Irondale is preparing for a public golf development near Interstate 459, while its backers are also discussing a much larger buildout that is not yet approved or fully funded. The initial Golf House Alabama project, planned near Whispering Pines Drive, would include a public driving range, a lighted par-3 course and the Alabama Golf Hall of Fame.
The Alabama Golf Foundation is advancing the public project and seeking financial support, according to foundation director Jim Gorrie, who presented the plans to the Irondale City Council, as reported by WBMA. Gorrie is the former CEO and current executive chairman of Brasfield & Gorrie. The foundation hopes to break ground on the public driving range in November and open it in spring 2028. al.com separately reported that construction on the $30 million facility was expected to begin this fall, with an overall opening expected in 2028.
Gorrie said the foundation bought the acreage from the city at fair market value. Its capital campaign has raised more than $20 million toward an estimated $40 million for the public development, he said. The Alabama Golf Foundation was established in April through a partnership between the Alabama Golf Association and the PGA of America's Alabama-Northwest Florida Section, according to the same account. The site is just off I-459 and Grants Mill Road.
What's Planned for the Public Golf House
Golf House Alabama would serve as headquarters for roughly 15 golf organizations and would house the Alabama Golf Hall of Fame, also referred to as the Alabama PGA Hall of Fame. Plans call for a lighted driving range with about 30 stations and covered hitting bays — described elsewhere as a 30-bay hitting area with TrackMan launch monitors, per al.com's earlier reporting. An inaugural class of honorees is scheduled to be celebrated in February 2028, according to the Birmingham Business Journal.
The development also includes a short-game practice area, an event lawn and food and beverage facilities. The driving range and par-3 course could stay open until 10:30 or 11 p.m., depending on city requirements. Gorrie said golf facility revenue is intended to cover operating expenses, while donations would support additional programs, according to al.com's reporting from September. Alabama Golf Foundation President Grantland Rice emphasized that the space is meant for everyone, from a kid who's never touched a club to a veteran or someone with a disability.
A statewide precedent, not a forecast
Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail offers a historical comparison: according to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, its first course opened in 1992 and its statewide network now includes eleven locations. The Trail describes tourism and economic growth as goals of its effort. That history shows a golf-tourism model developed across the state, rather than a single campus like the one proposed in Irondale. It provides context for the state’s golf-tourism experience, but does not establish the local demand or economic results the Irondale project may achieve.
A Separate Private Club Redevelopment Next Door
Just next to the public project, Whispering Pines Country Club — formerly known as Pine Tree Country Club — is considering a major redevelopment that could replace its aging facilities. Gorrie acquired the neighboring club through Pine Whispers LLC, and the Alabama Golf Foundation's public facilities are being developed separately from that private club effort, though the two are intended to complement each other, per WBMA's reporting.
The private redevelopment is estimated at $30 million to $40 million, and a survey found that approximately 80% of club members support the improvements, according to Gorrie. Club members are expected to vote on the redevelopment proposal in the coming months.
College Partnerships and a Proposed Training Program
The Alabama Golf Foundation wants to provide practice facilities for golf programs at UAB, Samford University and Miles College. The foundation also plans a one-year certificate program in golf course maintenance and groundskeeping, with Auburn University working with the foundation on the proposed workforce training effort, according to Gorrie. The program would train students for jobs maintaining golf courses and related facilities, though the college practice facilities and workforce program remain proposed initiatives rather than finalized partnerships.
Expansion beyond the initial project remains a possibility, not a settled plan
Gorrie described a longer-term concept involving about 80 additional acres near the Irondale Civic Center, along with a possible public road linking the golf development and civic center to Grants Mill Road. Other ideas include a public junior golf course and a STEM-focused learning center modeled on programs associated with Tiger Woods. The city has not announced an agreement for the additional acreage or road, and these concepts would require further planning, funding and city cooperation.
Gorrie said the development will take time and will need to be phased. Irondale's City Council separately approved vacating approximately 0.554 acres of public right-of-way along Pine Whispers Drive on October 20.
How the projected total could exceed $100 million
The more-than-$100-million figure combines the public development, proposed private-club improvements and possible future expansion near the civic center. It is a projection, not a fully funded or approved total; the eventual investment will depend on approvals, fundraising and construction. Irondale has described the combined golf developments as representing more than $100 million in projected investment in a city Facebook post. Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. has identified ecotourism and recreation as economic development priorities and set a goal of generating $1 billion in economic growth by 2033.
