Hidden in the deepest of the Deep South is a travel destination that mixes history, golf and gambling to create something wonderful and unique.
For years, Mississippi's stretch of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico was unknown as a source of golf. Sure, there was Great Southern Golf Club, a sporty layout designed by Donald Ross in 1908, that remains attractive to high-rollers who head to Mississippi's coastline seeking some gaming and golf. But now, thanks in part to easy flight connections through Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, visitors are coming to Mississippi in search of courses such as Shell Landing, Arnold Palmer's The Bridges at Casino Magic or The Oaks Golf Club.
Shell Landing may be the best of the bunch. Designed by PGA TOUR star Davis Love III, the course is named for the turtles that live in the many surrounding marshes.
Wetlands and tall pines are in abundance at this gem, and the best holes, such as the 398-yard 15th, usually bring both elements into play. Big hitters will be rewarded here -- but those who can hit it straight will also find this course, challenging and intriguing.
Marshlands are also central to The Bridges, designed by Arnold Palmer and within walking distance of Casino Magic, one of the prominent gambling resorts in the Biloxi/Bay St. Louis area.
Dozens of -- you guessed it -- bridges link the course, creating a fine assortment of holes that feature numerous forced carries to undulating greens. Like Shell Landing, the best of The Bridges' holes use the wetlands -- and some fine views of the Gulf of Mexico -- for a golf course that is scenic and difficult. Take, for example, the seventh hole at the Bridges, a short 145-yard par 3 from the back tees, which plays to a green protected by the marsh on three sides. If you hit the green, you could be rewarded by a birdie, but well-placed bunkers make shooting at pins a risky prospect.
The Bridges offers target golf at its finest -- hit the ball straight, even if it isn't long, and a respectable score is possible. But if you hit it a little off from the sides of the fairway, water and waste areas will engulf your shot. Bring some extra golf balls for this one.
If you find The Bridges' narrow fairways and use of water too difficult, then it is worth the short drive to nearby Pass Christian to tackle The Oaks. A traditional course, The Oaks has few of the quirks one might associate with The Bridges. There are no tricks at The Oaks -- fairways are generous and greens are relatively flat. It is simply a fine test of golf and good fun as well.
Not too long -- playing only 6,885 yards from the tips -- the Oaks has a number of standout holes, though the theme here is consistency. Of particular interest in the short par 5 eighth, which features a green protected by a looming stream, and the 442-yard closer, a straight-away beast that forces players to hit a strong drive and an approach to a green that will accept shots from longer irons. It is a challenging finale on a subtle, intriguing course.
The other big sales point for golfing on Mississippi's Gulf Coast is that it offers champagne play on a beer budget. Green fees for the area's courses range from $45 to $90, and pale next to those of Las Vegas, where it can easily cost $200 for a round.
This also means you will have more to lose in Mississippi's upstart casinos. Gaming is the new attraction in Mississippi, having blossomed over the past 10 years. But like many things in this intriguing state, gaming in Mississippi has its quirks.
All of the area's casinos, with the exception of those on Indian reservations, have to be on water.
Having grown out of gaming on boats, the Gulf Coast's casinos are still located on inlets and bays on the ocean, but are now permanent structures that simply rest on water. The hotel portion of each casino is on land, but you usually know when you have crossed into the gaming area of any Mississippi Gulf Coast casino because there is usually a line on the floor where land turns to water.
The best of the casinos, such as the Beau Rivage Resort, have a distinctive Las Vegas feel -- without Vegas prices. They have the same shopping-mall-like plazas and array of restaurants.
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