We got going about 3pm on the Judge Course, paired with a nice couple from Tennessee. Because of the fog delay that morning, we knew we’d struggle to finish our round before dark.

The Judge is located on the other side of the clubhouse from the Senator Course. The clubhouse actually sits on a bluff and just a few yards out the back door is a large downslope towards the Alabama River. The Judge is out near this marshy area! If you search online you can actually find some pictures of how flooding affected the course earlier this year.

To me, much of the course has a Myrtle Beach feel because of the scenery and because water is in play on over half of the holes. There is even a stretch of holes that ring around a lake with an island green. The water holes are stunning to look at, but the interior holes aren’t too shabby either.

There is a nice mix of pine trees, hardwoods, and even a few moss-covered trees. The Judge is as scenic as you are going to find in the Southeast! Contrary to what you might think going into a round here, there isn’t much elevation change – expect two holes by the clubhouse.

One of those holes that has the elevation change is the 1st! And, without question, it is one of the best opening holes that I’ve played. It is a mid-length par-4 with multiple hazards in play and it drops ~200 feet down to the fairway. The skyline of Montgomery (the state’s capital) can be seen off in the distance.

Even without the 1st hole, which is probably the signature hole for the whole RTJ Trail, there plenty of memorable holes. The par-3’s on the Judge were another highlight for me.

The 6th (148 yards) plays to an island green and offers some nice views of the surrounding holes, especially from the green which has an incredible 360 degree view. It wasn’t that difficult with an 8 iron for me, but it can play up to 229 yards!

We played the orange tees which are 6517/71.7/131 and I had my hands full. The water holes are the main challenge, but there are hazards lurking all over. Slopes feed shots towards the hazards so there could be some costly mistakes, especially off the tee. If you are into good driving courses, then you’ll probably love the Judge.

I’m sure the focus for the maintenance crew at Capitol Hill is going be on the Senator with the upcoming tournament. But, conditions on the Judge were good, consistent with the other courses that we played on the trail and worth the green fee. The fairways were full and cut short. The greens were not as fast as the Senator, but they rolled well and were sneaky fast downhill. The tees were a bit furry and could have used a mow.

I’m sure if you poll those golfers who have played all of the trail courses, the Judge stands a good chance to be their favorite. While the Judge was one of my favorites on the trip and it is a super course I enjoyed the Senator a bit more.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):