Shoal Creek Club

Hall Thompson enlisted a young Jack Nicklaus to deliver on his vision for a timeless classic that would delight generations of club members while also testing the best players in the world.

As the story goes, Hall Thompson spent so much time discussing the golf course he wanted to build that his wife, Lucy, told him to stop talking about it and start digging. So began the fulfillment of Thompson''s dream of creating a world-class layout in Birmingham, Alabama. Shoal Creek was an instant classic when it opened in 1977—drawing the PGA Championship just seven years later—and it remains one of America''s best courses.

Although the hiring of Jack Nicklaus to design the course seems like the obvious choice, Thompson was taking a chance when he hired the Golden Bear, 35 years old at the time, in 1975. Nicklaus was just starting out in the business and had yet to design a course by himself in the United States. (He had previously collaborated with Pete Dye and then Desmond Muirhead.)

But Thompson gave Nicklaus an ideal canvas, consisting of 1,550 densely wooded acres located between Oak and Double Oak Mountains in the southern foothills of the Appalachians. "The land was terrific and there was actually space for two golf courses," says Nicklaus. "But Hall wanted no part of that. ''We only want one golf course,'' he told me. ''but we want to make it a superior one.''"

Nicklaus worked closely with Thompson to route 18 of the best possible holes through the forest. "What really sets Shoal Creek apart from others is its uniqueness," says Jim Simmons, who has been the superintendent since the course opened. "Not only is every hole set off by itself, each one plays differently. And that came as much from Nicklaus as from Mr. Thompson, who was very hands-on during the entire process."

Built in the Williamsburg style, the club''s five guest cottages—named Nicklaus, Pate, Thompson, Alabama & Townhall Suites—range from two to eight bedrooms. There are also four suites above the golf shop, giving the club 26 rooms and 34 beds.

Indeed, an invitation to Shoal Creek is one of golf''s thrills, and visitors should be sure to partake of the entire club experience. In addition to the main attraction, one of Nicklaus'' best designs, Shoal Creek has a par-3 course known as "Little Links," and a swimming pool.