DESTINATIONS
Dancing Rabbit
Southern charm on, off course by bill harper
When it comes to resort golf, Dancing Rabbit has to be a finalist in anyone’s – and everyone’s – rankings. Don’t be bashful; start handing out a blue ribbon with goldplated lettering and all the trimmings. As Janet Leach, sports marketing manager for Mississippi’s tourism division, said: “You don’t expect accommodations to be that great, but they are. You just want to sit in the room or on the veranda. It’s so pretty.” It’s so Southern it drips with that renowned reputation, the mansion-like building and all. Oh, that’s right, there is also golf. It’s pretty darn good itself, once you pry yourself away from the amentities. Although only 15 years old, the grand clubhouse feels and looks older. The building houses the pro shop, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a pleasant dining area and bar plus eight spacious king-size suites upstairs. A veranda wraps around the entire second story, giving guests spectacular views of some of the golf holes as well as the driving range. Let’s not forget the casinos, also part of the Pearl River Resort, a sprawling development by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Once the sun starts diminishing, Silver Star or Golden Moon become the headliners, giving the golf package added extras. Director of golf Mark Powell knows his golf facility is only a portion of the entertainment package. As a result, each guest is afforded his/her own golf cart to cruise through the backwoods from the exquisite 48 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org
housing complex to a front-door parking spot for your cart at the casino. Now that’s a perk!! Top, the Azaleas course and above, the Oaks course at Dancing If Dancing Rabbit Rabbit in Mississippi. Golfers come from everywhere, not just Golf Club’s restaurant doesn’t offer what your taste buds desire, the surrounding states but worldwide. “We have very high-service standards it can certainly be found in the two casinos with a slew of cuisine options, including the much like your best country club, but have thousands of golfers that play the courses Villa Restaurant at Golden Moon. But golf owns the drawing power with each year,” said Powell. The Azaleas course ranks No. 3 in the the 36 holes designed jointly by Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate. Originally this was a vast state and the Oaks No. 5; both are excepacreage of seemingly worthless landscape, tional. “The Azaleas has received more notorinot something the Indians could use for ety,” said Powell, “but the Oaks is rated as farming or anything else. Thanks to Fazio’s and Pate’s imagina- the harder course. “Both courses complement each other tions, two splendid golf course’s emerged. The complex has won numerous national with their differences and golf-course design. “The Oaks has more elevation changes, awards, the latest being a No. 32 ranking in Golf Magazine’s Best Courses You Can Play water features and rock formations; while the Azaleas has more creeks, valleys and, of in America. course, flowers. The Oaks has lush Zyosia And rightly so. “It is very seldom golfers do not walk fairways and Champion Bermuda greens, away totally impressed,” explained Powell, while the Azaleas has Bermuda fairways whose task when hired was to move the and A-4 bent-grass greens. “I have not ever seen two championship complex to the next level. “It is our goal to be the flagship golf resort golf courses that start from the same clubfor not only the Mississippi Band of Choc- house that are so different.’’ The golf alone is worth it. The caino is taw Indians, but the state.” Powell is a master at the extra touch, such one amentity, but there is also a water park as a crushed ice machines and iced towels which draws tremendous crowds. For more information: www.dancingrabon the course for hot summer days. Weather in fall and spring is perfect for golf getaways, bitgolf.com and www.pearlriverresort.com . however.