resort · Point Clear, AL · 18 holes
Lakewood Club - Azalea Course
The friendlier of the two Grand Hotel courses, with a peninsula-green par 5 at 14 and bay breezes. Expect resort prices and no walking. The cheapest way on is an RTJ package that pairs it with Magnolia Grove.
Tees, rating and slope
| Tee | Yards | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple | 7,156 | 74.4 / 131 | – |
| Orange | 6,595 | 71.8 / 126 | – |
| Orange/White | 6,357 | 70.5 / 127 | – |
| White | 6,085 | 69.4 / 123 | 74.7 / 128 |
| White/Teal | 5,834 | 68.1 / 121 | – |
| Teal | 5,270 | 65.7 / 110 | 70.3 / 118 |
| Teal/Red | 5,050 | 64.7 / 107 | – |
| Red | 4,548 | 62.5 / 105 | 66.5 / 109 |
| Red/Yellow | 4,499 | – | 66.1 / 109 |
Course rating / slope, USGA Course Rating database where available.
Green fees
| Peak | RTJ '2 Days or More' special: $215 per person per day incl cart + unlimited range balls (Spring Mar 8-May 31, 2027); unlimited-play day $345 (Mon/Tue/Thu only) |
|---|---|
| Shoulder | Fall Sep 8-Nov 15, 2026: same $215/day special; Fall Swing (1 round Magnolia Grove + 1 round Lakewood) $295 |
| Summer | Jun 1-Sep 6, 2027: $215/day special; unlimited $360 (Mon/Tue/Thu/Sun); Summer Swing $265 (no Saturdays) |
| Locals | Winter Nov 16, 2026-Mar 7, 2027: $180/day special, $260 unlimited, Winter Swing $216. RTJ Trail Card / annual memberships give lower rates (not usable with packages); active/retired military discount; no senior discount. |
RTJ seasonal special pages and Grand Hotel green-fee page, read 2026-10-22 (RTJ packages: min. 2 days, 48 h ahead, plus tax).
Before you book
| Access | Grand Hotel (Marriott Autograph Collection) resort course and an official Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail site (joined 2005). Non-guests can book through RTJ online tee times (7 days out) or RTJ Reservations packages; hotel guests book through the resort. A 2024 Where2Golf listing claimed no outside play - RTJ's own booking and package pages contradict that, but confirm with the shop (251-990-6312) before planning around it. |
|---|---|
| Book ahead | Public: online only, up to 7 days ahead (RTJ moved to online-only advance booking on June 1, 2026; same-day times still by phone to the shop). Trail Card/Annual members 11 days, Platinum 14 days. Packages and groups: RTJ Reservations 1-800-949-4444 opt. 2, up to 12 months out; prepayment required outside 7 days. |
| Overseed / closures | No overseed policy published. 2026: Azalea aerified Aug 3-9 (14-day recovery); 2027: Aug 2-6. Azalea's weekly maintenance day is Monday (RTJ calendar). Schedules are weather dependent. |
| Designer | Perry Maxwell (original 1947 Lakewood 18; which holes survive in Azalea vs Dogwood is not clearly documented); expanded to 36 holes and reworked by Bobby Vaughan for the RTJ Trail (2004-05) |
| Opened | 1947 |
| Style | parkland on Mobile Bay: live oaks, pines, azalea-lined fairways, ponds and marsh; bay breezes |
| Carts | cart mandatory - walking not allowed at Lakewood (RTJ FAQ); carts included in all specials; non-golfer riders pay a cart fee; no pull-cart rentals |
| Practice | 'The Experience' practice facility with a Trackman range (4 permanent stations), short-game and putting areas; RTJ ranges close for part of every Tuesday |
| Dress code | collared shirts and dress slacks/appropriate golf attire; no jeans or T-shirts (RTJ Lakewood page) |
| Drive from central Gulf Shores | 51 min (30.2 mi) |
| Phone | 251-990-6312 (Lakewood golf shop); Grand Hotel 251-928-9201 / 1-800-544-9933 |
| Address | One Grand Boulevard, Point Clear, AL 36564 (Google lists the club at 5910 Lakewood Dr, Fairhope, AL 36532) |
Signature holes
- #14 - par 5 (538 from the tips) to a peninsula green in a four-acre lake; the club calls it Lakewood's signature hole - lay up to a full-swing yardage
- #4 - par 3 over water (62-176 yds) with a wide green where pin side changes the shot
- #15 - par 3 over marsh and sand, little room short
Local knowledge
- Cheapest way on as a visitor: RTJ 'Swing' special pairing one round here with one at Magnolia Grove ($216 Nov 16-Mar 7; $295 fall/spring; $265 summer) - book through RTJ Reservations at least 48 h ahead.
- Advance tee times are online only (RTJ site/app) since June 2026; the shop only takes same-day phone bookings.
- Azalea's maintenance day is Monday and Dogwood's is Tuesday - plan around the course you want; the Tuesday range closure applies Trail-wide.
- Late-summer aerification: Azalea Aug 3-9, 2026 with two weeks of recovery - avoid mid-August.
- No personal coolers on RTJ courses.
Hole by hole
| Hole | Par | Yards* | Elev* | Hcp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 535 | +4 ft | 9 |
| 2 | 4 | 439 | -9 ft | 1 |
| 3 | 4 | 396 | -12 ft | 7 |
| 4 | 4 | 402 | +17 ft | 11 |
| 5 | 5 | 516 | +18 ft | 7 |
| 6 | 5 | 580 | +5 ft | 17 |
| 7 | 4 | 288 | -1 ft | 17 |
| 8 | 4 | 417 | +10 ft | 1 |
| 9 | 4 | 403 | -9 ft | 3 |
| 10 | 4 | 401 | -19 ft | 4 |
| 11 | 5 | 503 | +34 ft | 14 |
| 12 | 5 | 543 | -13 ft | 14 |
| 13 | 3 | 233 | +6 ft | 10 |
| 14 | 5 | 539 | -7 ft | 12 |
| 15 | 4 | 443 | +10 ft | 8 |
| 16 | 5 | 568 | -3 ft | 6 |
| 17 | 4 | 473 | +1 ft | 8 |
| 18 | 4 | 414 | +3 ft | 6 |
*Yards measured along the mapped centre line (OpenStreetMap), close to the middle tees. Elevation = how far the green sits above (+) or below (−) the tee, from USGS terrain data.
Recognition
- Club claim: named several times to GOLF Magazine's 'Best Golf Resorts in America' (resort-level, years not given)
- Not found in Golf Digest Alabama Best-in-State lists checked
Closest golf hotels
- Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa — 3 min, 0.6 mi
- Hampton Inn Foley — 38 min, 21.5 mi
- Courtyard by Marriott Gulf Shores Craft Farms — 44 min, 26.0 mi
Questions golfers ask
How much does it cost to play Lakewood Club - Azalea Course?
Green fees we have seen range from $215, depending on season and time of day. Peak season: RTJ '2 Days or More' special: $215 per person per day incl cart + unlimited range balls (Spring Mar 8-May 31, 2027); unlimited-play day $345 (Mon/Tue/Thu only)
How hard is Lakewood Club - Azalea Course?
From the back tees it measures 7,156 yards with a course rating of 74.4 and a slope of 131. 3/5 - 74.4/131 from the 7,156-yd tips is the softer of the two Lakewood 18s; water on 4, 5, 6, 9 and the 14th peninsula green, plus bay wind
How far ahead can you book Lakewood Club - Azalea Course?
Public: online only, up to 7 days ahead (RTJ moved to online-only advance booking on June 1, 2026; same-day times still by phone to the shop). Trail Card/Annual members 11 days, Platinum 14 days. Packages and groups: RTJ Reservations 1-800-949-4444 opt. 2, up to 12 months out; prepayment required outside 7 days.
How far is Lakewood Club - Azalea Course from Gulf Shores?
About 51 minutes (30.2 miles) by road from central Gulf Shores in light traffic.
Guides that feature Lakewood Azalea
- A 3-Day Gulf Shores Golf Itinerary with Real Drive Times and Fees
- A 5-Day Gulf Shores and Eastern Shore Golf Itinerary: Beach Courses, Then the Grand Hotel
- A Gulf Shores Golf Week Itinerary: Seven Days, Six Rounds, One Base and an Eastern Shore Day
- Bachelor Party Golf Gulf Shores Planner: Group Condos, 36-Hole Days and the House Rules
- The Best Golf Courses in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Ranked
- The Best Time to Golf in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Month by Month