Mossy Oak Golf Club – Played June 2018
- Rankings: None of the four lists
- Location: 1 Mossy Oak Drive, West Point, Mississippi
- Year: 2016
- Architects: Gil Hanse
- Course Access: Public
- Walking Rules: Caddies & Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Gold: 7,212 yards, Par 72, 74.5 Rating/135 Slope
- Blue: 6,497 yards, Par 72, 71.0 Rating/127 Slope
- White: 6,087 yards, Par 72, 68.7 Rating/125 Slope
- Green: 5,530 yards, Par 72, 66.5 Rating/121 Slope
- Red: 5,089 yards, Par 72, 67.8 Rating/122 Slope
Our second course on this quick trip to Tennessee and Mississippi was the recent creation of Gil Hanse, Mossy Oak. It was completed in 2016 as a sister course to Old Waverly. So much so, that they are less than a mile apart.
Hanse is obviously one of the hottest names in the golf course architecture world right now. He’s had high profile designs such as the Olympic Course in Rio and big-time renovations at places like Aronimink. Due to that sterling reputation, I was excited to tackle this course.
Mossy Oak was founded through a partnership of George and Marcia Bryan and the company Mossy Oak. The Bryans are the founders of Old Waverly, while Mossy Oak is based in West Point.
Their vision for Mossy Oak is “Nature’s Golf”. The goal of that vision is to have a pure golf experience that maintains the local habitat. I think you will see from the photos that this course is definitely symbolic of nature and the land around it.
With all that information out there, let’s get into the course tour. We played the blue tees and all yardages will be from those markers.
Hole 1 – 398 yards – Par 4
The first tee shot provides plenty of width to fit a shot into the fairway. Driver is an easy choice here.
Your second shot plays uphill over a large bunker.
Hole 2 – 453 yards – Par 4
Width is the story of this tee shot as well. There are actually two fairways available if you really pull one.
The green sits perched above the fairway and is quite small for the yardage of the hole. You can see the contouring below.
Hole 3 – 268 yards – Par 4
The third hole presents you with options. The green is reachable but sits well above the fairway and is a small target. Deep bunkers on the left will easily catch a wayward tee ball.
From the photo below you can see how difficult it is to hit this green from the tee. Even if your aim is true, you need a great bounce to stay on the green.
Hole 4 – 173 yards – Par 3
While the bunkers will draw your gaze, the green is a large target. A smooth swing should get you there even if your shot is a bit off line.
Hole 5 – 509 yards – Par 5
It’s holes like this that make you glad you have a forecaddie. They can help you with lines and carry distances. The goal here is to avoid the bunker complex in the middle of this photo.
Below is a look at the second shot.
Here is the view from some third shots. Pretty straightforward from here.
Hole 6 – 392 yards – Par 4
This tee shot can be tough if you move the ball to the right. Fades will move more right due to the large slope in the fairway. The green is elevated, so you need to bring your approach shot in high. The best angle is just to the left of the tree in the distance.
The putting surface has a dome shape, which makes all putts a challenge.
Hole 7 – 556 yards – Par 5
Here we have a big, long hole that swings downhill and to the left. A good drive can set you up for a chance at the green.
Below is the view from the top of the hill in the landing area.
Hanse presents you with a crazy green featuring all kinds of slopes. You do not want to go long.
Hole 8 – 340 yards – Par 4
This is one of my favorite holes on the front. There is a ditch bisecting the fairway, but it isn’t in play with a good tee shot.
Here is where the hole gets good in my mind. The elevated green presents a visual challenge. Approach shots cannot come in with too much spin or they risk coming back down the hill.
The green is another sloping affair.
Hole 9 – 128 yards – Par 3
The front side finishes on a short par three. While not long on distance, it is not short on difficulty. If you find one of the bunkers a par is a struggle. Long is also not good.
Hole 10 – 282 yards – Par 4
From a short one-shot hole, we move to a short par four. If you can hit a power fade this hole is made for you. The green is tucked just beyond the tree.
As you would expect on a driveable hole, the green is pretty large. It has plenty of slopes though to keep your attention.
Hole 11 – 224 yards – Par 3
This tee is probably the most scenic spot on the course. While the view is nice, the shot is devious. I like that Hanse provided the long strip of fairway for shorter hitters to bail out on the left.
There is more grade in the green than it appears below. It slopes severely towards where I am standing to take this photo.
Hole 12 – 565 yards – Par 5
We’ve got a big hole here. From the elevated tee, you can bomb driver, which you’ll need.
There is a large false front on this green. Shots coming in with too much juice will definitely come back as much as 20-30 yards.
The photo below illustrates the slope of the green and how severe it is. Putting is a tricky proposition.
Hole 13 – 341 yards – Par 4
I don’t recommend driver on this tee. There are areas of tall grass on each side of the fairway. With an elevated tee, shorter clubs get plenty of distance and allow you to be precise.
Long is dead on the approach shot. In light of that, make sure to take the right club.
Hole 14 – 406 yards – Par 4
This tee shot plays to a blind landing area. The preferred line is just to the right of the high grass on the left. The slope of the fairway will guide your ball to the right once it lands.
Your approach shot plays to a slightly elevated green. Be sure to avoid the big bunkers on the right.
Hole 15 – 200 yards – Par 3
This is the most difficult par three in my opinion. It’s not the longest, but the penalty for missing is high. Left is absolutely dead with deep bunkers and tall grass. As a cherry on top, the green is on the smaller side.
Hole 16 – 365 yards – Par 4
The tee shot here must be on a good line to have a decent approach shot. Right is no good with the sand and if you go too far left trees and rough come into play.
Below is a look at the approach shot.
Hole 17 – 465 yards – Par 5
From this tee, the fairway is wide open. You should aim your drive just to the left of the bunker down the right side.
The real challenge comes on the second shot. Hitting a three wood or long iron to this green is a hard shot because the green is difficult to hold. Oh, and stay out of the big ass bunker on the left. That thing will swallow you whole!
Hole 18 – 432 yards – Par 4
The final hole can be a real kick in the teeth if you are trying to post a score. It’s long and demanding. The fairway narrows once you get to the bunker and you don’t want to miss left in the high grass.
You get no break with the approach shot. A longer shot plays to a wild green with a large slope on the front portion.
The holes at Mossy Oak are quite a collection. Laid out over a sweeping property where you can see most of the holes from many vantage points, the course doesn’t fool you. Everything is visible, but the land movement and plentiful bunkering make for a great challenge.
Mossy Oak is a modern design and you definitely feel that when you play it. Minimalism is the name of the game. There is no rough other than the high grass off the fairways. In my opinion, it would be even better if they shaved that down more. To me, the greens are the real stars of the property. They have character and plenty of contours. Like the other Hanse courses I’ve played, I thoroughly enjoyed Mossy Oak.
