Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course

The Kiva Dunes Golf Course

815 Plantation Drive,

Gulf Shores, Alabama AL 36542

  • Office

    +1 (866) 540 7100
  • Pro shop

    +1 (251) 540 7000
  • Golf pro

    Mikki Bjuro (former Swedish National Champion)

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Links-style. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.

  • Surroundings:

    Coastal duneland.

  • Designer:

    Jerry Pate

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
7092
5849
5006
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
73.9
67.8
68.5

Location

Latitude:

30.235086

Longitude:

-87.888705

How to get there:

60 miles SE of Mobile

From the I-10 (20 miles east of Mobile) take exit 44 onto the 59 South direction Loxley. After approx 28 miles (and 10 miles after Foley) turn right onto the 180 (W Fort Morgan Rd). After approx 12 miles Gulf Shores Plantation and Kiva Dunes entrance is on your left.

The Kiva Dunes Golf Course

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.

Est. 1995

The Kiva Dunes Golf Course: Although located on a thin peninsula of land between the Gulf of Mexico on one side and mighty Mobile Bay on the other, perhaps surprisingly you'll not see either from the course. Despite the lack of sea views, you are still in for a rare golfing treat, a round unlike any other in Alabama.

Kiva Dunes, as the name implies, is a relatively open course built on sandhills. Its character is unmistakably that of a classic seaside links layout. Small trees and occasionally larger pines, as well as wide sandy waste areas define the fairways, while deep pot bunkers guard the fast and undulating greens. Water hazards are more commonplace here than on a typical British links, particularly with a wide creek running through the back nine, flanking five holes as it does so.

Several holes at Kiva Dunes stand with the very best. The par-3 13th is an absolute gem - a cavernous bunker gawps at you from in front of the green, while a posse of back bunkers are ready to catch anything hit too long. On several occasions the greenside run-offs merge into the greens themselves, with the grass on both tighly shaved.

Kiva Dunes can hardly be described as an easy-going course for the holiday golfer. Rather, it is a top-quality championship layout that exudes the joys, frustrations and challenges of seaside links golf. There's a good chance that a key ingredient of traditional links golf may also be present. And if the wind is blowing, you'll be glad the gently rolling fairways are reasonably wide ... but you'll sometimes be craving for them to wider and yet wider.

Stay&Play: a wide variety of onsite accommodation is available at Kiva Dunes (see Where2Stay section below).

List of courses: Alabama
  • Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course
  • Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course
  • Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course
  • Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course
  • Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course
  • Photo of The Kiva Dunes Golf Course

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes, peak rate in high season (March thru' May): $99. Golf cart included. Dynamic pricing applies.

Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2018].

Other information

Walking permitted.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

Kiva Dunes developer, Jim Edgemon, shares a love of links golf with his long-time friend, former U.S. Open Champion Jerry Pate. Their long lasting friendship and their passion for links golf led the two men into a partnership that became Kiva Dunes.

Published ranking

Alabama: 14th best course in Alabama (Golf Digest, 2023/24).

Where2Stay

  • Kiva Dunes Resort

    815 Plantation Road, Gulf Shores, AL 36542

    +1 (866) 540 7100

    Visit website

    A wide variety of accommodations (The Lodge, vacation houses and rental condominiums) are available for visiting golfers, all close to the golf course and the wonderful sands of Kiva Dunes' Gulf coast beach.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Kiva Dunes

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Peninsula; Craft Farms (Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend courses)

  • Gulf Shores Plantation Resort

    Hwy 180 West, Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542

    +1 251 (540) 5000

    Visit website

    Gulf Shores Plantation, located next door to Kiva Dunes, is a destination resort located directly on the Gulf of Mexico just eight miles from Alabama's historic Fort Morgan. Condos and beach cottages offer a variety of layouts, amenities and rates designed to fit any budget and individual requirements.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Kiva Dunes

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Peninsula; Craft Farms (Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend courses)

Find a course

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Tournaments

124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.

79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).

Who's Who

Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.

Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

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Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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