Highlands Course

• Format: 18 holes; par 72; up to 7,428 yards.
• Course character: Rolling terrain, bentgrass greens, an old mule barn near the fifth hole and a demanding scenic finish.
• Tee data: Official ratings/slopes run from approximately 76.2/143 at the purple tees through multiple playable forward sets. This is a course with enough tee boxes to let the group make a smart decision.
• Access: Public. Standard public tee times can be booked seven days in advance; Trail programs receive earlier windows.
• Current price: Public rack pricing is seasonal/site-variable and was not reliably exposed. Do not present Trail Card or annual-member rates as ordinary public rates.
• Facility amenities: Hampton Cove has a large range, chipping area with bunker, putting green, pro shop and clubhouse food/bar operation. Confirm Tuesday range maintenance and current hours.
• Contact/location: 450 Old Highway 431, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763; 256-551-1818; Trail reservations 800-949-4444.

Hole19 shows a roughly 4.6 course rating, and recent long-form review signal describes it as a fun, worthy Trail stop. The evidence supports a recommendation without pretending every conditioning detail is permanent.

If the boys ask which Hampton Cove course is the easiest first recommendation, Highlands is probably the answer. It has the elevation, the big Trail-course scale and enough personality—the old barn included—to feel like a trip round instead of another local loop.

The back tees are serious business. Fortunately, the scorecard gives the foursome plenty of better ideas. This looks like the course to choose when everyone wants a full-size challenge but nobody specifically asked for the River’s no-bunker, water-everywhere weirdness.

Our Call: PLAY IT. WORTH THE DRIVE and the best all-around first Hampton Cove pick.

• Buddy trips making a first stop at Hampton Cove
• Mixed-handicap foursomes that will split or choose sensible tees
• Golfers who like elevation, bold scale and a strong finishing stretch

Check live public pricing, cart/range inclusion, seasonal bentgrass condition, aeration and Tuesday range availability. Use the public booking window; do not advertise member-program prices as rack rates.