Retired Professional Golfers Lead New Development at Lake Martin

ALEXANDER CITY — Retired professional golfer Ben Crenshaw, winner of the Masters Tournament in 1984 and 1995, and his partner Bill Coore had a guiding light when deciding on a design for a new course in Alexander City on Lake Martin.

Coore & Crenshaw leaned on the legacy of Benjamin “Mr. Ben’’ Russell, the patriarch of the Tallapoosa County town who most might know as the founder of a company that led to Russell Athletics.

Russell Lands on Lake Martin, a real estate developer that branched from “Mr. Ben’s’’ vast entrepreneurial tree, called on the aforementioned firm to develop a scenic course at Wicker Point as part of the 1,500 luxury residential development The Heritage.

Benjamin Russell was a champion of the land and nature, and all efforts have been made to infuse that passion into the new 18-hole course that is slated to open in summer 2023.

 “Coore’s and Crenshaw’s respect and love for the land mirrors that of Russell Lands,” said Tom Lamberth, Russell Lands president and CEO.

A natural look was what the architects were seeking.

“During the design process, we wanted to draw out the beauty of the natural environment by providing an atmosphere that showcases the lake and the hills in the heart of Alabama,” Crenshaw said as ground was broken earlier this year. “Our approach honors the Russell legacy to the area to love and preserve the land, which became the driving factor in the golf course design.’’

This will be the first course in the state for Coore and Crenshaw.

“The new Russell Lands golf course will be a showcase of the area’s natural beauty and a first in the region,’’ Coore said. “True to our brand, our team has taken the utmost care in designing a golf course from what the land gives us. Players will have an experience that’s unique to Alabama.” 

Chairman of the Board of Russell Lands, Mr. Ben’s grandson Ben Rusell, said, “One thing people always said about Mr. Ben was that he was close to the land. And like Mr. Ben, Coore and Crenshaw see things that none of the rest of us can see. We’re sure happy to have them involved with this project that everyone will be proud of.”

The course will feature Zeon Zoysia grass for the approaches, tees, fairways and rough and Tifeagle Bermudagrass on the greens accentuated by bunkers with sand native to the area. The uniquely Alabama appearance of the course will be surrounded by longleaf pine plantations and bordered by Lake Martin on nine holes.

“As construction is well on its way, the unique qualities of Wicker Point are beginning to materialize,” Lamberth said. “We believe that players will remember every hole after their first trip around the course, a trait which all great courses have. Wicker Point will be one special place.”

The Heritage development will include waterfront lots and luxury interior lots, as well as a lake club for residents featuring a pool, boat dock, fitness facility, tennis and pickleball courts.

The Heritage lakefront real estate is planned for market availability in 2022 with Wicker Point as its centerpiece.

“Having a new golf course of this stature, the only Coore & Crenshaw course in the state, will highlight Lake Martin and Alabama as a golfer’s dream destination,” said Lee Sentell, Alabama director of tourism.