Mississippi “Golf” Coast

The Mississippi Gulf Coast has long been a destination for golfers looking for sunshine and birdies. It was some twenty-one years ago that I embarked on this region with three buddies to escape another cold Midwestern winter and go on a little golf trip. We knew nothing of the area, except that they had plenty of reasonable golf options, and was just a short jaunt from New Orleans. Back then the courses really weren’t anything special, and the gambling was just reserved for an old ship or two that did a nighttime cruise on the Gulf of Mexico. Mind you this was late February, and us Chicagoans were starved to tee it up. And for good measure we threw in a little Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Fast-forward to the current day and things have really come full circle. Here’s a look at a few of the top championship golf courses in the area.

Grand Bear– This Jack Nicklaus Signature Course sits in the middle of the huge 810 square mile Desoto National Forest. Anticipation builds as you weave through the densely wooded six-mile entrance. The gently rolling tract naturally lends itself to exclusive holes that are free of any residential property. Jack made comfortable width in the fairways for your tee shots, and the collection of par 3’s are all unique and solid. If you’re a big hitter test your skills from the 7,200-yard Grizzly Bear tees where the course rating sits at a robust 75.5 with a rating of 143!

But all in all The Golden Bear made a fair, fun layout here. Be sure to finish your day in the authentic log cabin clubhouse for a libation (maybe even one with a Golden one) and one of their hearty sandwiches.

The Preserve– The first thing that you will notice at this facility is the attentive and knowledgeable staff. This place oozes class with a distinct southern charm. But let’s not fool ourselves, we are here to play golf. 1976 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate carved out a real beauty here with two distinctive nines that is proud member of Audubon International. The opening nine holes is a peaceful romp thru majestic oak trees. The back nine is the preserve side where the wind will put more challenge in the shot making. It all adds up to one heck of golf experience. The combination of native grasses and sculpted bunkering provides a perfect picture of every hole. Top notch conditions with challenging greens (beware of the grain!) are par for this course. Golf Digest put their seal of approval when they named The Preserve as one of America’s Best New Courses in 2007.

The Par 3 16th at The Preserve Golf Club

Shell Landing– If you take a look at the aerial layout this Davis Love beauty you see that the holes form the shape of butterfly. But in describing this track I may need to coin a phrase from Muhammad Ali, “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” The par 4 6th hole epitomizes that statement. At 412 yards from the tips with a driving area surrounded by bunkers, and a marsh on the left that runs the entire length of the hole. Make par or birdie here and you are going definitely feel a sense of pride. Masterfully threaded through a mix of tall pine trees, with open marshes and wetlands Shell Landing is a wonderful swing through the Mississippi Bayou.

Fallen Oak– Tom Fazio one of America’s favorite golf course designers took a gorgeous piece property and turned it into a spectacular golfing playground. Home to the Champions Tour Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic this can only be accessed when you are staying at the nearby Beau Rivage Hotel. Every hole presents a different challenge and a picture postcard. The undulating course puts a premium on the short game with conditions that rival the best that you can find anywhere.

Here’s what Paul Azinger had to say:

“In order to build a terrific golf course, it should be visually appealing and maybe even slightly intimidating, but yet at the same time, play extremely fair. And Fazio pulled it off at Fallen Oak.”

18th Hole at Fallen Oak Golf Club

Golfweek Magazine thinks highly of Fallen Oak as well ranking it number one in the state, and number two in the best casino courses in the nation.

What I noticed about all of these fine courses is that they were peaceful, away from soaring planes, and free from what I like to call “The Highway Hum.” Here you become more in tuned with your game amongst the tranquil bayou land of Mississippi.

There are certainly plenty of places you can stay, and play “gaming” when you are enjoying the Biloxi region. I can recommend a few places where you can hang your hat after fun-filled day on the links.

IP Casino Resort Spa – Totally redone from top to bottom this 32-story beauty stands tall above the scenic Back Bay of Biloxi. The rooms have a comfortably cool and hip theme with marble counters, large flat screen TV’s and Jacuzzi’s. A can’t miss dining experience is the Italian themed Costa Cucina Restaurant located on the main floor adjacent to the front desk, and also much of the gaming.

Beau Rivage

Beau Rivage – Modeled after the world famous Bellagio in Las Vegas this is one large all in one hotel. Overlooking the Gulf Mexico “The Bo” features a whopping 1,740 rooms, shopping, live entertainment, a spa, and numerous dining options. The Stalla Restaurant is a great choice featuring steaks, pasta, and brick oven pizzas.

Hard Rock – This may be the place to stay if you really want to get your groove on. Plenty of live entertainment options in this casino hotel that also has multiple dining options, and a spa. The Hard Rock is in the midst of building another tower of hotel rooms that will be open soon.

Half Shell Oyster House – This is the place to go for authentic area seafood at its best. Numerous fish items and the oysters are down right savory! And the Half Shell is just a short walk from both the Hard Rock and Beau Rivage.

And no trip to the south is complete until you visit a Waffle House. You can’t beat their breakfast complete with the many hash browns options, especially after a night on the town! It just so happened that on the day I was there that Champions Tour player, and 1992 US Open winner Tom Kite was feasting in the neighboring booth. Obviously fueling up for that weeks Mississippi Gulf Resort at Fallen Oak.

Back in the day you had to fly into New Orleans and then drive about a 1 1/2 hours to get to the Biloxi area. Now can land directly at the new and convenient Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport, which serves numerous airline carriers.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast may have had a rough ride in the past decade with Katrina and the BP oil spill, but now you can see that things are far better than they ever were. The hospitality, the gaming, the cuisine, and of course the golf in the “Gulf” reins supreme.

Check out VisitMississippi.com and Golfcoast.com for more.