WHERE WE PLAY Dancing Rabbit GC

LET’S FACE I T: Dancing Rabbit GC might be in Philadelphia, but it’s in the middle of nowhere. The nearly two-hour drive northeast from Mississippi’s capital of Jackson to the ancestral lands of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Philadelphia, Miss., seemed eternal to our anxious band of golfers. Seventeen-Mile Drive it ain’t.

Upon arrival, though, we discovered Dancing Rabbit is worth any length drive. The 36-hole facility is part of the Pearl River Resort, whose Silver Star Hotel & Casino, Golden Moon Hotel & Casino, Bok Homa Casino, Geyser Falls Water Theme Park and Clearwater Key rise from the featureless landscape to greet visitors.

Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate sculpted the 7,128-yard, par-72
Azaleas course—reserved exclusively for resort guests—
from the region’s ancient pines and hardwoods. Opened in
July 1997, it conjured up images of Augusta National as
azaleas exploded in full bloom throughout the immaculately
manicured layout, whose numerous awards include a No. 5
spot in Golf Digest’s “Best In State.”
Meanwhile, the 7,076-yard, par-72 Oaks course—also a
highly acclaimed Fazio/Pate effort, opened in 1999—features
many elevation changes and large, undulating greens.
Oaks was routed through the same wooded template as its
adjacent, older sister, but, since 2005, has offered golfers a
different experience. Chalk the impromptu landscaping
renovation up to Hurricane Katrina, which flattened more
than 1,000 trees (incredibly, Azaleas only sustained minor
damage), opening up vistas on many holes. —S.D.

COURTESY OF DANCING RABBIT GC

NOW YOU KNOW

Dancing Rabbit’s southern plantation-style clubhouse has eight second-floor guest rooms and a common area, making it suitable for small groups. Guests can use private golf carts to navigate the resort.