Unfortunately for visiting golfers, the Country Club of Jackson, host of the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship since 2014, is private. Also going private, as of 2024, were two of the state’s top three public plays, Mossy Oak and Old Waverly. However, the Magnolia State remains chock full of outstanding, scenic, value-oriented public-access layouts.
Here are the 10 best courses you can play in Mississippi.
Fallen Oak—Saucier
Picture Shadow Creek drenched in live oaks, magnolias, and red-eye gravy and you have another Tom Fazio/MGM masterpiece, 20 minutes inland from the coastal Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. Fallen Oak dishes out streams, orchards, lakes, and wetlands, along with Fazio’s sprawling bunkers—plus an Acadian-style, Southern Mansion clubhouse. The best hole comes at the end of the 7,487-yard, par-72 journey. The 493-yard par-four 18th starts from an elevated tee, proceeds to a rolling fairway, and concludes in a large green that’s bisected by a spine, with marsh guarding the left side. You must stay at Beau Rivage to access Fallen Oak.
Dancing Rabbit (Azaleas)—Philadelphia
Situated 70 quiet miles northeast of Jackson, the tribally owned Dancing Rabbit features two of Mississippi’s top-ranked public courses, the Azaleas and the Oaks, both designed by Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate. Springtime on the 7,158-yard, par-72 Azaleas, opening in 1997, is cause for celebration, when a kaleidoscope of its namesake flowers bursts from the amphitheater hillsides that frame the 379-yard par-four 6th and most memorably at the downhill 206-yard par-three 13th. The split fairway, par-four 3rd, the reachable par-five 17th, and the stern, handsome, watery par fours that close each nine are added highlights.
Dancing Rabbit (Oaks)—Philadelphia
Two years younger than the Azaleas and slightly tougher, the 7,076-yard, par-72 Oaks is practically equal to its sibling especially where several holes skirt rugged outcroppings. The Oaks course soothes and stings simultaneously, its tranquil setting disturbed only by the bogeys and doubles that crop up amid hardwoods, creeks, and ponds. The 455-yard par-four 18th is a dramatic closer, with bunkers bracketing the fairway landing area and a lake long and left waiting to gobble up any pulled approach. The Azaleas features Tifway II Bermuda fairways and TifEagle greens, while the Oaks offers slightly different and more player-friendly Meyer Zoysia fairways and Tifway II Bermuda greens.
The Preserve—Vancleave
Gorgeous, tough, and affordable all describe The Preserve Golf Club in Vancleave, a half-hour drive east of Biloxi. Affiliated with the Palace Resort Casino, this 6,774-yard, par-71 Jerry Pate design from 2006 hopscotches swamps, wetlands, and bogs, and closes with the visually intimidating, 462-yard par-four 18th, which arcs around a lake, its green set right on the water. The layout is aptly named—core golf, no homes—with a pure back-to-nature ambience on a course that earned Audubon International Signature status.
Grand Bear—Saucier
Hard golf courses and Jack Nicklaus go hand-in-hand, but the Golden Bear toned things down with Grand Bear, a surprisingly playable layout that is aligned with Harrah’s Gulf Coast hotel. From the tips Grand Bear is plenty long, at 7,204 yards, par 72, but generous landing areas between tall pines and player-friendly green complexes make it more cuddly than grizzly. Most memorable are the holes that mix it up with the Little Biloxi and Big Biloxi Rivers, notably at the 433-yard par-four 17th, where both drive and approach flirt with the waters of the Big Biloxi. Located more than a half-hour from the Biloxi casinos, the trip requires an additional six-mile, off-highway foray into the DeSoto National Forest—but the resulting peace and tranquility amid unencumbered nature makes Grand Bear worth the trek.
Shell Landing—Gautier
Twenty miles east of Biloxi on the Mississippi Gulf Coast sits Shell Landing, a 2000 Davis Love III design that zigzags through marshes, bayous, and mature pine forests in its 7,024-yard, par-72 journey. While it’s a residential layout, it’s manageable, yet interesting for all handicaps. Natural sandy areas and handsomely sculpted manmade bunkers lend beauty and menace. The best—and toughest—hole is the 401-yard par-four 6th, which demands forced carries over marsh on both drive and approach. Emphasizing its back-to-nature vibe, each set of tees is named for a species of turtle.
The Oaks—Pass Christian
Twenty-five years ago, Senior Tour star Gil Morgan stated, “The Oaks is a must-play on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” Dr. Morgan’s statement holds true today. Developed in 1998 by Landmark—which also created South Carolina’s Kiawah Island Golf Resort, California’s PGA West, and Oklahoma’s Oak Tree—The Oaks stretches 7,006 yards, par 72 and benefits from wonderfully rolling topography, extremely unusual for the region. Many holes crisscross wetlands and ravines, but it’s all very peaceful, with pines, magnolias, and yes, live oaks adorning the fairways. A truly memorable test arrives early at the 452-yard par-four 2nd: a back (Gold) tee that measures 111 yards more than the Blue tee, one set up. From an elevated tee, the drive must carry a freshwater wetland and find a fairway 40 feet below.
Mallard Pointe—Sardis
For value alone, it’s tough to top Mallard Pointe. Located 30 miles west of Oxford and the University of Mississippi, Mallard Pointe is a 7,004-yard, par-72 Bob Cupp design in the John W. Kyle State Park. As a state park facility, it’s a haven for wildlife, including the namesake ducks. Deep ravines, dense tree cover, recently upgraded tees, and handsome views of Lake Sardis are among the highlights. The finish will linger long in memory: the 17th, a drivable par four of 301 yards with lake off to the right; and the 18th, a 457-yard par four that calls for a carry over a vast native area to access the green.
Windance—Gulfport
Not long at 6,659 yards, par 72, this 1986 Mark McCumber creation is loaded with character. The fairways are rolling and tend to be tight, with a moderate number of bunkers and a plethora of ponds and creeks. Some holes are carved from stands of mature pines and others skirt draws that are edged in cypress. Mostly, architect McCumber kept the average golfer in mind. The majority of greens are only bunkered to one side, so there’s usually a bailout option. An architectural oddity is the presence of only one par three on the par-37 back nine. In 2007, Windance was purchased by Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport, which continues to own and operate the course.
The Bridges—Bay St. Louis
Designed by Arnold Palmer in 1996 and part of the Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast, this 6,841-yard, par-72 layout doesn’t need length to be all the golf anyone can handle. The course name is derived from the 21 wooden bridges (nearly a mile’s worth) that transport golfers from hole to hole over the course’s many lakes (17) and wetlands (14 acres). The result is a unique, beautiful, difficult track. The standout hole is the 285-yard par-four 17th, which plays out to the Bay of St. Louis. The view is superb, but bunkers and water guarding the green can cast a dark shadow in a hurry.
Have you played golf in Mississippi? Tell us about your experience.
