Southern Golf Gold in Mississippi
Three months ago I could not tell you one thing about the state of Mississippi as it pertains to golf. I certainly do not think it is considered a state known for its golf. As I so often do, I was reading about golf courses across the country and stumbled upon two very highly regarded courses in the Magnolia State that piqued my interest. The two courses sit in West Point, Mississippi. If you are wondering where in the world West Point, Mississippi is, you are not alone; I still am as well after spending three days there. Within the West Point limits sit two golf courses well worth a visit, Old Waverly and Mossy Oak. Old Waverly sits within a gated community and is a semi-private course, while Mossy Oak is just across the street and fully public. The courses are popular destinations for Mississippi State-faithful as they’re only a thirty minute drive from Starkville; Tuscaloosa, AL is also in close proximity, only about a ninety minute drive. Both courses are highly ranked in the state of Mississippi. For the 2020/2021 season Golf.com ranked Mossy Oak at number one in Mississippi and Mossy Oak number two.
The recently built Mossy Oak course has quickly become one of the best courses in the state of Mississippi
Old Waverly
Old Waverly was the first of the two courses built, having opened in 1988. It was founded by George Bryan, who just recently passed away in 2023. The course was designed by former U.S. Open winner Jerry Pate (who won at my home town course Atlanta Athletic Club) and Bob Cupp. The Course has hosted many tournaments, most notably the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open, and most recently the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur. The first views of Old Waverly even seem to make a a subtle nod to Augusta: you enter on a straight road lined with trees leading directly to the clubhouse.
The course has a large clubhouse and several on site dining options, one of those being formal. The entire property and experience evoked an allure of southern charm. The staff at both Old Waverly and Mossy Oak were very warm, friendly and accommodating for our entire stay. Rental cabins line the front segment of the property which are popular and very affordable options for stay and play options the course offers. Water is a constant theme across the course with several lakes, and the largest lake on property, Lake Waverly, comes into play on a handful of the back nine holes.
Old Wavery has five sets of tees and plays 7,088 yards from the back gold tees with a slope rating of 144. We played from the blue tees, carrying 6,496 yards. The course opens with three of its lower-ranked handicapped holes and offers the golfer a nice change to get settled in without too many early challenges. The rest of the front nine winds its way back through wooded area before working its way back towards the clubhouse.
The opening hole at Old Waverly is a short par four that brings first taste of water into paly on the right side of the hole
I thought the back nine had the more memorable and challenging holes of the two sides. The back opens with a dog left par five which brings water into play on the approach shot, as is also the case on numbers 12 and 13. Numbers 17 and 18 were two of the best holes on the course and great finishing holes. 17 is a moderate length par three with water on three sides. There is enough room for error where water should not come into play but also puts it on the golfer’s mind in the tee box.
Tee Box from number 17 at Old Waverly
Number eighteen was my favorite hole at Old Waverly and bears a similar setup to number 18 at TPC Sawgrass. The tee shot requires strong carry, with water lining the entire left side of the hole. I thought Old Waverly was a very nice golf course. At the same time, I would not go out of my way to play again. The course itself had a very traditional country club feel. I thought the course played easier on this day than the 139 slope rating. I also keep in mind we played the course in what was still the heart of winter. It was the first weekend the course had opened for the year and it was certainly still winter golf. I’ve seen many great pictures in the heart of summer or fall that my re-shape my opinion of this popular Mississippi destination.
Sunset views of the finishing hole at Old Waverly, as seen form the 18th green with the 18th fairway lining the left hand side of the picture
Mossy Oak
While I may not make a trip back to play Old Waverly, I would make moves to be able to play Mossy Oak again. Mossy Oak is a much newer course than Old Waverly. The Course was built in 2016 by Gil Hanse, his first design following Hanse’s Rio Olympic course build. The course has a full practice range and sporty clubhouse that looks like it was opened yesterday. It is home to the Mississippi State golf team and has a separate facility on site for that team. Similar to Old Waverly, there are cabins on site that groups can rent for a weekend stay. The cabins looked to have a similar build and layout to the cabins on site on Old Waverly, just a much newer construction with the course being only seven years old.
Vast views of the open layout of Mossy Oak as seen from the clubhouse; Mossy Oak lives up to it’s moto of Nature’s Golf; This place must look like a dream in the peak golf months
From first stepping on site, I loved the feel and aesthetic of this golf course. They broadcast their moto as ‘Nature’s Golf’ and this certainly holds true. We had three rounds to play on the trip and quickly decided two of the three would be at Mossy Oak. The course is a wide open links-style layout with very minimal trees coming into play. It was also designed and setup for walking, with tee boxes placed strategically near each green. The course is relatively flat with minimal elevation change, though a few approach shots are to elevated greens. I rode the first round and felt foolish for doing so once I realized how much of a walking course it really is. A number of the fairways are pretty open but it’s also important the golfer stay in the short grass, as shots fading into the long natural grass that comes into play after the second cut can easily lead to a lost ball. The long grass and flat layout give this course a true links feel. There are only two water hazards on the course, a far cry from layout and design of the neighboring Old Waverly.
The opening hole at Mossy Oak is a great taste of what the course brings, open fairways and challenging enough approach shots (I can attest as I failed to hit this green on both rounds)
From the tips, Mossy Oak plays 7,212 yard with a slope rating of 135. There are five sets of tees; we played from the blues, which carry 6,497 yards. There’s only one true lake carry on the par 3 11th hole. Mossy Oak has a great opening hole that provides adequate breathing room and error for your tee shot and a more strategic approach to find a green in regulation. Number nine is a short, fun par three that plays around 120 yards, and had a tightly placed pin placement for our two rounds. You shouldn’t lose too many balls in the trees, but there are a few holes where the wood line does come into play, as the property is heavily wooded on two of four sides of the course. The finale was also a great hole: a moderate-length par four with carry over a hill leading to a slightly elevated green right behind the clubhouse.
Number 18 is a great finishing hole at Mossy Oak, a slight dog leg with driving target just right of the lone tree on the hole
As I think back about the course and layout, there are some holes that you could maybe call “signature holes,” but also just a lot of great golf holes I enjoyed. That certainly is a driver as to why I am left with such a fond impression of Mossy Oak. It’s a great golf course with more than a few memorable golf holes. It is without a doubt the best course I have ever played in the state. Both Mossy Oak and Old Waverly left me thinking about what wonderful golf destination West Point must be in the summer and fall months. I think Mossy Oak will be a course that gains more accolades and well-deserved attention in the years to come. Just like I thought would be the case, there are no wrong answers in West Point, Mississippi.