pensecola 1 hr, 10 mins, New Orleans 2 hr 45 mins.

Contact:

Grand Hotel Marriott Resort

17855 Scenic Hwy 98,

Fairhope, Alabama

36532
814.838.9942

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