$30M Alabama Golf House breaks ground in Irondale this November

The Alabama Golf Foundation recently purchased 80 acres next to Pine Tree Golf & Country Club to build Golf House Alabama, a hub that will house the state’s golf organizations alongside a new Alabama Golf Hall of Fame. Construction is expected to begin this November, with the facility slated to open in 2028.

Alabama Golf Foundation + Irondale land deal timeline

The Alabama Golf Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit formally incorporated in Alabama on April 3, 2026, according to Secretary of State filings, growing out of a partnership between the Alabama Golf Association and the PGA of America’s Alabama-Northwest Florida Section. The foundation is currently raising money toward a $30 million goal to cover the first phase of construction.

State filings list Grantland Rice III as the foundation’s registered agent and an incorporator, alongside directors James M. Gorrie and Eric Eshleman.

Two Irondale City Council actions cleared the way for the site:

• November 4, 2025 — Approved the sale of 45 acres, the site of the former Shades Valley Auto Tech facilities, which the city had used to house its fire administration building
• May 5, 2026 — Expanded the sale to 81.229 acres

Gorrie, executive chairman of Birmingham-based general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie and a member of the USGA Executive Committee, helped secure the site and has been advancing the foundation’s capital campaign. Through his company, Pine Whispers LLC, Gorrie separately acquired the neighboring Pine Tree Golf & Country Club in May 2026.

The combined investment across both entities is about 363 acres.

Eshleman, PGA of America Secretary and PGA director of golf at The Country Club of Birmingham, described the project as a major opportunity for Alabama’s golf community. He said he hopes it becomes a place where young people can discover and grow a lifelong love of the game.

Golf House Alabama amenities: Driving range, Hall of Fame, Auburn training center

Golf House Alabama will function as a public facility, giving many of the state’s golf organizations shared office and program space. Plans call for:

• A 30-bay hitting area outfitted with TrackMan launch monitors and covered bays
• An outdoor event lawn
• A dedicated instructional area with individual clubhouses for local college and other golf programs
• A championship-caliber par 3 course
• A short game practice area

An Agronomy and Careers Center affiliated with Auburn University is planned for the campus as well.

The Alabama Golf Hall of Fame will induct its first class of 27 honorees — all previously recognized in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame — at a formal ceremony set for February 2028.

Mayor Stewart on Irondale’s Billion Dollar Vision

Irondale Mayor Stewart tied the project to Irondale’s economic development strategy, framing it as a step toward the city’s “Billion Dollar Vision” of becoming a year-round destination rather than a pass-through community:

“The Alabama Golf House and the Alabama Golf Hall of Fame represent a significant investment in Irondale and another major step toward establishing our community as a destination city.

“This project will draw visitors from across Alabama and beyond, expand opportunities for tourism and recreation, and further position Irondale as a place where people want to visit and invest.”

James D. Stewart, Jr., Mayor of Irondale

The Alabama Golf Foundation will serve as an umbrella organization connecting more than 34,000 Alabama Golf Association members and supporting 250 golf courses statewide. Modeled in part on the Tennessee Golf Foundation, the group’s long-term vision extends beyond the Irondale campus to golf access and facility revitalization efforts in communities across Alabama.