Mississippi Magnolia Golf Trail Creates Clustered Courses

The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Division of Tourism announced that the Magnolia Golf Trail has been revamped and now offers 11 member courses and customized packages.

Magnolia Golf Trail courses are found in two convenient clusters making it easy for golfers to play many courses with short drives in between. The cluster in southern Mississippi on or near the Gulf Coast includes:

• The Preserve (Jerry Pate, opened last July, affiliated with the Palace Casino Resort)
• The Bridges (Arnold Palmer, Gulf Coast gem, Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis amenity)
• Shell Landing (Davis Love III, ranked 4th best course in the state out of more than 150)
• Quail Hollow (Arthur Hills, carved through the towering pines of Percy Quin State Park)
• Timberton (Mark McCumber, inspired Hattiesburg course, easy drive from Gulf Coast)

The cluster of Magnolia Golf Trail course in the Delta and Hills regions of northern Mississippi includes:
• Tunica National Golf & Tennis Club (McCumber, hosts pro golf and tennis tournaments)
• River Bend Links (hard on the Mighty Mississippi River, popular player friendly design)
• Mallard Pointe (Bob Cupp, pure golf set in wildlife-laden John Kyle State Park)
• Big Oaks (located in Tupelo, birthplace of Elvis, scenic water hazards dazzle and bedevil)
• The Dogwoods (Gary Roger Baird, opened last year to great review from players, media)
• Kirkwood National (on-course cottages offer relaxing, fun stay-and-play experience)

Visitors can access the northern cluster by flying into Memphis, which is 25 minutes from Tunica and its world-class casino resorts and two Magnolia Golf Trail courses. The Gulfport-Biloxi airport on the Gulf Coast is a short drive to the cluster of Magnolia Golf Trail Courses in southern Mississippi and its casino resorts.

"Mississippi has rapidly become recognized as home to one of the nation’s finest collection of public-access golf courses, as well as offering many after-golf activities, from casino gaming to enjoying our abundant natural resources including beaches and state parks," says D. Craig Ray, the Mississippi Development Authority Division of Tourism Director.

For more details, visit www.magnoliagolftrail.com.