Description

Longleaf opens with a dramatic elevated tee shot across a valley, immediately showcasing the natural beauty and rolling Alabama landscape. The ideal drive favors a right-to-left shape, with deep bunkering guarding the left side and target bunkers framing the fairway to the right. It is a challenging opening hole, but one that offers plenty of room for a confident first swing. On approach, distance control is critical: a tier running through the middle divides the putting surface into distinct sections. Find the correct level and a good score is well within reach.

Description

One of Longleaf’s signature holes, the second is a striking par 3 played across a small pond with longleaf pines stretching into the distance. A distinctive beach-style bunker flows directly into the pond, creating a dramatic visual feature that beautifully frames the hole while adding another layer of challenge. The setting is peaceful; the shot is anything but. The green appears inviting from the tee, yet its contours become far more intimidating once you reach the putting surface. Proper club selection and a well-positioned tee shot are essential on this beautiful early test for players of every level.

Description

The third crosses two separate marsh areas and feels tucked away from the rest of the property. A generous fairway welcomes the tee shot before the approach must carry a second marsh to a green framed by pines. The combination of width, strategy, wetlands and seclusion makes No. 3 one of Longleaf’s hidden gems – a beautiful golf hole that rewards commitment on both the drive and the approach.

Description

The fourth offers one of the widest fairways on the property – seemingly wide enough to land a 747 – but three well-placed bunkers create important decisions from the tee. Longer players may challenge the left bunker to shorten the approach into a demanding green complex. The putting surface features a small front section, a lower middle area and a difficult back portion that slopes away from the player. The drive may offer room, but the second shot demands precision.

Description

Another of Longleaf’s featured signature holes, the fifth is the longest par 3 on the property and every bit the challenge its length suggests. Deep bunkers guard the left side and are best avoided, while a strategically placed bunker just short of the green adds another layer of decision-making to the approach. The green is generously sized to accommodate the distance, but wind direction can dramatically change the shot required. Miss the putting surface and thoughtfully shaped runoff areas leave plenty of opportunity for creativity – and challenge – around the green. No matter the conditions, a par here will always feel well earned.

Description

The sixth is another of Longleaf’s featured signature holes and presents a genuine scoring opportunity – provided ambition does not turn into aggression. From the tee, the landing area appears narrower than it actually is, and a line of rough separates the preferred layup zones farther down the hole. The green sits tight against the pond encountered earlier at No. 2, with water especially close behind the putting surface. For players taking on the green, the preferred miss is to the left, where a subtle horseshoe-shaped collection area provides a playable recovery while still demanding a quality short-game shot. A bold play can create a birdie chance, but one overly aggressive swing can quickly bring a big number into play.

Description

The seventh is a long, straightaway par 4 and the second-longest par 4 at Longleaf. Finding the fairway is especially important, as playing the approach from the rough can make an already demanding second shot considerably tougher. Bunkers sit short-left and beyond the green, while the putting surface is angled in a way that can visually invite the player to take on too much. Position the approach wisely and both par and birdie remain in play.

Description

Just under 400 yards from the back tees, the eighth offers a welcome scoring opportunity before the turn. A pair of fairway bunkers must be negotiated from the tee, although longer hitters may be able to carry or drive beyond them. The green is more receptive from the open left side, while right-side hole locations require greater care as a downslope can feed shots toward the lower portions of the green. Miss the putting surface and the surrounding runoff areas place an added premium on touch and creativity, providing another opportunity for the short game to shine. Smart positioning creates an excellent chance to finish the front nine with momentum.

Description

The ninth may look intimidating from the tee, but a drive in the fairway opens up a variety of ways to attack this par 5. Two distinct layup areas are shaped by strategic bunkering, while confident players can consider taking on the green in two. The putting surface is generous, but deep bunkers protect the lower left side – and from the bottom of them, the green surface disappears from view. Choose your route carefully and No. 9 can be a rewarding scoring opportunity.

Description

The back nine begins with a handsome dogleg right and one of the narrower landing areas on the course. Ranked among Longleaf’s more demanding holes, the tenth places a premium on finding the fairway and avoiding a collection of strategically positioned bunkers. Longer hitters may be tempted to cut the corner, but the large pines lining the right side make that decision a serious gamble. A disciplined tee shot is the best way to keep a big number off the card.

Description

Visible along the entryway, the eleventh is a downhill par 3 that typically plays five to ten yards shorter than the number. The reduced yardage may put a comfortable scoring club in hand, but the green complex demands respect. Multiple tiers and slopes create difficult putting situations, while treacherous bunkering punishes misses in the wrong direction. The best mindset here is simple: cautiously aggressive.

Description

The twelfth is a right-to-left shot-maker’s dream. Bunkers border the right side, encouraging a confident draw from an elevated tee that once again provides a beautiful view across the Alabama landscape. For the aggressive player, there is another option: at your own risk, take the drive over the trees with a well-shaped cut to significantly shorten the hole and leave a much more inviting approach. Find the proper position and the hole becomes a strong scoring opportunity. The green is divided into a front section and two distinct back sections, making approach-shot placement every bit as important as distance.

Description

The thirteenth is a fair and inviting par 3 tucked quietly among the Alabama pines. There is less visual trouble here than on many of Longleaf’s other short holes, giving players a legitimate scoring opportunity in the heart of the back nine. Its character comes from the peaceful setting as much as the golf itself – a calm, natural moment surrounded by the landscape that defines Longleaf.

Description

The fourteenth may appear short on the card, but it asks for careful positioning from the tee. Out of bounds runs beyond the cart path on the right, while the uphill drive climbs toward a rolling, two-tiered fairway. A long, deep bunker guards the left side, making the right half of the fairway the preferred angle for a clearer look into the green. Play it with discipline and No. 14 becomes a beautiful back-nine scoring chance.

Description

One of Longleaf’s signature holes, the fifteenth is especially memorable late in the day when the hole plays directly into an Alabama sunset. This split-fairway par 5 offers several strategic choices. After finding the fairway, players can select a right or left layup route – or challenge the nature preserve and attempt to reach the green in two. The green is designed to reward a precise wedge and is not overly large for a long second shot, so misses can leave a demanding recovery. Expect birdies, bogeys and everything in between on a hole built around beauty, risk and decision-making.

Description

The sixteenth is the longest par 4 at Longleaf and runs nearly as straight as State Road 225 along the left side of the hole. An aircraft-carrier-sized fairway stretches out in front of the player, providing a generous and inviting target from the tee – but don’t mistake width for an easy hole. The length ensures there is still plenty of work ahead, with the approach often played with a mid- to long iron into a good-sized green. Wind can completely change the personality of No. 16 – manageable in one direction and extremely demanding in another. Make par and gladly move on.

Description

Another Longleaf signature hole, the seventeenth gives players a real opportunity to score coming down the stretch. The fairway runs toward marshland for players who hit straight through the hole, while longer hitters may challenge the left side where the fairway bends around the wetland. A generous landing area is followed by an equally accommodating layup zone across the marsh, setting up a comfortable wedge into an inviting green complex. Good decisions should produce plenty of birdie chances here.

Description

The eighteenth can be visually deceptive, beginning with a very generous landing area that narrows strategically as bunkering divides the fairway farther from the tee. Players who push the drive too far may bring that trouble directly into play. The approach is the true challenge: a bunker positioned just short of the green takes away the option of running the ball onto the putting surface – this approach is all carry. Deep bunkering also protects the right side and can completely hide the putting surface from below. The green is divided into front and back sections, and with a back hole location the base of the flagstick may disappear from view. Long is no bargain either, leaving a difficult recovery. It is a fitting finishing hole – visually interesting, strategically demanding and capable of challenging a good round all the way to the final putt.