13 years ago, a golf course near the University of Alabama, known as the Capstone Club, was shut down after years of ownership changes and financial troubles.
Now, according to a story from Fried Egg Golf, the Club is set to undergo a major renovation by the original course designer after being acquired by new ownership. The owners of Hole Out Golf Shop — Corey Byron and Keith Giffin — plan to reopen the course sometime in the next few years under the name of The Coal Club.
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“Initially, Alabama wasn’t on our radar as a prime location for an exclusive private club,” Byron and Giffin wrote in a membership packet. “…but discovering that it was just 20 minutes from the University of Alabama and less than an hour from an international airport [in Birmingham] completely changed our perspective. Birmingham and Tuscaloosa both offer a rich southern charm, making the area an ideal setting for a world-class club.”
Byron and Giffin plan to make the course and its grounds a private club with more reasonable initiation fees than many country clubs require. The hope is for them to start construction next year and open for preview play sometime in 2027, with an official open date of fall or spring of 2028.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.