36 Holes of Rich History and Natural Beauty

Lakewood Club at the Grand Hotel is a sparkling resort member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Rolling fairways, tightly mown greens, spring-fed lakes, meandering streams, and stands of mature trees make the 36 holes of Lakewood both beautiful and challenging.

The Lakewood Club had its beginnings in 1944 when Perry Maxwell, designer of the Tulsa Southern Hills Country Club and site of the 2001 U.S. Open, brought his extraordinary skills to Lakewood, debuting 18 holes of golf, the first professional course to grace the area.

Joining 10 other locations (24 courses) as a proud member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in 2005 brought extensive renovations to the historic Lakewood Golf Club in Point Clear. Under the direction of the Robert Trent Jones Trail team, arguably the premier golf course architects in the world, 36 holes emerged, partaking of the natural topography, and offering genuine championship layouts designed to pose major tests of golf for years to come.

The Dogwood course renovation was completed in the Summer of 2018 and the Azalea course renovations are now complete after an 18-month transformation. Additional improvements were made while staying within the corridor of the original design; the Lakewood Club has returned with improved putting conditions, enhanced bunker play, and world-class updates centered on making the game fun and exciting for both beginner and advanced golfers. Throughout it all, the rich history of Lakewood remains – a celebration of the game, in all its glory. 

Niall Fraser - Director of Golf

Niall was born in Alberta, Canada, and attended Michigan State University. He was hand-selected by Robert Trent Jones Senior to travel the world to design golf courses. His work with Robert Trent Jones Sr. had a strong and lasting influence on these prestigious clubs:

• Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown, PA - Over the past century has hosted many prestigious tournaments most notably the 1962 PGA Championship; 1977 U.S. Amateur Championship; 1997 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship; 2003 Senior PGA Championship; 2010 & 2011 AT&T National Championship; 2018 BMW Championship
• Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, MO is only the third club in history to host all four men’s Major Championships. 1965 U.S. Open; 1981 Mid-Amateur Championship; 1992 PGA Championship; 2004 U.S Senior Open; 2008 BMW Championship; 2013 Senior PGA Championship; 2018 PGA Championship
• Valderrama Golf Club in Spain is one of the leading golf courses in Europe and the venue of some of the most important golf competitions in Europe. 1997
• Ryder Cup; World Golf Championships; 1999 & 2000 American Express Championship; Volvo Masters
• Adare Manor Golf Club in Ireland - 2014 Irish PGA Championship
• New courses Niall helped design are: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, VA; Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston, MA; Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson, NY; Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club in the Dominican Republic; Anglebrook Golf Club in Lincolndale, NY has hosted U.S. Amateur, NY State Open qualifying, Met PGA Section Pro-Am, and 2013 MGA Mid-Amateur

Most recently before joining the Grand Hotel, Niall was Head of Construction, while overseeing the planning and construction from start to finish. The 26 courses, a total of 468 holes, are at 11 locations across the state of Alabama.

Brian Morfeld - Head PGA Golf Professional

Brian grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and began golfing at 14. His passion for the game developed quickly and led him to play golf collegiately at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. There he completed the PGM program and became an Academic All-American.

In 2011, Brian earned his PGA Class “A” membership and worked as an Assistant Professional at Columbine CC in Denver. In 2013, he relocated to Mesa, Arizona, and became the Director of Golf at Augusta Ranch GC. There he specialized in golf operations and developed his love for instruction for players of all ages and abilities.

Brian specializes in sharing his knowledge and love of the game of golf with others. He prides himself on making his students feel relaxed and comfortable learning their swing and the game. From beginners to seasoned pros, he loves nothing more than finding the tempo and mindset to help another golfer succeed. His patient demeanor coupled with his attention to detail ensures a high level of instruction that is also enjoyable. Brian prides himself on the fact that he is always learning and continuously striving to become a better instructor, as well as a golf professional.

Brian, his wife Jenna, and their daughter Maelea relocated to Alabama in 2023 where Brian was the Head Golf Professional of the Robert Trent Jones at Capitol Hill. Brian is excited to bring his family, knowledge, and experience to Point Clear to be a part of the Lakewood Golf Club team!

Jim Geram - PGA Golf Professional

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Jim’s storybook career for the “FAST” fifty-some years or more included an association with the famous John Jacobs golf schools throughout the United States and to more currently includes several years here at Lakewood Club.

The boundaries of Jim’s instruction extended to the Far East: the Hong Kong Dynasty Athletic Club, the Chun Shan Golf Club in mainland China, and almost two years in Graz Austria.

Notably, Jim instructed the international blind champion golfer “Charlie Boswell”. Bob Hope and Bear Bryant have been some of Jim’s celebrity playing partners at the annual Boswell Eye Foundation Charity Event. He has played other charity exhibitions with Gary Player, Bobby Nichols, and many famous golfers.

One of eight PGA professionals selected to play in Scotland, Jim considered it a privilege to tour and play with famous instructor Jack Lumpkin, Jon Gustin, a PGA Tour player, Birmingham Country Club professional, and Paul Bauman, an exceptional trick shot artist. Jim’s lessons have morphed into supervised practice these days. “A good student develops good practice habits. The instructor possessing patience and lifelong attention to detail makes for a good relationship!” Jim focuses on the natural ability one possesses.

Acknowledging course comradery greatly missed, his lessons these days are devoid of golf swings, yet he remains passionate to assist others with improving theirs.

Several Juniors have been awarded scholarships & moved on to study/play at the Universities of Illinois, Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Rhodes College-Memphis, Oregon, Washington State, Birmingham Southern, and others.

A lifetime member of the PGA of America, Jim has made Golf Magazine's exclusive list of outstanding teaching professionals in the USA and Canada with articles in USA Today and Golf Digest.

Elaine Wood – Staff Professional

Born in Mobile, Alabama, Elaine Spent time at The Lakewood Club as a Pro Shop Attendant. She attended Spanish Fort High School where she played both basketball and golf and would be named into the Spanish Fort Hall of Fame.

After graduating High School, Elaine attended The University of Montevallo and was a member of the Women’s golf team. During her time at Montevallo, she would win four collegiate events and play for a Division II National Championship, where she finished in the top 15. Some of her honors include Peach Belt Freshman of the Year, being named PBC ALL-Conference four times, two-time WGCA Southeast All-Region Team selection, and being a three-time All-American. Elaine graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in Marketing. In 2023 she would be inducted into the University of Montevallo Hall of Fame.

Elaine's amateur golf career includes three State Amateur titles and a State Stroke Play title. In 2016 she would receive the Alabama Golf Association Player of the Year award.

Upon graduation from college, Elaine turned professional. She would win three times on the National Women’s Golf Association and once on the Women’s All-Pro Tour. After playing professionally, Elaine returned to the University of Montevallo to be the Assistant Men’s and Women’s golf coach. After the season she took a job at The Country Club of Mobile as a Golf Professional where she spent most of her time teaching and with player development. Elaine is currently pursuing membership in the PGA of America.

Nicklaus Cottle - Staff Professional

Nicklaus Cottle was born and raised in New Jersey. However, he spent a lot of time in the Carolinas where he learned how to play golf at the age of 3. In his freshman year of high school, Nicklaus made the varsity golf team and the varsity hockey team. By the time Senior year came, he won Second Team All-State for New Jersey High School Golf. Nicklaus took a break from golf in College to pursue Landscape Design at the County College of Morris, where he received his degree. Throughout college, Nicklaus worked at the largest retail garden center in New Jersey. He also worked with multiple Landscaping companies where he gained hands-on experience. During this time, he expanded his knowledge of turf grass and maintenance as well as plant care and installation. After college, Nicklaus moved to Gulf Shores where he got into the golf business. He accepted a job at Craft Farms Golf Resort and worked there until 2021. In October of 2021, Nicklaus began working at the Lakewood Golf Club as a Staff professional. He is currently pursuing a membership in the PGA of America.