In the 1920s, the Mississippi Gulf Coast was known as the "Mississippi Golf Coast." That was when it had seven golf courses.
"Having seven courses then would be like having 70 at a destination today," says Kevin Drum, executive director at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Golf Association. "We have a unique set of assets that no other destination has. With 22 golf courses dotted along 60 miles of coast combined with casino resorts, coastal cuisine and seafood, and the endless supply of hospitality, we have a combination no other destination can offer."
He adds that golf has been on the menu here since 1902, when the railroad began investing in course development to get visitors on their trains from the Midwest.
Drum says, ironically, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 improved the quality of golf in the area, with insurance providing money to redo greens, tees and clubhouses. Since then, two new courses have opened: Fallen Oaks and The Preserve.
Following are some of the region's top 18-hole courses.
- Designed by Arnold Palmer, The Bridges Golf Course at Hollywood Casino Bay St Louis (228.463.4047) is a signature course opened in 1997. It features a clubhouse, meeting rooms and banquet facilities, and the Hollywood Casino hotel is one of the coast's largest meetings properties.
- Located in Saucier on the edge of the DeSoto National Forest, Fallen Oak Golf Club (228.386.7015) opened in 2006 and was designed by Tom Fazio. It is exclusively for guests of Biloxi's Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, the coast's largest meetings hotel. From March 30-April 3, for the second consecutive year, it was home to the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, a stop on the PGA Champions Tour.
- Also in Saucier and designed by Jack Nicklaus, Grand Bear Golf Club (228.539.7806) is owned and operated by the 500-room Grand Casino Biloxi, a Caesars Entertainment property. It has been included in the "100 Top Public Golf Courses" by Golf Digest.
- Designed by Jerry Pate, the par-71 Preserve Golf Club (228. 386.2500) in Vancleave, Jackson County, opened in 2006. It is surrounded by an 1,800-acre nature preserve and is an Audubon International certified sanctuary. It has a marketing agreement with Biloxi's Palace Casino Resort. Its clubhouse can seat 80 and it also has a conference room seating 22.
- At Gautier, about 20 minutes east of Biloxi in Jackson County, Shell Landing Golf Club (228.497.5683) was designed by Davis Love III and has a preferred hotel arrangement with the IP Casino Resort & Spa in Biloxi. The golf club has space for weddings and other events.
- Purchased by the Island View Casino Resort in 2007, Windance Country Club (228.832.4871) in Gulfport was designed by Mark McCumber and has recently undergone renovation, including its clubhouse and pool area. The clubhouse can handle parties for up to 150 people.
