Highland Park Golf Course Named To Golf Magazine's "30 Best Municipal Golf Courses In America" Ranking

Highland Park Golf Course, the state's oldest public golf course, was recently named to GOLF Magazine's list of the "30 Best Municipal Golf Courses in America." The golf course property is owned by the City of Birmingham, while Highland Park Golf, LLC and it's managing partner Bob Barrett own the long-term lease. The operation is managed by Honours Golf, a division of Troon. Highland Park placed 30th on GOLF's ranking of the best municipal courses in America. (The only course from Alabama to be recognized on the list.)

Highland Park Golf Course's history dates back to 1903 when Nick Thompson designed the 18-hole course. In 1998 the course underwent a significant rejuvenation and was renovated by Honours Golf Founder Bob Barrett and golf course designer Bob Cupp. In late 2019/early 2020, the course was again updated with renovation work focusing on modernizing golf course bunkers and putting surfaces. Throughout Highland Park's storied history, it has played host to numerous celebrities and high-profile guests including Bobby Jones, Theodore Roosevelt, & Tiger Woods.

"I am so proud and honored to have Highland Park recognized on a list that also includes some of the top golf courses in the world, including Bethpage Black in New York and Torrey Pines in California," said Barrett.

The 30 Best Municipal Golf Courses in America were determined by GOLF's expert panel of raters. Raters points were assigned to arrive at an average score for each course, then GOLF divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses were then ranked accordingly. The key to the process is the experience and expertise of GOLF Magazine's panel, hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of the 97 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally.

As the GOLF article states, "...the most recent renovation in 2020 lifted Highland Park to new heights thanks to new bunkers and greens."

"We're thrilled to be included in GOLF's ranking of top municipal courses," said Highland Park Golf Course's Director of Golf Evan Godfrey, PGA. "The public/private partnership with City of Birmingham and Honours Golf is outstanding. The recent renovation elevated the experience to a new level."

Highland Park Golf Course measures nearly 5,900 yards and plays to a par of 70. The course's elevation changes, creeks, lakes, movement and small greens combine to challenge golfers and helps the course to play longer than the yardages on the scorecard. A new back tee on the par-4 15th sits on the property's highest point and provides a fantastic view of downtown Birmingham.

For more information on Highland Park Golf Course, call 205-322-1902.