Best Golf Courses in Mississippi

Where is the best golf in Mississippi?

Fallen Oak is the answer, and not really by debate. Tom Fazio built it on land MGM acquired for Beau Rivage, only opened it to resort guests, and somehow still landed it on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public list. It's the only Mississippi course on the list. You'll pay $300, you'll stay at Beau Rivage to play it, and you won't argue with either decision after the back nine. Past Fallen Oak, the conversation is open: Dancing Rabbit's Azaleas (Fazio + Jerry Pate, $89 peak) gives you the better design-to-cost ratio, and Grand Bear (Nicklaus, $127) is the Gulf Coast's value pick.

The Mississippi destination lineup

Gulf Coast

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Mississippi Gulf Coast

Nearest metro: Gulfport (GPT)

Why rank 1

If you're flying to Mississippi for golf, you're flying here. Fallen Oak, Grand Bear, and The Preserve sit inside the same 30-mile coastal strip, and you can play all three on a long weekend without driving more than half an hour between rounds. The casinos do the rest.

Three Beau Rivage-and-MGM-anchored rounds get you the entire trip story. Fallen Oak is the bucket-list pick; Grand Bear is the Nicklaus design most people don't know about; The Preserve (Jerry Pate, 2007) is the design-history footnote. Stay at Beau Rivage if Fallen Oak's on the card. If not, IP Casino or Hard Rock Biloxi will do the job for less.

14 courses·$$·$1,218/golfer

Marquee: Fallen Oak

Central Mississippi

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Magnolia Golf Trail

Metros along the trail: Jackson (JAN), Memphis, Gulfport

Why rank 2

The road-trip option, and the destination most Mississippi trips skip because they're staying on the Coast. Self-guided from Memphis to Gulfport via Jackson, 17 courses, designer names that include Davis Love III, Arthur Hills, and Bob Cupp. Pick this if your group has five nights and would rather see the state than collect rounds from one base.

Less a destination than a permission structure: 17 courses across the whole state, packaged so you can string together a trip without committing to any one resort. The high points are Mallard Pointe, The Bridges at Hollywood Casino, and Tupelo National. The low points are mostly fine. The drive from Memphis to Biloxi via Jackson is about eight hours of golf, BBQ stops, and casino lobbies. Pick your favorite five courses and call it a trip.

17 courses·$$·$1,278/golfer

Marquee: Fallen Oak

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Dancing Rabbit

Nearest metro: Jackson (JAN)

Why rank 3

The architecture argument. The Azaleas and The Oaks are both Fazio + Jerry Pate collaborations from the late 90s, both routed through the Choctaw casino property, both $89 peak. There's no second-tier filler at this resort.

Choctaw Pearl River Resort, central Mississippi, $89 peak greens fees on two courses that would charge double anywhere else. The Azaleas is the more refined routing; The Oaks is the one Golf Digest tagged as one of the most underrated in America. Resort-only access keeps the tee sheets tight, but you'll need a stay at the casino hotel either way. Bring your own dinner reservations. The resort's options are casino-floor adjacent.

8 courses·$$$·$1,008/golfer

Marquee: Dancing Rabbit - The Azaleas

Northern Mississippi

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Tunica

Nearest metro: Memphis (MEM)

Why rank 4

The cheapest entry into Mississippi golf and the closest to a real airport. Tunica National is $60 peak and hosts US Open Local Qualifying. You're 30 minutes from Memphis (BBQ included), and the casino room rate keeps the all-in below $1,500 a golfer for a long weekend.

The Mississippi Delta's small-format casino district, a half-hour south of Memphis. Tunica National is the Mark McCumber design that quietly hosts US Open qualifying, and at $60 peak it's the cheapest serious round in the state. River Bend Links rounds out a two-round trip without inflating the budget. The casino room rate is the value play. Weeknight rooms run under $100 across multiple properties.

6 courses·$·$919/golfer

Marquee: Tunica National Golf & Tennis

Which Mississippi destination is right for your group?

Trip archetypes pulled from the catalog and matched to a single destination apiece. Skim the "if" side; click through to the destination guide that fits.

When to plan a Mississippi golf trip

The strongest months for golf in Mississippi are Apr, May, Oct, Nov, based on 20-year playability scores combining temperature and precipitation across the state's destinations. Tee-time inventory and rate stacking both tighten as those windows fill; book early in your preferred month rather than late, especially for the marquee courses.

Frequently asked questions about golf in Mississippi