semi-private · Gulf Shores, AL · 18 holes

Craft Farms Golf Club - Cypress Bend

The shorter Craft Farms 18, with wide fairways but water on almost every hole, and the higher USGA slope of the two. GolfPass reviewers rate it highest. Play it with Cotton Creek from the same clubhouse on one Six-Pack card.

Par72

Tips6,848 yd

Rating / slope72.9 / 135

Green fees seen$70–$85

See Craft Farms Cypress Bend on the 3D map, hole by hole Book a tee time

Tees, rating and slope

Tee	Yards	Men	Women
Gold	6,848	72.9 / 135	–
Blue	6,432	71.0 / 128	–
White	5,975	68.7 / 124	–
Silver	5,462	–	71.3 / 125
Silver	5,458	66.1 / 114	–
Red	5,027	64.2 / 110	68.8 / 119
Red Senior	4,032	–	63.2 / 107

Course rating / slope, USGA Course Rating database where available.

Green fees

Winter	Same Six-Pack cards as Cotton Creek: $420 for 6 rounds to Feb 15, 2027 (= $70/round) or $510 to Mar 31, 2027 (= $85/round), plus tax
Twilight	Twilight after 2:00 PM (amount not published)
Locals	Local and military rates by phone; member-guest $70-$90

Craft Farms pages read 2026-10-22. Daily public rack rates not published.

Before you book

Access	Semi-private club (Craft Farms Golf Club, owned by Thistle Hill Properties, sister club of Peninsula) with members plus daily-fee public play. Book online direct (EZLinks) or call. Military/first-responder and Baldwin County local rates are phone-only and cannot be booked online.
Book ahead	Not published for public play. Six-Pack card holders can book 14 days ahead.
Overseed / closures	Not published. The club claims 'year-round lush conditions' but gives no overseed or aeration dates.
Designer	Arnold Palmer (with Ed Seay)
Opened	1993
Style	coastal links-style: wide fairways, sprawling bunkers, and lakes accented with cord grass in play on nearly every hole
Carts	Cart included in green fees (GolfPass).
Practice	Shared Craft Farms practice facility: range with target greens, chipping greens, bunkers, putting green. Range balls $10 per bag.
Dress code	Collared shirts and soft spikes required; shorts are fine.
Elevation	30 ft
Drive from central Gulf Shores	12 min (5.5 mi)
Phone	251-968-3002
Address	3840 Cotton Creek Blvd, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 (shared clubhouse with Cotton Creek)

Signature holes

#4 - 401-yd par 4 that the club calls the trickiest hole. Driver may be too much because a creek crosses diagonally, then the approach goes over water to a T-shaped green.
#2 - 453-yd par 4 (No. 1 men's handicap) with a large bunker and water left of the green.

Local knowledge

Shorter than Cotton Creek but rated harder by the USGA (slope 135 vs 129 from the tips), because lakes and cord grass come into play on nearly every hole. Pick a tee one step forward.
GolfPass reviewers rate it the higher of the two Craft Farms 18s (4.8 average).
Play Cypress Bend and Cotton Creek on back-to-back days from the same clubhouse. One Six-Pack card covers both.
Water comes into play on nearly every hole, so bring extra balls if you are spraying it.

Recognition

GolfPass Golfers' Choice Top Courses in Alabama: #4 (2024), #6 (2023), #6 (2020)
GolfPass Top 25 Off-Course Amenities in the U.S. #10 (2024)
GolfPass Top 25 Friendliest Courses in the U.S. #22 (2024)
Golf Digest 4.5 stars, 2008-09 Best Places to Play (club citation)

Closest golf hotels

Courtyard by Marriott Gulf Shores Craft Farms — 5 min, 1.5 mi
Hampton Inn Gulf Shores — 8 min, 3.6 mi
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Gulf Shores — 8 min, 3.5 mi

Questions golfers ask

How much does it cost to play Craft Farms Golf Club - Cypress Bend?

Green fees we have seen range from $70–$85, depending on season and time of day.

How hard is Craft Farms Golf Club - Cypress Bend?

From the back tees it measures 6,848 yards with a course rating of 72.9 and a slope of 135. 4 - 135 slope from the 6,848-yd Gold tees (124 from White): higher than Cotton Creek at every tee despite the shorter length. Wide landing areas, but water on nearly every hole.

How far ahead can you book Craft Farms Golf Club - Cypress Bend?

Not published for public play. Six-Pack card holders can book 14 days ahead.

How far is Craft Farms Golf Club - Cypress Bend from Gulf Shores?

About 12 minutes (5.5 miles) by road from central Gulf Shores in light traffic.