SAUCIER, Miss. Tom Fazio, golf architect and heavyweight in private clubs. Tom Fazio’s designs are found on the Golfweek Best list of the top private courses throughout the U.S. Several of these facilities rank among the best modern courses in America.
Wade Hampton Club, Congaree, in South Carolina and Estancia, in Arizona are all among the top 50. They’re also private. The courses he designs are usually part of private clubs that cater to the needs and wants of their members.
Fazio has also excelled at building courses for a different segment of golf, casinos. Fazio has designed or worked with seven of the 50 best casino courses in the U.S.
Fazio’s Shadow Creek, in Las Vegas, has been a top-ranking casino course in Golfweek’s Best rankings in the U.S.A. for many years. The extravagant desert course in North Las Vegas shows what can be achieved when money is not an issue. Its green fee of $1,000 or more is also in line with this. Shadow Creek’s play is limited as well. Stay at the MGM and take a limousine to the course. You will be treated like a celebrity.
There’s a much better way to enjoy the best of Fazio Casino Golf that you shouldn’t miss, and is also more affordable.
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Fallen Oak, near Biloxi in Mississippi, has a more natural layout than Shadow Creek. The course, which is operated by MGM’s Beau Rivage Resort and Casino (a AAA Four Diamond Award winner), may be the best way for golfers in the public to get a taste of a top Fazio design with all its trappings. Fallen Oak is No. Golfweek’s Best ranking of the top U.S. casino courses is No. 2.
Fallen Oak’s gated entrance, long drive through live oaks, ponds, and the clubhouse with its stately architecture, to the personalized lockers, and the frozen watermelon at the turn of a hot day make a public access player feel like they are a part of an elite club. The service at Fallen Oak is unmatched in the world of public-access golf.
Mark Powell, Director of Golf, makes sure it.
The long-time PGA of America professional who assumed the helm of Fallen Oak Golf Course in 2021 said, “We want to make it feel special. “We want you to know that we are there for every step.” “We want to make sure that everyone in our office knows your name.”
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Beau Rivage guests can enjoy all of this on a course which is rarely crowded. It hosts only 14,000 rounds per year. Fallen Oak closes for several weeks each year, a luxury that most public access layouts cannot afford. This equates to 40 players per day.
Stretch out. Enjoy the peace and quiet. Enjoy the quiet.
Fazio opened Fallen Oak in 2006. For a decade, it was the site of the PGA Tour Champions in Mississippi. Fallen Oak, unlike Shadow Creek’s heavily-manufactured site, is situated on an incredible Southern site that appears to be entirely natural for golf. Fallen Oak, aside from being the most-rated public access course in Mississippi, is also a high-ranking casino course. The top green fee is $275. You could play four rounds of Fallen Oak golf for less than the cost of one round at Shadow Creek.
Fallen Oak is also No. Golfweek’s Best list includes all resort courses within the United States. Fallen Oak is ranked No. Golfweek’s Best list of the top modern courses in the U.S. since 1960.
Fallen Oak is home to a rolling terrain dotted with wetlands, and some specimen trees that were moved during construction. The conditioning is excellent, comparable to the best private clubs in Mississippi even during a hot summer. The greens are always in motion, but never too difficult.
The bunkering is the best.
Many resort courses have bunkers slashed across the countryside, which threatens players at all levels. Fallen Oak offers a more restrained approach to bunkering. One well-placed, strategically placed trap is often enough. Fallen Oak’s bunkers underwent a major renovation in 2014, during which many traps were removed. The remaining bunkers received a new facelift in 2022.
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There are many holes with only one fairway bunker. No. The hole is long and par 4 – there is only one fairway bunker left – it doesn’t require any additional protection. Nos. Nos. 4 and 9 are the same on the front. No. The 11th hole has no fairway sand traps and the remainder of the nine-hole back is also restrained. The wide corridors allow for enough ground movement to challenge the golfer without having every shot end up in sand.
The same goes for most greens. Fallen Oak is a course where you will face more bunker splashes and chips than any other. Since the bunker renovations have been completed, Fallen Oak’s entire layout has a beautiful understated feel with a Gulf Coast theme. It allows the terrain, trees, ponds, and greens to be free from sand. If you want to get more sand, head down to the beach.
Powell, who worked at another Mississippi golf club at the same time, said, “I was very impressed with their first redesign.” “I played here in the beginning, and I always thought that the course was too crowded with bunkers. When I first saw the course after the renovation, I thought it was even better. It’s awesome.”
Par-72 can stretch beyond 7,500 yards but, from the right tees, it’s an exciting challenge to try and hit a smooth putting surface. The roll-offs on several greens are strategic and reward good shots. The 510-acre estate has no unachievable or thoughtless approaches.
The Beau Rivage Resort & casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Courtesy The Beau Rivage).
The Beau Rivage is a great place to visit, as it offers a wide range of dining options and other experiences. It’s a good idea to visit during the baseball season and attend a Biloxi Shucks minor-league match at MGM Park, which is located across the street. This is a small ballpark, which makes for a nice break from the casino tables.
Powell and his team host frequent VIP events at the Beau Rivage. If you play enough at the table, you may be invited to participate in a sponsored casino tournament that could earn you thousands of dollars in credit. Powell also hosts a variety of events for the club’s small group of regular casino members.
Powell stated, “We want it to be fun for everyone.” We’ve got member tourneys, a fantastic club championship, and all sorts of games throughout the week.
We are always looking for ways to improve our guests’ experience. “Sometimes a small thing can go a long ways.”
Sounds like a private club with public access? This is the perfect execution of an excellent idea.
