Destination Golf: Mississippi Gulf Coast

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is known for its casinos, great seafood, fantastic people, and some of the best golf you could ask for! In this article, we take a look at the fine golf courses in Jackson, Harrison, and Hancock Counties. 

Fallen Oak Golf Club was designed by legendary golf course architect Tom Fazio. Available exclusively for guests of Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Fallen Oak is a treat for golfers of all capabilities. A mainstay on “must-play” lists and the host course of the Mississippi Gulf Coast stop on the PGA Champions Tour since 2010, many golfers consider Fallen Oak to be the “crown jewel” of area courses.

Fallen Oak is exactly what you’d expect the exclusive course of the Beau Rivage to be; dramatic, elegant, and charming, in pristine condition, and an experience elevated by first-rate service.

Fallen Oak is an 18-Hole, 7,487-Yard Championship Course playing to a par of 72. Five sets of tees are available, ranging from 7,487 to 5,362 yards. The greens are TifEagle Greens and are consistently manicured year-round. Vegetation includes century-old oak trees, as well as pecans and magnolias. Streams, lakes, and marshlands wind through the property. Clubhouse dining is available for breakfast and lunch. A beverage cart is available on the course.

Stay & Play Packages can be made by calling 1.877.805.4657. For groups of 12 more, please contact Tamara Moody at tmoody@beaurivage.com or 800.239.2771.

Location: 23 minutes from the Beau Rivage. 1 hour from Downtown Mobile. 1:30 from Downtown New Orleans.

The Preserve Golf Club is situated on 245 acres and is surrounded by 1800 additional acres of dedicated nature preserve. The setting is serene, and the course conditions are immaculate. It all amounts to what the folks at The Preserve refer to as “pure golf”.

Designed by U.S. Open champion and award-winning course designer Jerry Pate, the native marshes, cypress swamps, longleaf pine savannas, live oak groves, and native grass prairies were artfully integrated into the design of the 18-hole, par-71 layout.

The Preserve offers allows guests to experience golf with nature in mind. Along with spectacular course conditions, you’ll find five sets of tees, The Preserve Pro Shop, full-service practice facilities, a relaxing clubhouse, and superior guest services to your liking.

Enjoy a meal in the Sweetbay Restaurant before or after your round. Served in a classy, yet casual atmosphere, the delicious breakfast items, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and specials provide a satisfying beginning or end to a great day of golf.

Rounds are available by contacting the course directly or by arranging a Stay & Play Package through the Palace Casino Resort. Whatever your choice, you won’t be disappointed.

Location: 25 minutes from The Palace Casino Resort. 6 minutes from Interstate 10 (Exit 57). 45 minutes from Downtown Mobile.

Shell Landing is consistently rated as one of the best courses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and throughout the State of Mississippi.

A Davis Love Design, Shell Landing originally opened for play in 2000. The course was masterfully carved through pines, hardwoods, and marshes to create a unique and truly enjoyable round of golf. In recent years, many areas adjacent to the hole have been opened up to create better views for the player, as well as better air flow, which has only improved conditions.

One of the premier courses since its inception, Shell Landing continues to improve with age.

Director of Golf Kenny Hughes is also one of the owners and is on-site daily to ensure that Shell Landing is a favorite of locals and visitors to the area.

Shell Landing has two putting greens and an expansive driving range with numerous targets for practice. Instruction is also available from one of four Class A PGA Professionals.

Shell Landing is a semi-private course offering memberships as well as daily play options for individuals and groups. A fully-stocked pro shop and The Landing Restaurant are both available for your convenience.

Make sure to include Shell Landing if visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You won’t be disappointed!

Location: Shell Landing Blvd. is easily accessible from Hwy 90 in Gautier, MS. 50 minutes from Downtown Mobile, AL. 25 minutes from Downtown Biloxi, MS.

Golfers have been enjoying Hickory Hill for more than 30 years. The traditional, challenging layout places a demand on strategy, accuracy, and shot-making. Water comes into play on 10 holes.

You’ll enjoy the scenery as much as the golf with magnolias, dogwoods, azaleas, and oaks draped with Spanish moss all prevalent on the property.

Guests staying at the Villas at Hickory Hills guests enjoy golf and food and beverage specials, including: discounted golf rates, discounted club rentals, and food and beverage specials. Hickory Hill also provides special pricing to guest of the IP Casino, Resort & Spa. To find out more about the IP or to make reservations visit www.ipbiloxi.com.

Sunkist Country Club originally opened in 1953. The course continues to be one of the favorites in the area. You can expect consistently good course conditions with greens that roll good and are very challenging! Water comes into play on 13 of the 18 holes.

Amenities include a fully-stocked pro shop, bar and grill, practice facilities, and ballroom with event hosting.

Sunkist offers affordable daily rates for daily play. Tee times can be booked five days in advance online or by phone.

The 2020 Loyalty Card is now available for just $59.00. You’ll get your first round free with purchase and discounted rates all year long!

Location: Just 8 minutes from Interstate 10 via Popps Ferry Road. Approximately 20 minutes from most casinos.

Built in 1908, Great Southern is Mississippi’s oldest golf course. The course was designed by the world-renowned Donald Ross.

The southern swing of the PGA Tour included Great Southern in the 1940s and players such as Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, and Byron Nelson played the course. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson spent his Christmas holidays on the Coast playing the course every day except Sunday.

Located just across Beach Drive (Hwy 90) from the beach, Great Southern offers some beautiful views of the Mississippi Sound. Number 4, a par-four of 398 yards plays offers one of the most beautiful approach shots on the Gulf Coast, with the water lying along the horizon behind the green.

Great Southern is a semi-private facility and is open to public play seven days a week.

Location: Just west of the Gulfport-Biloxi line on Beach Drive (Hwy 90).

Grand Bear Golf Club is situated amongst the old growth pines of the Desoto National Forest in Saucier, MS. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Grand Bear offers a challenging, yet enjoyable golf experience in a secluded and beautiful setting.

Each hole was masterfully carved out of the natural forest and is set apart from the others. There are no parallel fairways here. If you’re looking to “get away from it all” and enjoy a great round of golf, then you can’t go wrong with Grand Bear. You can expect excellent conditions, great scenery, and a fun, challenging round of golf.

Grand Bear is a Jack Nicklaus Signature course that has been named among the nation’s 100 Top Public Golf Courses by Golf Digest.
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Location: 22 minutes North of Interstate 10 in Gulfport (approximately 15 minutes to Grand Bear Blvd. and 7 minutes to the clubhouse).

Designed by Mark McCumber in 1986, Windance has been a favorite on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for over 30 years. Windance measures just over 6,600 yards, and is a fun, challenging golf experience with beautiful scenery, rolling fairways, and lush greens.

Completely remodeled after its purchase by Island View Casino Resort in 2007, Windance is a first rate golf facility offering top rate amenities and pristine course conditions. Significant renovations include the addition of new, state-of-the-art irrigation systems, a new lake, new native areas and decorative stonework.

Amenities include a driving range, pro shop, The View at 19 Bar & Grill, Olympic-sized swimming pool, and locker rooms with showers.

Stay & Play Packages are available through the Island View Casino.

Location: Approximately 18 minutes from Interstate 10 / Highway 40 Intersection. 25 minutes from Island View Casino.

Diamondhead is the Gulf Coast’s only facility with 36-holes of championship golf. Both The Cardinal and The Pine have long been popular with Diamondhead residents, Gulf Coast golfers, and visitors to the area.

The Cardinal is a wooded, gently rolling layout with no parallel fairways and large bunkers. The Cardinal plays to 6,730 yards and is rated 72.6. Designed by world-renowned golf course architect John LaFoy. Renovations took place in 2013, 2014, with a greens renovation just this year.

The Pine, designed by Earl Stone, offers a classic layout that is fun for players of all capabilities. Tree-lined fairways, bunkers, and water will challenge your shot-shaping ability. Course updates took place in 2014.

Amenities include a full-service restaurant and bar, banquet facilities, driving range, chipping area, indoor/outdoor golf academy, eight lighted hydra clay tennis courts, marina, and an airport with fuel on-site.

Diamondhead is a semi-private facility that welcomes both individuals and groups to visit and experience all it has to offer.

Location: Just Off Interstate 10. 25 minutes West of Gulfport. 1 hour Northeast of New Orleans.

The Oaks Golf Club is winds though the native wetlands and majestic timber to provide a golf experience on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that players of all abilities are sure to enjoy! The Oaks is known for its strategic bunkering, undulating greens. The course blends beautifully with the surrounding environment, but don’t be lulled to sleep by the beauty, because a challenge awaits on every hole.

The Oaks has received numerous awards and accolades including: “Best Courses You Can Play” Golf Week Magazine, 4 ½ Stars “Best Places to Play” Golf Digest, Voted top Ten Course in Mississippi by Golf Digest, “Golf Course of the Year for the Mississippi Gulf Coast”, “Best course on the Coast” by readers of Coast Magazine.The Oaks is a semi-private course with membership, daily fee, and “loyalty card” options available. The 2020 Loyalty Card is now available and offers the golfer numerous immediate and year-long benefits. It’s a great deal!

The Oaks Golf Club welcomes all charity and corporate golf outings.

Instruction is available for players of all ages and abilities.

Location: Just one mile south of Interstate 10 (Exit 24). One hour from Downtown New Orleans. One hour from Downtown Mobile. 20 minutes from I-110 Interchange.

The Bridges Golf Club at Hollywood Casino is Mississippi’s only Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course.

Located in Bay St. Louis, the 18-hole course has been ranked among the Top 40 Casino Course, Top 10 Courses in Mississippi and is always considered among the very best on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Arnold Palmer took a wonderfully piece of property and crafted it into an excellent test of golf. Numerous bridges, spanning almost one mile in length, and bulkheads are incorporated into this magnificent layout, and add even more an already magnificent round of golf.

The Bridges is the first resort golf course in the world to obtain Audubon International’s Certified Silver Signature status, which displays one of Palmer’s greatest design strengths of working in harmony with nature.

Packages are available for individuals, groups, and tournaments. Amenities include an award-winning golf shop, beverage cart service, meeting rooms, banquet facilities, locker room with showers, locker rental, club rental, and an 11-acre practice facility.

Location: 15 minutes from Interstate 10 Exit 13. Just over 1 hour from New Orleans. 30 minutes from Downtown Gulfport.