Lil’ Mole Run Golf Course

Tucked onto Lookout Mountain outside Mentone, Alabama, Lil’ Mole Run Golf Course occupies a quiet stretch of County Road 647 that feels a long way from anything resembling a resort town. The 18-hole, par-71 layout plays 5,400 yards from the back tees and 4,300 yards from the forward tees, and the grounds share a fence line with an RV campground of the same family ownership, so golfers and campers tend to cross paths at the clubhouse window more often than not.

The course keeps a driving range and a practice green on site, along with gas carts for rent, and it has already produced a small but growing hole-in-one club. Five names appear on that list so far: Bill Mathews on the 15th, Gavin Jarrett on the 5th, Johnny Neyman on the 15th, James Busby on the 17th, and Keith Bell on the 2nd, each dated within the past year or so. The course record belongs to Shane Ingram, a Mentone resident who also coaches the Valley Head High School golf team, and his daughter Sydney Ingram has competed for Valley Head at the AHSAA girls 1A-3A state and regional level, a reminder that the layout draws serious local players as well as vacationing campers working on their short game.

Green fees are split between weekday and weekend rates. Monday through Thursday, 18 holes run $35 with a cart or $25 walking, and 9 holes run $25 with a cart or $15 walking. Friday through Sunday, 18 holes climb to $45 with a cart or $30 walking, with 9 holes at $28 riding or $20 walking. Junior golfers play free at age 10 and under, $20 for ages 10 to 14, and $25 for ages 15 to 18. Driving range buckets go for $7 or $10 depending on size, and single memberships are offered at $1,200 or $2,400 depending on whether cart and range use are bundled in, with a family membership at $4,200 for two adults and two minors. Wednesdays at 9 a.m. bring a standing two-man scramble for players 50 and older at $35 a team. Military members and first responders receive a discount as well.

The clubhouse handles the basics without much fuss: snacks, drinks, golf attire, and club rentals, plus a short food menu of hot dogs, sandwiches, and hamburgers on weekends. No alcohol is sold on the premises. Outside, a lakeside picnic pavilion is available with grills, a sink, and tables, giving groups a place to gather before or after a round.

Next door, the Little Mole Country Club RV Resort offers several tiers of pull-through and back-in sites, all wired for 50 and 30 amp power. Premier Plus Lakeside pull-in sites (numbers 1 through 3) measure 65 by 30 feet and run $55 a night, $365 a week, or $900 a month, and the Premier Lakeside pull-in sites (13 through 19) at 40 by 30 feet carry the same rates. A second tier of back-in Premier Plus and Premier Lakeside sites (numbers 4 through 7) runs $49 nightly, $325 weekly, or $700 monthly. Overflow sites (8 through 10) and the regular back-in sites (20 through 26) are priced at $35 a night, $245 a week, or $500 a month. Golf carts can be rented separately at the campground for $10 a day or $65 a week. Check-in is at 1 p.m. and check-out at noon, weekends require a two-night minimum, and holiday weekends require three nights, with a one-night deposit and a 14-day cancellation window for a full refund.

Little Mole Country Club has hosted a Grand Opening event, a D.A.R.E. tournament, Night Golf outings, and a regular Senior Golf gathering on Wednesdays, and the club posts additional tournament and lesson announcements on its Facebook page as they’re scheduled. On-course etiquette is spelled out plainly for visitors: no more than four players to a group and two riders per cart, quiet during another player’s swing, divots and ball marks repaired, carts kept on paths in wet weather and 30 feet clear of greens, glass bottles left behind, and a shout of “fore” whenever a shot might endanger someone else. If lightning is detected, an air horn sounds and play stops immediately. Collared shirts are preferred and golf shoes or tennis shoes are required, with boots and sandals not allowed. Quiet hours across both the course and the adjoining campground begin at 10 p.m.

Lil’ Mole Run sits about a mile and a half from downtown Mentone. From Mentone Market on Alabama Highway 117, the drive follows Cove Road for 0.7 miles, continues onto County Road 649 for another 0.9 miles, and turns right onto County Road 647, where the course appears on the left. Tee times are booked by phone at (256) 634-2104, and the club can also be reached by email at Littlemolecc@gmail.com. The course and campground office is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with players welcome to finish out their round until dark.