Terrain Variety, Design Styles, 'Name' Architects Create Acclaimed, Unique Courses  

Want to bore golfers? Give them the same old cookie-cutter holes, courses and destinations time and again. Then hit "SNOOZE."

Want to jazz golfers? Send them to Mississippi where a number of distinctly different regions and terrain types jibe to offer fulfilling, memorable experiences.

The blues may be Mississippi's indigenous art form, but a recent wave of new golf course openings has aficionados singing… and the tunes are all about the greens.

Three courses debuted in the past 18 months and all were voted "America's Best New Courses 2007" by Golf Digest Magazine rating panelists. They are Tom Fazio's Fallen Oak and Jerry Pate's The Preserve, both associated with Biloxi coastal resort casinos, and The Dogwoods course, which is located on the shores of central Mississippi's Grenada Lake in Hugh White State Park.

The Dogwoods was also singled out as "America's Best New Bargain" by the national publication. It can be played for $39 including cart. On the other end of the spectrum, to golf at Fallen Oak one must stay at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino and pay a $300 green fee. The Preserve falls in between them both. Something for every golfer's budget and taste.

Speaking of variety and options, Mississippi's five distinct regions are:

* The Delta - birthplace of the Blues and comprised of Northwestern flatlands
* The Hills - home of gently rolling, Northeastern landscapes
* The Pines - located in the Central-East part of the state and blanketed with quiet forests
* The Capital/River - with its winding waterways and rich history in the state's Central-Southwest
* The Coastal - located in the South and featuring the Gulf of Mexico's sparkling water and beaches

High-quality courses representative of the award-winning golf found in each region include:

Dancing Rabbit Golf Club's Azaleas and Oaks courses in Philadelphia, Miss., were co-designed by Fazio and Pate. They grace The Pines region and consistently garner Top 100 caliber acclaim and comparisons with Augusta National. Old Waverly, a Pate-Bob Cupp co-design, is also found in the region, it hosted the 1997 U.S. Women's Open won by Juli Inskster, and the USGA's 2006 Women's Mid-Am Championship.

Tunica National (Mark McCumber). Links at Cottonwoods (Hale Irwin) and River Bend Links are three popular, complementary courses found in The Delta region and located within five minutes of one another.

Quail Hollow is in The Capital/River region and designed by Arthur Hills. Nestled in Percy Quin State Park, home to lush woods, a huge lake and cabins for rent, the course and park exemplify the state's mission to provide affordable, high-quality recreational activities.
Compelling courses by Davis Love III (Shell Landing), Jack Nicklaus (Grand Bear) and Arnold Palmer make teeing it up in The Coastal region a joy and only whets the appetite for more of the same at Fallen Oak and The Preserve.

The aforementioned Dogwoods Course at Hugh White State Park in the Hills Region is reason enough to visit this part of Mississippi. Add a collection of similarly value-laden tracks like Kirkwood National, Big Oaks and Mallard Pointe and new golf adventures beckon.

"Mississippi is extremely pleased to offer so many distinct regions and courses," says D. Craig Ray, Director of the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division. "They are representative of the excellent golf found in our great state."

For more information about these courses or to schedule a visit to Mississippi, call toll-free 866-801-8551 or go to www.visitmississippi.org and receive a free Golf Travel Guide.

About Mississippi

* Golf friendly year-round weather and direct flights from major carriers;
* More than 150 courses offering all price points and design varieties in 5 distinct regions;
* Courses designed by top course architects that routinely garner national recognition;
* World-famous cuisine, Birthplace of the Blues, and luxurious casino resorts offering marquee entertainment and many other amenities;
* Family-themed attractions ranging from state parks to beaches;
* History and architecture; and,
* The Delta, home of some of the world's most fertile soil

More on golf travel news.