WEST POINT — Clay Homan likes to reserve judgment before giving his thoughts about a golf course.
The Mississippi State men’s golf coach has seen a lot of good golf courses all over the country and in the southeast, including Mississippi. His team has practiced at one of the best golf courses in the state: Old Waverly in West Point.
Another golf course is set to open across the street from Old Waverly this week. Mossy Oak Golf Club had a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday and began taking tee times for public play Saturday. Co-founders George Bryan — who also founded Old Waverly — and Toxey Haas, founder and CEO of Mossy Oak, spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I’ve been around two or three times the last week and it’s as good as advertised,” Homan said. “It’s going to be as unlike any golf course that’s ever been built, not only in this state but in this region.”
Mossy Oak is also the home of MSU’s practice facility. The facility includes a 6,300 square-foot team clubhouse with locker rooms, players’ lounge, coaches’ offices, 500 square-foot indoor putting studio with Sam PuttLab training system, exercise room and conference room. There is a driving range, three short-game greens, an 18,000 square-foot putting green in the shape of the state of Mississippi, two other putting greens and a 2,431 square-foot indoor hitting bay, equipped with two Trackman swing and ball flight analysis systems and a club repair room.
The facility and golf course were designed by Gil Hanse, who also designed the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that hosted the Summer Games last month. Hanse, along with professional golfer Jerry Pate, who won the 1976 U.S. Open at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Georgia, also attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.
MSU women’s golf coach Ginger Brown-Lemm said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Hanse, and she likes what she has seen.
“It is fantastic and it’s incredible,” Brown-Lemm said. “The level of skill you can acquire is monumental for a college program, playing it and Old Waverly.
“I think it’s a bit intimating because it’s a challenge we (otherwise) don’t have access to around here,” she added.
A $12-million investment
The 7,400-yard, par-72 course is open to the public and will offer a challenging round for amateurs. Haas said the views are stunning and all the flags can be seen from the sixth hole.
The property used to be a dairy farm and Haas was almost speechless Friday when he looked around at the property.
“You have an Augusta-style course across the road and you have a St. Andrews-style course right here,” Haas said, comparing Old Waverly to the course that hosts the Masters and the Mossy Oak course to the renowned Scottish pro course. “I’ve listened to a multitude of people who have played golf all over the country, and this course can absolutely, 100 percent be set up to be a serious challenge to the best of PGA golfers. At the same time, it can be played by average golfers and really be enjoyed too.”
Haas, Bryan and others invested about $12 million for the project, according to information the Golden Triangle Development LINK provided The Dispatch. Last April, Bryan agreed to put up $750,000 of his own money to get access to water, sewer and road improvements near the course. LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins, said Bryan will be reimbursed via a tax-increment financing (TIF) agreement that will essentially reduce the property’s ad valorem taxes until the investment is repaid.
Haas said the course creates 60 jobs, 30 full-time and 30 part-time. He expects that number will increase as the course thrives.
Playing fees for the course range from $107 to $150, according to its website. That does not include caddie fees.
‘It’s just stunning’
Homan compared the course to Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia, which has hosted Southeastern Conference championships. He said the two courses are similar because they have very little rough and it is mostly fairway.
He also compared Mossy Oak to Merion, which hosted the 2013 U.S. Open won by Justin Rose. Both courses are walking friendly with greens close to the next tee box.
Homan said missing the green will put players in trouble, but they’ll have a myriad of options.
“You can putt it, you can chip it, you can flop it, you can play bump and runs,” Homan said. “You can really just use your imagination. That’s really unique because most golf courses when you miss the greens, you’ve only got one or two shots you can possibly play.”
Brown-Lemm compared Mossy Oak to Bandon Dunes in Oregon.
“It’s got length characteristics, but they are very average size greens,” Brown-Lemm said. “It’s well bunkered. It’s incredibly beautiful on top of all of the challenge that it is.
“It’s a calmness to the land out there,” she added. “It’s got gentle movement to the fairways. There wasn’t a lot of dirt moved, so it really just used the natural lands. It fit perfectly for what Mr. Bryan and Mossy Oak stand for. It’s just stunning.”
Both coaches are excited that their teams get to practice at the course, and they feel like it will have them ready for any challenge they face.
“It’s going to be a challenge. It’s not a member golf course as far as just going to play and it being easy. It’s going to be very, very difficult,” Homan said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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