1) The Azaleas No. 15 at sunset
The Oaks, sandtrap No. 16
The Azaleas waterfall on No. 18Yosemite Sam was often vexed by that Rascal Rabbit, Bugs Bunny. Too bad ol’ Sam never had the pleasure of chasing the Dancing Rabbit, the beautiful, challenging golf resort in Philadelphia, Mississippi. If a golfer is looking for a combination of golf and gaming in the warm hospitality of the South, Dancing Rabbit has everything you need. So much so that they’ve made all the lists for the Top Public or Resort Courses in the United States by the most influential golf magazines.
Named after the Dancing Rabbit Treaty between the Choctaws and the U.S. Government, Dancing Rabbit features twin 18-hole creations of Jerry Pate/ Tom Fazio. Called The Azaleas and The Oaks, they run through the tranquil forested hills of central Mississippi, in the Pearl River Indian Resort. For a golfer seeking the quintessential southern parkland golf experience, they are the next best thing to Augusta, winding past brilliant azaleas and dogwood bursting into bloom.
Built in 1997 (Azaleas) and 1999 (The Oaks) respectively, Dancing Rabbit’s two courses have very distinctive characters. Azalea is the lush, flower-spangled layout that runs 7128 yards from the tips (4909 from the front tees). With accepting fairways but plenty of trouble for wayward shots, The Azaleas features fewer elevation changes than The Oaks but might be the more challenging of the designs.
The 8th Hole, the No. 1 handicap hole, is a bracing par four that stretches 465 yards from the back tees. Errant drives are swallowed by a fairway hazard on the left side and overhanging pines down the right side. The green is a stingy 39 yards deep by 30 yards wide and is protected by a bunker front left. Take your par and smile.
Looking for a memorable par three? The seventh hole is a precise downhill carry 184 yards over wilderness to a shallow green. You need plenty of nerve to aim at the pin when it is tucked behind the yawning bunker front left.
The Oaks’ terrain changes and bunkering will be familiar to anyone who knows the other work by Fazio and Pate. After a carry over a long pond. the ninth hole rises gradually to a tricky green protected by a series of bunkers. Get on the wrong side of the green and a three putt becomes a definite possibility. Tantalizing short par fours are always the sign of a good course and No. 8 fills the bill. From an elevated tee, players can drive the green just 327 yards away, but long shots will find water while woods and bunkers lie in wait on both sides of the fairway.
Perhaps the best way to experience Dancing Rabbit’s charm is to stay in the luxurious rooms on the second floor of the clubhouse. Warmly furnished with views of the course, they have a charm all their own. Best yet, guests receive VIP carts with which to explore the nearby Silver Star Casino and Resort, a spectacular hotel/ gaming centre that houses spas, a conference centre and seven restaurants. Try the wine cellar at the outstanding Philp M’s, a gourmet restaurant named for Chief Philip Martin, the instigator behind Dancing Rabbit.
Rates for play & stay start from $150 for weekdays and $199 weekends. Dancing Rabbit is an hour northeast of Jackson, Mississippi, and can be reached by air from most of the major American airport hubs. For more info: www.pearlriverresort.com
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