Originally posted January 2008

When Snowbirds play at an Honours Golf course along the Gulf Coast, they are greeted at the first tee with a complimentary apple.
And the deal they get to play golf during the winter season at Honours Golf is just as tasty.
“Our Snowbirds just love it,” said Todd Edwards, director of Golf at Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Rock Creek Golf Club 140 Clubhouse Drive Fairhope, AL 251-928-4223

Also in the Honours Golf family are Rock Creek Golf Club in Fairhope, Ala., and Bay Point Golf Resort & Spa in Panama City.
Snowbirds enjoy a great golfing experience at these courses during the winter.
Peninsula is a semi-private club on the Fort Morgan Peninsula. It has 27 holes and is nestled beside the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve and winds throughout live oaks, cypress and other vegetation native to Gulf Shores.
Peninsula and Rock Creek offer a six-pack special for Snowbirds that can be used at either location. It’s good for six rounds of golf with cart and is valid through Feb. 29. The cost is $325.
Edwards said Peninsula’s attraction to Snowbirds is its “player-friendliness” and its Global Positioning System on every golf cart.

Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club 20 Peninsula Boulevard Gulf Shores, Ala. 251-968-8009 1-800-391-8009

“We have four different tee boxes on each hole to accommodate every skill level of player,” he said. “We have wide landing areas and wide fairways. And the golf course is in superb condition.”
Edwards added that they have always had a strong Snowbird following as word of mouth spreads about the course. He estimates about 20 Snowbirds clubs are in the area.
“January and February are without a doubt extremely heavy for us for winter visitors,” he said. “And it’s the fellowship we share. The Snowbirds come here to have coffee and get to know the staff.”
Rock Creek Golf Club is a semi-private club located off the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. It has 18 holes that stretch more than 7,000 yards.
The signature hole at Rock Creek is No. 2, a 434-yard par-4 that drops 70 feet from the tee to the fairway. Then the second shot has to carry over wetlands to a green that features a 30-foot high bulkhead wall.
The rest of the course is a nature scene with Alabama water wastelands, tall pines and hardwood forests.
“I think the undulation of the course is really unique to this area,” said Chad Leonard, Rock Creek general manager. “We’ve got a lot of rolling hills and you just don’t find that in lower Alabama. I think it probably reminds the Snowbirds of home.”
Rock Creek has been recognized by Golf Digest with 41/2 stars and is in superb condition.
“I think the course conditions are what set us apart,” he said.

Bay Point Resort Golf Club 4701 Bay Point Road Panama City Beach, FL 850-235-6950

Bay Point Golf Resort and Spa is located minutes from Panama City Beach in Florida and has two 18-hole courses – the Meadows course and the Nicklaus course.
The club has two several specials for Snowbirds – from the popular 6-Pack and the 12-Pack golf specials to the 25-round, 50-round and Unlimited packages. Check the Web site for prices.
“Because of the demand we saw last year, we worked long and hard to find the product that would appeal to them,” said Jay Iskow, director of golf and general manager of Bay Point. “It’s like a temporary membership.”
He pointed out that the uniqueness about Bay Point is the two different styles of the two courses. The Nicklaus Course, recently renovated at a cost of $5 million, is a tough test of golf with more length and difficult hazards to transverse.
The Meadows Course doesn’t have the forced carries and severe hazards.
“It’s a friendlier golf experience,”
Iskow said. “It’s definitely two different golfing experiences.”
He said they will plan some Snowbird events in January and February as the bulk of the winter visitors arrive. “They are a big part of our business.