Throughout the state of Mississippi there are lush, rolling fairways where golf enthusiasts can work on their swing, as well as enjoy excellent post-round entertainment. These include casino gaming in the South’s only location for legal sports betting.
Golf courses throughout the state have been designed by prominent names such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Pate, Tom Fazio, Davis Love III and Bob Cupp.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Region
A premiere Mississippi Gulf Coast course favorite is Fallen Oak, a Tom Fazio design exclusive to the high-end Beau Rivage Resort, an MGM property (image, top of page). The 18-hole, par-72 championship layout offers quite the challenge to the seasoned golfer, making it one of Mississippi’s most decorated courses.
Another renowned coastal layout is Biloxi’s Preserve Golf Club. The Preserve is surrounded by no fewer than 1,800 acres of preserved coastal land. Award-winning course designer and 1976 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate designed the semi-private club’s 18 holes, seamlessly integrating the area’s natural landscapes of longleaf pine savannas, cypress swamps, live oak groves and native coastal grass prairies into the course layout. The course is aligned with the Palace Casino and Resort but operates as semi-private, offering tee times for all.
Rounding out the coastal courses is the Jack Nicklaus-designed Grand Bear Golf Course. The signature course for Harrah’s Gulf Coast Casino, Grand Bear is located in Saucier, approximately 20 miles north of Gulfport. The challenging yet beautiful course navigates through natural cypress wetlands and towering pines set across 650 acres of rolling land in the pinewoods of the DeSoto National Forest.
Central Mississippi
Approximately 90 miles northeast of Jackson, Dancing Rabbit Golf Club is built on the ancestral lands of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Located in the heart of the state’s Pine Region, the club features two courses with challenging terrain, the Oaks and the Azaleas. Designed by Fazio and Pate, these 36 holes are situated adjacent to the Pearl River Casino Resort. Dancing Rabbit is a public course that offers several golf package options designed for individuals or small groups.
Natchez is home to two courses. The semi-private Beau Pre Country Club is situated on the banks of the Mississippi River. Beau Pre features a 90-foot clay bluff and rolling terrain.
Undulating greens and breathtaking scenery are found at Quail Hollow, located in Percy Quin State Park, an hour south of Jackson in McComb. Quail Hollow was designed by well-known architect Arthur Hills.
North Mississippi
Less than an hour south of Memphis, Tunica serves as the gateway to the Mississippi Delta region. It is home to numerous music and gaming venues. Among the gaming resorts lies Tunica National, a Mark McCumber design. This public course features rolling terrain, wide fairways, generous greens and preserved natural surroundings indigenous to the region. Tunica hotels and casinos offer special rates and golf packages for Tunica National year-round.
Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point combines the essence of the Scottish Highlands with a graceful Southern setting. Designed by Bob Cupp and Jerry Pate, the club hosted the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open and 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur. The course highlight is the signature 18th hole, a 445-yard, dogleg-left par-4 with water along the left side. These courses offer one of the most attractive golf packages in the Southeast.
Gil Hanse, who designed the 2016 Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro, designed Old Waverly’s sister course, Mossy Oak. Hanse’s signature minimalist design follows the natural lay of the land. The course is dotted with mature oak trees along open fairways and slight elevation changes. The greens are incredibly pristine for such a young course. Both courses feature on-site golf cottages for stay and-play packages.