Limestone Springs Golf Club, Oneonta, Alabama - A 4 1/2-Star Golf Course and One of Alabama's Best-Kept Golfing Secrets

Located 25 minutes north of Birmingham, Alabama, Limestone Springs Golf Club is said to be created by nature, which supplied the course's dramatic elevations and breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains. The course is situated in a valley that is overlooked by two primary mountains - Red Mountain and Sand Mountain. As a result, the course is a blend of the area's ridges, valleys, bluffs, hillside limestone outcroppings, an abundance of creeks and streams, along with indigenous towering southern pines, hardwoods and lush vegetation.

Former U.S. Open winner Jerry Pate then added the championship-caliber golf course, creating 18 holes that feature a number of elevated tees that overlook twisting, tree-lined fairways. The course, which opened for play in 1999, also features some of the most pristine, Crenshaw Bent grass greens in the state, which tend to be medium to small in size without a great deal of undulation. The fairways tend to be forgiving, punctuated by white-sand bunkers, creating a challenging, top-rated course spread over 225 acres.

The par-72 course is not overly long, and plays to 6,987 from the Gold tees, with a USGA rating of 74.2 and a slope rating of 139 on Bermuda grass. From the White tees the course plays to only 5,880 yards, so most golfers will most likely play the middle tees.

Some of the most noteworthy holes include No. 1 and No. 10, both of which feature some spectacular views at the start of each nine. Hole No. 10 is the signature hole for the course, a par-4 that plays to 416 yards and lets golfers tee off downhill through a corridor of trees. From there, the hole doglegs to the right and requires an approach shot to a slightly elevated green guarded by some large bunkers.

The course has been consistently rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest's Place to Play, was ranked by Golf Digest as one of the Top 10 Upscale Golf Course Designs in the U.S., and was ranked by GolfWeek magazine in the top five public courses in Alabama.

Limestone Springs also features a top-notch golf practice facility which includes a driving range and chipping and putting green. The course also features a fully stocked golf shop, and club rentals are available.

There's also a plantation-style clubhouse with outstanding views of the valley, with dining available at the Grille & Patio. From the veranda, in particular, the clubhouse offers a view of the finishing hole, which Zagat's Survey voted one of golf's "Best Finishing Holes'' in America.

The resort also boasts a mountain-top swimming pool with spectacular views, lighted tennis courts, meeting rooms, along with a health and fitness facility.

For lodging, the resort features a Golf Cottage, which contains two separate units, each with two bedrooms and other amenities for golfers and families that want to stay the weekend.