Mississippi Gulf Coast Review
Make no mistake about it. Three years after one of the most horrific natural disasters in U.S. history, the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and its impressive roster of golf courses are back in championship form.
The headlines coming out of the golf community in this area are no longer about the clean up from Hurricane Katrina, but instead focus on the many accolades the more than 20 courses have garnered from national publications. Toss in the fact that 11 casinos surround these impressive layouts and it's easy to see why the Gulf Coast of Mississippi is now considered one of the top golf-and-gaming destinations in the U.S.
Below is a look at four courses in the Gulf Coast area that have separated themselves from the pack because of the honors that have been bestowed upon them in recent months. And since these four layouts are well within driving distance of each other and the oceanfront casinos, they can all be played in the same short trip.
Fallen Oak -- www.FallenOak.com
This Tom Fazio-design is open exclusively to guests of the impressive Beau Rivage Casino & Resort in Biloxi. The day begins with a limousine ride to the course from the Beau Rivage and the star treatment doesn't end until you're back at the hotel. Full locker room service - complete with a complimentary shoeshine and re-spike - and a state-of-the-art practice facility greet you upon your arrival. As for the round of golf itself, Fallen Oak weaves in and out of the oak magnolias and other hardwood trees of the DeSoto National Forest, as well the many ponds, streams and wetlands. The course opened in 2006 and was just last month was named as the No. 1 "Course You Can Play" in Mississippi by GolfWeek magazine and also earned the No. 19 spot on Golf Digest's list of "America's Greatest Public Golf Courses." After your round, cap off the day inside the 12,000-square-foot clubhouse, which had its 19th Hole rated by Golf Digest as one of the best in the U.S. thanks to a sunken 70-seat bar that provides panoramic views of the 18th hole. This is truly a one-of-a-kind golf experience.
Shell Landing Golf Club - www.ShellLanding.com
Davis Love III designed a masterpiece here in Gautier, a city that sits less than a mile from the Gulf Coast. In addition to a unique layout that rolls through a combination of tall pines, marshes and bayous, the course provides five sets of tees making it playable for every level of player. The course stretches 7,024 yards from the tips and its small and slippery greens make it a true test. Golf Digest magazine named Shell Landing on its list of "America's Greatest Courses by State" for the last two years and it also made the Top 5 list of public courses in Mississippi by GolfWeek.
Grand Bear -www.GolfGrandBear.com
The list of world-class designers continues here deep inside the DeSoto Forest along the red-clay banks of the Big Biloxi and Little Biloxi Rivers where Jack Nicklaus built a course that he says "has the feel and excitement of Pinehurst with a touch of Augusta National." After playing this breathtaking layout, it's difficult to argue with the Golden Bear's assessment. This is yet another local course to gain national recognition after it was ranked No. 33 on GolfWeek's 2008 list of the "Top 100 Resort Courses." The secluded course is an amenity of Harrah's Grand Biloxi Casino and like Shell Landing is playable for the entire family thanks to five sets of tee boxes - ranging from the Teddy Bear to the Grizzly Bear. Conditions are immaculate and the log cabin clubhouse is the perfect spot for a post-round meal and beverage of your choice.
The Preserve Golf Club - www.PreserveGC.com
Nature, beauty and "pure golf" collide here in the city of Vancleave where champion Jerry Pate transformed 245 acres of land into a spectacular layout that is surrounded by 1,800 acres of dedicated nature preserve. The club opened in 2006 and was quickly selected by Golf Digest as One of America's Best New Golf Courses of 2007 in" Best New Public Golf Courses $75.00 and Over" category. And in October 2008 the club was listed as No.6 on GolfWeek's list of the "50 Best New Golf Courses". This a true risk-reward course with reachable short par-4s thanks to the wind coming off the coast while the No. 1 handicap hole on the course is the 235-yard, par-3 16th hole that features a gigantic tiered green. Meanwhile, the testy 18th hole is a dog-leg left 462-yard, par 4 that mirrors the finishing hole at the Highlands Course at the Atlanta Athletic Club, where Pate won the 1976 U.S. Open.
For information on all of the golf courses in the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and a look at the different packages available, visit www.GolfCoast.com
