Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2014 - 19

pine and broad oak trees, natural cypress wetlands
and views of the Little and Big Biloxi Rivers, is a
feast for the senses and is considered one of the best
courses in the South. Impeccably conditioned with
wide fairways and ample greens, the course layout
requires plenty of left-to-right shots, a Nicklaus
trademark that accommodates his own shot shape.
Home to a Champions Tour pro-am for the
Grand Bear Club
With 33 courses in the coastal region, there are plentiful
tee times at high-end courses.
Windance Golf & Country Club (owned by Island
View) was designed by Mark McCumber and has often
been named to GolfWeek 's list of " Best Courses
You Can Play. " Its rolling terrain winds through the
woods and water of suburban Gulfport. Water comes
into play on 12 holes, none more treacherously than
on the par 5, 549-yard 16th, which features water off
the tee and all the way down the right side. This dogleg
right No. 1 handicap hole is much tougher than
it appears.
Diamondhead Country Club in Diamondhead
has two 18-hole courses-The Pine and The Cardinal-and
both offer a decent challenge to visitors.
The Cardinal, which underwent some maintenance
(laser leveling tee boxes, new irrigation and a new
putting green) last summer, has no parallel fairways
as it meanders through secluded woods and numerous
water hazards.
The Pine course is adorned by loblolly pines on
every fairway, but the fairways are generous enough
to keep you in the game. The expansive greens have
plenty of movement, but they run true and make for
enjoyable putting.
One of the first golf resorts in the area,
Diamondhead features a brand new 2,500-squarefoot
putting green, driving range, chipping area
and the only indoor/outdoor Golf Academy on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast-a great place to improve
your game.
Then you can take it to the Grand Bear Club in
Saucier. This Jack Nicklaus design, with its towering
Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, the Grand Bear has
tees ranging from 4,802 yards (the Teddy Bear tees) to
the Grizzly Bear tees at 7,204 yards. This walk through
the Desoto National Forest has been named one of
the 100 Top Public Golf Courses by Golf Digest, and
is not to be missed.
Another Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic pro-am
is held at Fallen Oak, a Tom Fazio designed course
that opened in 2006, where the tournament actually
takes place. The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, with
winners such as current defending champion Jeff
Maggert, Fred Couples in 2012 and Tom Lehman in
2011, is a popular stop on the Champions tour; the
players feel it is home to some of the best conditioning
they see all season.
Fallen Oak (open exclusively to Beau Rivage
guests) is located about a half-hour north of Biloxi
and features massive, undulating greens with an
Augusta National-like sub-air system to keep them
in peak condition all season. The challenging routing
includes the long dogleg-left finishing hole, complete
with the large fallen oak not far off the fairway, from
which the course gets its name.
The awards for Fallen Oak have piled up like
Champion Tour golfers' birdies, including No. 19 of
Golf Digest's America's 100 Greatest Public Courses
and GolfWeek's No 1. Golf Course You Can Play in
Mississippi. It was also named " One of the Best 19th
Holes in Golf " by Golf Digest.
Speaking of after-golf fare, you won't want to miss
any of the local cuisine. Island View Resort is just
one of many restaurants that puts out an incredible
spread. From crab to catfish and shrimp anyway
you want it, the coastal towns are loaded with freshfrom-the-gulf
seafood to keep you from missing a
Minnesota walleye dinner.
The Gulf is a great golf getaway for northerners-
Minnesotans from Lehman to Barge have been
heading to the gulf coast for years and have found
what they were looking for: a respite from the long
winter. It is said that the ocean has no memory. So
the gulf coast is a perfect place to go when you are
trying to forget snowbound traffic and below-zero
windchills. Just don't forget your golf clubs.
Diamondhead
Country Club
diamondheadms.org
228-255-3910
Fallen Oak
fallenoak.com
228-386-7015
Grand Bear Club
nicklaus.com/design/
grandbear
228-539-7806
Lake Jovita Golf
& Country Club
lakejovitagolfcc.com
352-588-9200
Orange County
National Golf
Center & Lodge
ocngolf.com
407-656-2626
World Woods
Golf Club
worldwoods.com
352-796-5500
Windance Golf &
Country Club
windancecc.com
228-832-4871
www.mngolf.org
Fall 2014 MINNESOTAGOLFER
17
http://www.diamondheadms.org http://www.fallenoak.com http://www.nicklaus.com/design/ http://www.lakejovitagolfcc.com http://www.ocngolf.com http://www.worldwoods.com http://www.windancecc.com http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2014

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