Short Nine at Country Club of Mobile

Altering and updating Donald Ross-designed golf courses has become a significant industry-within-the-industry of golf course architecture. Talented architects like Ron Prichard, Kris Spence, Ron Forse and others have made a living in recent years recapturing and sometimes improving on the great work Ross left behind.

The Country Club of Mobile is a bit of a hybrid project, capably handled by professional golfer and architect Jerry Pate, along with design associate Steve Dana. After updating Mobile’s Short Course to member acclaim in 2017, the pair were given a project that amounted to a) restoration of portions of a Ross course that dates to 1925, and b) some modest re-routing resulting in several new holes, nevertheless built according to the principles of Ross’ work. Ross’ original plans burned in a clubhouse fire many years ago, so Pate and Dana did their best to channel the great Scot of American golf course design.

They succeeded. Mobile’s course drapes nicely over the sloping ground, with large, undulating greens and plenty of short grass around them. The roughs are low-maintenance, high-contrast Bahia grass, giving the course a crisp look. It is challenging and fun to play - just what the membership ordered.