11 Best Golf Courses in Mississippi
Mississippi's Gulf Coast casino economy drew Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer to resort courses built in the 1990s and 2000s. Inland the Black Prairie and Jackson corridor developed private and championship-hosting clubs. Fallen Oak in Biloxi has ranked first in the state every Golf Digest cycle since 2015. Old Waverly hosted the 1999 U.S. Women's Open on a Jerry Pate and Bob Cupp routing. Most green fees outside Fallen Oak run below $200 at courses with public or resort access.
Fallen Oak Golf Club, Saucier
Tom Fazio designed Fallen Oak on behalf of MGM Resorts, and the course opened in 2006 as the high-end golf companion to the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. The par-72 layout covers 7,487 yards from the championship tees and runs through forest and wetland at the edge of the DeSoto National Forest, with no homes or roads visible from any of the 18 holes. A later Fazio-supervised renovation reduced the bunker count from 84 to 63 and softened the fairway look without changing the original strategy. Golf Digest has ranked Fallen Oak first in Mississippi every cycle since 2015, and the course formerly hosted the PGA Tour Champions' Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic/Rapiscan Systems Classic.
Access is limited to guests of the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, about 25 minutes south on the Mississippi Sound, with green fees usually running $200 to $300. The clubhouse perches above the par-4 18th and houses a pro shop, locker rooms, and a grill open through dinner. On the resort side, the Beau Rivage offers AAA Four Diamond rooms, multiple restaurants including BR Prime steakhouse, and a full-service spa. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport sits about 20 minutes from the property. Late spring and fall play firmer and cooler than the humid summers, and the resort books tee times alongside lodging.
Mossy Oak Golf Club, West Point
Gil Hanse routed Mossy Oak on 180 acres of former dairy farmland in Mississippi's Black Prairie, with the course opening for preview play in September 2016, the same year Hanse's Olympic Course hosted the Rio de Janeiro Games. Fewer than 20 trees stand on the property, leaving room for wide fairways, more than 100 bunkers, and large, undulating greens that reward strategic approaches. Very little dirt was moved during construction; most of what was excavated went into a 7.5-acre irrigation lake, and the bunker sand was pulled from local riverbeds. The course measures 7,212 yards from the back tees and was named Golf Digest's No. 3 Best New Course in 2017 and one of Golfweek's Top 100 Modern Courses in 2018.
A yearlong closure that began in January 2025 ended in October 2025 with rebuilt bunkers, added length, regrassed TifEagle greens, and upgraded cart paths. The work coincided with a change in ownership: 1976 U.S. Open winner Jerry Pate now chairs Golf Clubs of Mississippi LLC, with the Bryan family retaining a stake. Both Mossy Oak and Old Waverly across the street are now part of Old Waverly's private golf-and-hospitality operation, with limited guest access handled through Old Waverly lodging and stay-and-play arrangements rather than ordinary public tee times. Four-bedroom cottages on the course anchor the lodging setup. Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus sits about 30 minutes south, with Memphis International roughly 2.5 hours north. Spring and fall produce the firmest conditions.
Old Waverly Golf Club, West Point
Jerry Pate and Bob Cupp shaped Old Waverly between 1986 and 1988, with the course opening in September 1988 as the dream project of West Point native George Bryan, then chairman of Sara Lee's meat division. The par-72 routing plays 7,088 yards and winds around five lakes, including Lake Waverly, which carries play through the back nine. Champion Bermuda greens, deep pot bunkering, and an aesthetic that aims for the Scottish Highlands set Old Waverly apart from Mossy Oak's open prairie feel. The course hosted the 1999 U.S. Women's Open, where Juli Inkster won by five strokes and set a new under-par scoring record at 16-under, along with the 2006 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and the 2019 U.S. Women's Amateur.
The club is private but offers stay-and-play access through Old Waverly Club, with rentals ranging from two- and three-bedroom condos to four-bedroom cottages on Lake Waverly. The antebellum-style clubhouse contains Murphy's for casual lunches, the cigar-and-cocktail-leaning Cameron's, and the Magnolia Room for fine dining with views over the lake and 18th green. Golden Triangle Regional Airport sits about 30 minutes away. Mid-March through May and September into November typically deliver the best conditions.
Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, Choctaw
Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate laid out 36 holes at Dancing Rabbit on ancestral land of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, opening the Azaleas in July 1997 and the Oaks two years later. Each course plays as a par 72 stretching just past 7,000 yards, with five sets of tees down to about 4,900. The Azaleas runs on Bermuda fairways with TifEagle greens and has earned a reputation for polished resort golf, helped along by the dogwoods and azaleas that line several holes. The Oaks features Meyer Zoysia fairways, Tifway II Bermuda greens, an out-and-back routing with a halfway house at the 10th tee, and a slightly tighter feel through dense hardwoods. The two courses combined cover more than 700 acres laced with about five miles of spring-fed streams.
Dancing Rabbit sits adjacent to Pearl River Resort, about 90 minutes northeast of Jackson on land owned and operated by the Choctaw tribe. The Azaleas is available to resort guests, club members, and the general public, while resort packages can bundle access to both layouts. Three on-site hotels (Golden Moon, Silver Star, and Dancing Rabbit Inn) sit alongside two casino floors, several restaurants, and Geyser Falls Water Theme Park. The multi-story clubhouse holds a pro shop, restaurant, and eight king suites with private golf carts. Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is the closest commercial option, about 90 minutes southwest. Early spring brings the namesake azaleas into bloom and pulls temperatures into a comfortable range for walking.
The Preserve Golf Club, Vancleave
Jerry Pate's solo design at The Preserve opened in 2006 on 245 acres, surrounded by an additional 1,800 acres of dedicated nature preserve about 20 minutes north of Biloxi. The par-71 layout covers 6,774 yards across four sets of tees, and it remains one of only about 20 facilities worldwide certified as a Silver Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, a designation it earned in May 2007. Forced carries over wetlands and bogs define the routing, native fescues frame the holes, and the TifEagle greens are hand-mowed and covered through winter to maintain consistency. The wider fairways soften what could otherwise be a punishing experience, and the Preserve has held a top-ten spot in Golf Digest's state rankings for more than a decade.
The course is owned by Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi, with green fees usually running $100 to $200 and stay-and-play packages bookable through the casino. Palace guest rooms sit on the Back Bay alongside the PURE spa, a marina, meeting space, and multiple restaurants. The Preserve's clubhouse features vaulted ceilings, an indoor-outdoor stone fireplace, a restaurant open to the public, and a pro shop with rental clubs. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is roughly 25 minutes away. October through April keeps the wetlands manageable and the temperatures playable.
Grand Bear Golf Club, Saucier
A Jack Nicklaus signature design, Grand Bear opened in 1999 on more than 650 acres inside the DeSoto National Forest, with no two holes paralleling each other and no homes or roads visible from anywhere on the property. The par-72 course plays 7,204 yards with a 75.0 rating and a 142 slope. The Big Biloxi River and its white-sand banks shape three of the final four holes, and the long uphill par-4 18th climbs back to a mountain-lodge clubhouse. Wide fairways, low-walled bunkers, and run-up approaches make the routing more forgiving than typical Nicklaus fare; the Teddy Bear tees forward of 4,800 yards open the course to recreational players.
Grand Bear was originally the casino course for Harrah's Gulf Coast and is now part of VICI Properties' golf portfolio, operated by The Cabot Collection. Green fees typically sit around $170, and stay-and-play options route through Biloxi casino partners about 35 minutes south. The clubhouse includes a bar and grill, a full pro shop, and a well-kept practice facility with six tees. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is about 30 minutes from the first tee. The six-mile drive through the national forest to the course is itself part of the experience, and spring and fall produce the strongest conditions.
Shell Landing Golf Club, Gautier
Davis Love III's signature design at Shell Landing opened in 2000 on a wooded site about a mile and a half north of the Mississippi coast and 15 miles east of Biloxi. The par-72 course measures 7,024 yards from the championship tees, with a 73.3 rating and a 140 slope, on five sets of tees down to 5,047 yards. Water comes into play on eight holes, the fairways are generous, and the greens are large enough to spread pin positions across multiple zones. Golf Digest named Shell Landing No. 5 in its 2003 Best New Upscale Public ranking, the only top-five entry that year located in the South, and the course has stayed on the magazine's Mississippi Best in State list since.
Unlike most upscale Gulf Coast tracks, Shell Landing operates independently rather than as part of a casino property, which keeps green fees around $99. The Landing Restaurant is open to the public seven days a week, and a 15-acre practice facility houses a driving range, putting green, short-game area, locker rooms, and rental clubs. There is no on-site lodging, but Biloxi casino hotels and Pascagoula chain properties are within 20 minutes, and online tee times and golf packagers handle bookings. October through April produces the most playable weather.
The Country Club of Jackson, Jackson
The Country Club of Jackson opened in 1914 west of downtown and moved to its current site in the late 1950s, where Dick Wilson routed a new course that opened in 1964. John Fought and Mike Gogel redesigned the championship 18 in 2008, combining the Dogwood and Azalea nines into a par-72 layout that stretches close to 7,500 yards for tournament weeks. Greens run from about 5,000 to 8,500 square feet, and small contours rather than dramatic slopes provide the primary defense. The Sanderson Farms Championship played at the course from 2014 through 2025, with Steven Fisk securing the 2025 victory with three closing birdies to edge Kevin Yu by a stroke.
Access is generally limited to members and their guests, though the property opens to spectators during tournament week. A third nine called Cypress serves families and juniors with tees ranging from 1,400 to 3,500 yards. Dining covers the casual Magnolia Grill, the higher-end Onyx with a monthly menu, and 15,000 square feet of event space. The club sits on the northeast side of the capital, about 25 minutes from Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, and visiting golfers typically choose between downtown Jackson chain hotels and boutique options in Madison and Ridgeland. Late September through early October coincides with the Sanderson Farms and the course at its sharpest.
Annandale Golf Club, Madison
Jack Nicklaus opened Annandale in 1981 on the site of the historic Annandale Plantation, and the course stands as one of Mississippi's first modern championship-caliber routings. The par-72 layout extends to 7,199 yards from the tournament tees, with broad lakes, fairways dotted with pampas grass, and several risk-reward par 5s. Subtle elevation change and grassy bunkering nod to Scottish links work. Annandale hosted the PGA Tour's Sanderson Farms Championship from 1994 through 2013 and remains a regular qualifier site for USGA and Mississippi Golf Association events.
The club is private with limited membership, and public play is not available. Practice facilities are extensive, the greens run on Champion Bermuda, and the fairways are 419 Bermuda. Annandale sits 20 minutes north of downtown Jackson and 30 minutes from Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, with Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn properties along I-55 serving as the closest hotel options for visiting members' guests. The clubhouse handles food and beverage for members, while nearby Madison restaurants provide the main off-property dining options. April and October bring the most reliable playing weather.
The Bridges Golf Club, Bay St. Louis
Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed The Bridges, Mississippi's only Palmer signature layout, which opened in 2006 on 160 acres of wetlands and bay frontage at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast. Twenty-one wooden bridges span nearly a mile across 17 lakes and 14 acres of marsh, threading a par-72 course over forced carries that touch nearly every hole. The course plays 6,841 yards from the tips across five sets of tees down to about 5,000. The Bridges was the first resort course in the world to earn Audubon International's Silver Signature Status, and Golf Digest and Golfweek both keep it in Mississippi's top ten.
Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast handles lodging, with 291 rooms and suites in a 14-story waterfront tower, a pool, fitness center, and the casino floor. Bridges Grill at the clubhouse takes care of lunch and post-round dining. The course is closed on Tuesdays, visitors must book in advance, and walking is permitted after 3 p.m. New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport sits about 50 minutes west, with Gulfport-Biloxi International 35 minutes east, which makes Bay St. Louis a natural add-on to a New Orleans trip. Cool-season months from late October through April deliver the best conditions, while afternoon thunderstorms are common through the summer.
The Oaks Golf Club, Pass Christian
Seven-time PGA Tour winner Dr. Gil Morgan, who later won 25 times on the Champions Tour, designed The Oaks. The course opened in 1998 just off I-10 Exit 24 and covers 6,885 yards from the championship tees, with a 72.5 rating and a 131 slope. The routing winds through hardwood and pine stands with water in play on roughly half the holes, and dramatic green complexes and meandering fairways reward placement over distance. The Oaks hosted the Nike/Buy.com Tour in 1999 and 2000 and the first stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School in 2003, and the National Golf Course Owners Association named it Mississippi Gulf Coast Golf Course of the Year in 2003.
Green fees typically run around $99, and membership options are available for frequent local play. The Oaks is part of the Magnolia Golf Trail, and tee times are bookable online or through golf packagers. The clubhouse holds a pro shop and a bar-and-grill, and the practice area includes a driving range, putting green, and short-game space. There is no on-site lodging, but Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort partners with the course on stay-and-play packages, and the Bay St. Louis and Biloxi casino corridors are within 25 minutes. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport sits about 20 minutes east. October through April is the best time to play.
How To Route A Mississippi Golf Trip
The Gulf Coast group (Fallen Oak, Grand Bear, The Preserve, Shell Landing, The Bridges, and The Oaks) fits comfortably into a four- or five-day trip from a casino base in Biloxi or Bay St. Louis. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport handles most arrivals, and New Orleans sits 50 minutes west for those willing to drive in. The central pair (Annandale and the Country Club of Jackson) anchors a Madison-Ridgeland visit north of the capital. Dancing Rabbit at Pearl River Resort works as a casino-and-golf overnighter from Jackson, about 90 minutes northeast. The Golden Triangle's Old Waverly and Mossy Oak now share ownership and offer stay-and-play access through Old Waverly Club, roughly three hours north of Jackson and 30 minutes from Golden Triangle Regional Airport. Green fees generally fall below $200 outside Fallen Oak, and most casino-affiliated courses fold play into resort packages that bring the per-round cost down further. October through April is the broad season. Spring blooms favor the Choctaw and West Point properties, and the Gulf Coast holds up well into late fall.
