Point Clear, AL
The Grand Hotel & Lakewood
The Queen of Southern Resorts — 1847 bayfront grandeur with 36 Trail-affiliated holes.
bayfront-grandeurfairhope-charmrtj-trailsouthern-tradition
The place
The Grand Hotel has stood on its bayfront point since 1847 — the 'Queen of Southern Resorts,' where the cannon still fires each afternoon to honor its history and the sunsets over Mobile Bay run long and orange. Its golf home is the Lakewood Club, 36 holes with roots in a Perry Maxwell design, now part of the Robert Trent Jones Trail's resort collection. Up the shore, Fairhope's bluff-top downtown supplies boutiques, galleries and dinner spots. It is the trip for crews that want their golf wrapped in white-tablecloth Southern tradition.
The courses on property
| Course | Designer | Notes | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood — Dogwood | Perry Maxwell (original) | The flagship round under the live oaks, with Maxwell bones beneath the modern polish. | resort |
| Lakewood — Azalea | Perry Maxwell (original) | The bloom-lined sibling — a scoring day through the camellias and azaleas. | resort |
| Rock Creek Golf Club | — | Fairhope's well-kept public round — an easy value add up the shore. | public |
Where you crash
The resort
Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa
The 1847 bayfront grande dame — sprawling grounds under the live oaks, pools on the point, spa, and the afternoon cannon tradition.
◆ The private house
The Private House
A bayfront house in Point Clear or Fairhope — a private pier for sunset, porches under the oaks, and the Grand's golf ten minutes away. Bay-house rentals are a local specialty.
4-6 BR · sleeps 8-12 · ~$600–$2,000/nt
The 5-day plan
- 1
Arrive & the cannon
AM An easy road-trip morning to the bay — arrive by early afternoon.
PM Check in, be on the lawn for the cannon, sunset drinks on the point and a seafood dinner.
- 2
Azalea
AM Open through the blooms on the Azalea course.
PM Pool, spa or a bay fishing charter; dinner in downtown Fairhope.
- 3
Rock Creek & Fairhope
AM The public value round at Rock Creek.
PM Fairhope's bluff walk and galleries; oysters and a big dinner on the bay.
- 4
Dogwood — the Cup
AM The flagship for the team match — Maxwell's bones test every putt.
PM Trophy dinner at the Grand; cigars on the point as the sun drops.
- 5
Bay sunrise & home
AM Coffee on the pier, a last stroll under the oaks, then the easy drive home.
Why it wins
A grand hotel that has anchored Mobile Bay since 1847, 36 holes at Lakewood with Perry Maxwell roots, and Fairhope's bluff-top charm next door. The white-tablecloth Alabama trip — history, sunsets and golf in equal measure.
Booking notes
Stay-and-play packages bundle Lakewood's Dogwood and Azalea courses; sunset bay cruises and Fairhope dinners are worth reserving ahead. Be on the lawn for the afternoon cannon firing.