 FEATURE STORY
A recipe for grand golf: the Mississippi Gulf CoastBy Shane Sharp, GULFPORT, Miss. (Oct. 9, 2003) -- A behind the scenes look at the recipe for one of this country's hottest golf destinations: two table spoons of Jimmy Buffett, one cup of Jack Nicklaus, one genteel casino boss (this is the south, after all) and a pinch of Donald Ross. Season to taste and serve with a little Love III. Sounds like a risqué dish for a state where cotillions, church on Sunday and college football are a way of life. But sometimes eclectic ingredients make for the tastiest meals.
Golfing and gaming by the GulfAround the time when a smooth-talking Arkansas governor was packing his bags for the inner beltway, the good citizens of Mississippi decided to stake the state's economic development to the gaming industry. State leaders blessed the course of action, and left it up to the counties to, er, roll the dice on their gaming futures. One of the first Magnolia State regions to roll out the black jack tables and slot machines and hang the "ya'll come on in sign" was the Gulf Coast. A dozen Las Vegas-style casinos sprung-up amid the antebellum homes and along 26 miles of sugar white beaches, providing a truly unique juxtaposition. For sheer historical shock value, it's now possible to take in a front porch view of Jefferson Davis' post Civil War home, Beauvoir, while gazing out at an 400-room luxury hotel and casino. If Davis -- always an astute observer of American socioeconomic trends - were alive today, he would have been quick to point that where there's gaming, golf is soon to follow.
And with good reason. Grand Bear's setting amid the haunting cypress wetlands and pine trees of the Biloxi and Little Biloxi rivers is something out of a Mark Twain novel. Each hole unfolds like a new chapter - an intriguing presentation of Pinehurst meets Augusta. And with play limited to Grand Casino guests Grand Bear typically sports near-perfect conditions. For those looking for write-home-about-it daily fee golf sans the gambling, head for Shell Landing Golf Club in nearby Gautier. Shell Landing comes courtesy of Davis Love III's white-hot design firm and flaunts the best of what we've come to expect from DLIII: huge swaths of playing surface, 3-club deep greens that are slicker than a bathtub and deep penal bunkers.
High-end daily fee/semiprivate golf along Mississippi's Gulf Coast is by and large a product of the '90s building boom. But the picturesque peninsula is not without its history. The Great Southern Golf Club, a circa 1908 Ross design that is certifiably the oldest course in the state, is situated near the Biloxi/Gulfport border and is a must-play for golf history buffs or those in search of a fun play within oyster shell tossing distance of the Gulf. The stately circuit recently underwent a $1.2 million renovation that should keep it in the good graces of the traveling golfer for years to come. Ross' 6,238 yards are a refreshing break from the 7,000-yard "championship" courses architects feel compelled to design today.
Rounding out the upscale stuff is the Oaks Golf Club in Pass Christian. One of the Gulf Coast's newer offerings (1998) The Oaks is the proud product of Landmark National (La Quinta, PGA West, Kiawah Island Resort) and radiates a similar air of high service levels and pristine conditioning.
Alas, Gulf Coast golf was not built on $100 greens fees. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to spend that on room, board and golf most seasons. Quality courses like Mississippi National and Windance usually sneak in under the $60 ceiling and "value" venues like Dogwood Hills Golf Club and Pine Bayou rarely charge more than $30. Attention traveling golfers, dinner is served. Where to StayThe Grand Casino in Gulfport is the place to be 24/7 and more importantly, ensures access to the Grand Bear. Traveling golfers can chose from the 400-room Grand Casino Hotel or the 600-room Oasis Hotel. The entire complex is a self-contained experience, boasting some 105,000 square feet of gaming space, shops, eight restaurants and a nightclub. Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans. |
|||||||||||||
If
these three markedly different Gulf Coast offerings whet your appetite
like a dozen raw, the Gulfport/Biloxi metro area has plenty other pickings.
The Arnold Palmer designed Bridges Golf Club at Casino Magic in Bay St.
Louis, as one local starter explained, is a "marsh were a golf course
broke out." The course's 18 holes are connected by 21 wooden bridges spanning
17 lakes and 14 acres of wetlands (an unprecedented hole to bridge to
lake to wetland ratio).
