You wouldn’t think it, but golf and the blues are inseparable. Fact is golfers love the blues. We must because we’re forever singing them when our game is bad, play is slow, and so on. This brings me to a proposition!

What if you could combine golf, real blues, and some other fun and games into one memorable trip? Ten days where it’s up to you whether you play a round, or just play around.

The trip that you are about to experience was in fact a trip that was orchestrated by the Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism for a group of international golf tour operators that had desires to provide the Mississippi experience to their international clients.

Sit back and relax because that is what we do best in Mississippi. Imagine your clubs in hand and brush up on Son House, Elmore James and Muddy Waters.

Mississippi the river may be mighty, but Mississippi the state is even mightier when it comes to golf and blues, as in the authentic, Delta variety. It gives new meaning to club hopping, and when you need a break from all the excitement, you can drop a few bucks in one of the largest gaming regions in the United States.

So let’s get started. You’re about to experience some of the southern U.S.’s finest golf, cuisine, gaming venues, sights and, of course, music. This is where the blues – and some would say jazz and rock and roll – was born. The home of the single most important root source of modern popular music, a natural resource as vital to the region as oil is to the Saudis. This is where you can hear the blues, not the bastardized variety that everyone from Eric Clapton to hard-rock types have twisted into commercial success.

Speaking of hopping around, it’s a trip that will take us into four of the state’s five regions. It starts, fittingly so, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, and ends, perhaps also fittingly so, overlooking the sparkling Gulf of Mexico. In between we’ll visit some of the state’s most popular destinations. When we’re done, this is one trip you’ll want to take.

Delta Bound

Things get rolling, or rocking and rolling, if you will, when we fly into Memphis, a symbolic start given the city’s rich musical heritage. Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, B.B. King and many others got there starts here. We’re also on the cusp of the famous Mississippi Delta, which, it has been said, “begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and ends on Catfish Row in Vicksburg, Mississippi.”

But we’ll have to leave a visit to Sun Records and Graceland for another time. We’re off to the heart of the Mississippi Delta, nearby Tunica, Mississippi, where we’ll book into Harrah’s Grand Tunica Resort.

Tunica is the third largest gaming region in the United States after Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Harrah’s Tunica is the largest casino resort between those gaming hotbeds. Is it luxurious? You can bet on it. On the over 2,200 acres you’ll find slots galore, 80 table games, nine restaurants, a championship golf course, live entertainment and sporting events, even skeet shooting.

The famous Mississippi Blues Trail begins on Highway 61 in Tunica and stretches throughout the state’s five regions. Described as being “like a necklace, with each site a real pearl,” the trail, created by the MS Blues Commission, is a project to place interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the blues. Markers may honour a birthplace, a club or performance site, or a final resting place with a historical marker. The first one was set in place in 2006 at Charley Patton’s grave site in Holly Ridge. There are currently over 70 markers, with plans for more than 120. At the Tunica Visitors Center you can see Tunica’s marker dedicated to America’s Blues Highway. Also in the county are markers for James Cotton, Son House and Harold “Hardface” Clanton.

You’ll be officially welcomed in Tunica for either breakfast, lunch and dinner at Paula Deen’s Buffet. Deen is the Food Network cooking diva and Emmy Award-winning television personality. The restaurant is designed after her own home but we’ll forgive her the indulgence because the Queen of Southern Cuisine’s down-home recipes live up to their billing. Try not to eat too much or stay up too late – not an easy task in these parts – because day two is a busy one, and you’ll want to be in game shape, if you know what I mean.

Right out of a John Grisham novel

Hotels, casinos and golf courses have all played a big part in putting Tunica on the map. With nine casinos, over 6,000 hotel rooms, more than 50 restaurants, and exciting headliner entertainment, it’s easy to see why Tunica has become one of the nation’s hottest destinations. Throw in three championship golf courses – Tunica National, The Links at Cottonwoods, and River Bend Links – and is it any wonder there aren’t enough hours in the day when you visit Tunica.

Speaking of places on the must-do list, after the tour we’ll head for lunch at the famous Hollywood Café. This atmospheric landmark has been a fixture in Tunica since 1969 and draws people from near and far. You’ll revel in the warm southern hospitality that has made it the choice of a who’s who of celebrities, sports stars and dignitaries. John Grisham was a regular long before he became a famous author, and he mentioned The Hollywood Café several times in his best-seller, A Time to Kill. And Marc Cohn immortalized the restaurant in his award winning song “Walking in Memphis”.

After lunch we’ll tee it up for the first time at The Links at Cottonwoods, located right at Harrah’s. Designer Hale Irwin brings Scotland to the Delta Region with this par-72, 7,000-yard links-style gem. You wouldn’t think that someone with Irwin’s rather staid demeanour and methodical playing style could have designed something offering as much adventure and fun.

Any big numbers and lost balls will be all but forgotten when we wrap up day two with dinner at one of Tunica’s many fine restaurants. We’ll then hunker down at Harrah’s and get ready for a big day in historic Clarksdale.

Take the next car to Clarksdale

After checking out we’ll have breakfast at the Blue & White Café. Located on legendary Hwy 61, it’s another local landmark that was voted as the best non-casino dining experience in Tunica in 2004.

From there we’re off to the Tunica River Park, a one-of-a kind experience that showcases the legend and life of the Mississippi River and its history. Overlooking the Mississippi River from a harbour on the eastern bank, the River Park Museum features informative exhibits, two stories of history including an observation deck, and aquariums with native aquatic life. The park also includes a 130-acre riverside forest with walking trails. And what would a stay in Tunica be without a cruise on the mighty Mississippi. We’ll take an hour-long one, before heading to Clarksdale, the heart of the Mississippi Delta and what blues aficionados from around the world consider “ground zero” for the form.

You can feel the blues from the moment we arrive in Clarksdale. The city has been historically significant in the development of the blues. The Mississippi Blues Trail has dedicated three markers here, including one to a house on the Stovall Plantation where the great Muddy Waters lived for most of his first 30 years.

The restored house is on display at the Delta Blues Museum, which we’ll visit. Exhibits include significant blues-related memorabilia and art portraying the blues tradition. A great supporter of the museum has been rock band ZZ Top, especially front man Billy Gibbons.

We’ll dine at Madidi, which is co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. Considered one of Mississippi’s premier dining experiences, it offers a variety of French technique dishes ranging from rack of lamb to hybrid bass.

After dinner we’ll catch the finest in Delta Blues at the Ground Zero Blues Club. Also co-owned by Freeman, the club occasionally brings in national acts but more often than not features musicians who live in the Mississippi Delta and carry on the tradition of their musical forefathers, like Charley Patton, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. You may even be lucky enough to catch Freeman himself. He has a home outside of town and often stops by to visit with friends and customers.

We’re goin’ to Jackson, look out Jackson town

From Clarksdale we head to Grenada, where we’ll play the Dogwoods Golf Course at Hugh White State Park. Located adjacent to Grenada Lake, this beautiful championship course is carved out of the native hardwoods and pines of the Mississippi Hill Country and stretches out to 7,100 yards. It was ranked as one of America’s Best New Courses in 2007 by Golf Digest.

We’re then on to historic Jackson, the state capital and a hotbed for civil rights activism during the 1960s. It’s also famous for its music – blues, gospel and R&B – and is home to the world-famous Malaco Records recording studio, one of five area landmarks to be recognized with markers by the Mississippi Blues Trail.

For local hotspots it’s hard to beat Hal & Mal’s, a favourite spot for blues and brews. You also might catch anything from traditional Irish music to folkie Michelle Shocked. But regardless of who’s on stage, you’ll enjoy a neighbourhood-bar atmosphere and some of the best live music in the state. This downtown spot offers distinctly southern fare, including red beans and rice, po’ boys, burgers, quiches and seafood. Be sure to keep an eye out for actors. Those who regularly film in the state like to hang out here. We’ll stay overnight in Jackson and have breakfast there in the morning.

Natchez, naturally

Following breakfast in Jackson and a short driving tour of the downtown area, it’s off to Natchez.

Natchez sits high on the bluffs above the Mississippi River. Founded by French colonists in 1716, its perfectly preserved homes and buildings suggest a place time forgot. But Natchez has a thriving music and arts scene and offers many other events and historical attractions for visitors.

A Mississippi Blues Trail marker – The Natchez Burning – recalls the April 23, 1940, fire that swept through the Rhythm Night Club, killing 209 people, including bandleader Walter Barnes, who was considered a strong contemporary of both Duke Ellington and Woody Herman. The second deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history has been memorialized in many blues numbers over the years.

After lunch you will want to play the Beau Pré Golf Club that sits on the banks of Second Creek and features a 90-foot sheer clay bluff, vast canyons, numerous feeder creeks, rolling terrain, and abundant wildlife. Measuring almost 7,000 yards from the tips, its four finishing holes, though maybe not for the faint of heart, will leave a golf memory to last a lifetime.

Non-golfers can take in Natchez’s southern charm and grace and a deeply rooted history that has embraced and preserved many cultures. A leisurely stroll will carry you back into that history. But downtown Natchez is also buzzing with events, development, beautification, revitalization and more. Enough to keep even the most organized tourist more than busy.

Home show

First on the agenda is a tour of Natchez’s museums and magnificent antebellum homes. This style of architecture was popular during the Antebellum Age, the time period in America from after the birth of the United States to the start of the Civil War.

Natchez’s dozen or so pre-Civil War mansions are open for year-round tours. You, too, can walk through these impressive palaces of the cotton kings and see — in most homes — the original Italian marble, Irish crystal, French porcelain and English silver (retrieved from where it was buried in the garden during the war).

These mansions are so emblematic of the old south that more than one has been used as the backdrop for period films, including “Huckleberry Finn,” “Show Boat” and the TV miniseries “North and South.”

Make sure that you allow yourself to spend some time shopping in Natchez’s quaint downtown area shops.

Later in the afternoon we leave for Biloxi on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It’s basically 60 miles of Gulf of Mexico coast that encompasses three counties – Hancock, Harrison and Jackson. The list of things to see and do is almost as long as the 26 miles of picturesque, white-sand beaches. There are world-class golf courses, championship fishing and tantalizing cuisine. Also, plentiful shopping and must-see cultural attractions, including the stately historic homes surrounded by moss-draped magnolias. And, of course, casinos, top-name entertainment, and spectacular stage shows.

We’ll stay in Biloxi, a city with a history that spans over 300 years. When gambling was legalized in Mississippi in the 1990s, Biloxi became an important centre for casinos. Tourists with a gaming urge have been flocking to Biloxi ever since.

Some of our group check into either the IP Casino Resort Spa – one of the Gulf Coast’s premier casino resorts while others prefer the condo style luxury that is provided by Gulf Coast Resort Rentals.

Casino-rama

So much great golf here, so little time!  Golfers are going to squeeze in 2 rounds today starting with an early round at the Shell Landing Golf Club in Gauthier. Designed by Davis Love III, this 18-hole, par-72 layout takes advantage of all the natural resources available to it. Named for the rare gopher turtles that thrive throughout the property, Shell Landing uses tall pines and generous marshes and wetlands to create a fun and memorable experience.

When the course opened, it was promptly named the 5^th “best new upscale course in America” by Golf Digest. More recently it was named the 3^rd “best public access course” in the state by Golfweek and is continually rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest’s Places to Play. Large greens, superb conditioning and memorable holes are just a few things to like about this public gem.

Non-golfers can put on their own game face and check out Biloxi’s casino resort hotels.  For those in a gaming mood there are plenty to choose from, including the Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel Spa, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the Isle of Capri Casino and Resort, the Palace Casino Resort, the IP Casino Resort Spa, Treasure Bay Casino, Boomtown Casino, and the Beau Rivage.

Those who prefer art and pottery can head over to nearby Ocean Springs, yet another Mississippi city with a rich history. It also has a reputation as an “arts community.” Its historic and secluded downtown area and growing commercial districts offer several art galleries and unique shopping experiences.

Anyone working up an appetite – and you’ll want a big one – can have lunch at the somewhat historic but definitely not arty, (well maybe in its own way) The Shed. (Recently featured on the Food Network’s Drive In Diners and Dives.)  True to its name, the décor is more Sandford and Son than Sardi’s. Which is just as a real barbecue and blues joint should be. ShedHeds – yes, those are what the customers are called – can feast on the legendary wings, spare ribs, pulled pork and baby back ribs. And they’re not all that’s cookin’. Live blues and jazz add extra sizzle to this ramshackle eatery a few nights a week.

Golfers will tee it up again in the afternoon at the Preserve Golf Club in Biloxi. This Jerry Pate design is one of the reasons why Mississippi’s Gulf Coast is often referred to as the “Golf Coast”. Located just northeast of Biloxi, the course was named the 6^th “best new upscale course in the country” by Golf Digest. This public course is the home course of the Palace Casino Resort.   Five sets of tee decks can accommodate players of all levels, and even non-golfers will enjoy this natural beauty, which borders the pristine Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Deer, hawks, and cranes are commonly seen on the property that routes through cypress swamps, longleaf pines and live oaks. The Preserve has been granted membership in the prestigious Audubon International Signature Program. The primary goal was to build an extraordinary golf course, while at the same time protecting and maintaining the natural essence of the property.

Non golfers will be cruising the Pascagoula River in the afternoon.  The Pascagoula River runs 80 miles through southeast Mississippi before forming a network of marshes and lakes that eventually flows into the Mississippi Sound. It is significant as the only unaffected (or nearly so) river flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from the United States. As a result, the Pascagoula has in modern times been the focus of a great deal of effort regarding its conservation to prevent the constructions of dams on it.

We’re coasting

Believe it or not, we’re now into the second week of this Mississippi getaway. We are going to check out the Mississippi’s lesser known coast – Mississippi’s west coast, which is basically Hancock County, the western-most of three counties that make up the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The area offers an eclectic experience you can only find in Mississippi. From space exploration to crabbing from the seawall, to shopping for fashion, art and mementos, you can have it all here.

Located less than an hour east of New Orleans, Mississippi’s west coast is sophisticated yet homespun, conventional yet unorthodox. Its inviting climate warms everything from fishing, golfing and tennis, to hiking, biking, birding, boating, and camping, to just enjoying the beach. It’s also home to two premier gaming resorts, Hollywood Casino and Silver Slipper Casino, both in Bay St. Louis, where the latest slot machines, many exciting gaming tables, fabulous food and top-rated shows spell all-day fun.

Diamondhead Country Club in Diamondhead is a part of Mississippi’s West Coast. Unfortunately for us we did not get a chance to play them.  The Pines and the Cardinal designed by well-known regional architects Earl Stone and John LaFoy. The reckless driver may find the narrow tree-lined fairways a little too close for comfort, and the constant wind makes finding those fairways even more demanding. The Pines has newly renovated greens and puts a premium on accuracy because of the numerous water hazards and strategically placed bunkers. Sand and gently rolling terrain are the Cardinal’s main features. It has fewer hazards but is more heavily wooded, bad news for errant shots but good news because the wind isn’t much of a factor.

The Oaks Golf Club in Pass Christian was designed by Landmark National, which also did the renowned PGA West and Kiawah Island Ocean Course. The course is built around an affluent residential community, yet has a very natural, isolated feel nestled among the majestic timberlands and native wetlands. It’s a par-72 layout with well-placed bunkers, demanding greens, and a circuitous routing that creates another unique and serene experience. It’s twice been the site of a Nationwide Tour event and has received numerous honours since opening, including being named one of the “top ten courses in Mississippi” by Golf Digest and the “best course on the coast” by the readers of Coast Magazine.

A couple of great lunch options are the Silver Slipper Casino in Lakeshore or the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis. The Silver Slipper was the first land-based casino to be built from the ground up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There’s gaming action 24 hours a day, seven days a week, three fabulous restaurants, and free live entertainment. The casino has the only beachfront RV Park and the only live Keno Parlor on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Hollywood Casino offers much of the same – four great restaurants, all the gaming amenities, and a championship golf course designed by Arnold Palmer. The Bridges Golf Club in Bay St. Louis is Palmer’s only course in Mississippi. And it’s the only Coast casino golf course on site. It’s ranked among the top 40 casino courses in the country and top 10 courses in the state by Golf Digest. The Bridges continues to hold its Audubon International Silver Signature status and remains the first resort golf course in the world to obtain such status.

We are back in Biloxi in time to catch a schooner ride, cocktails, appetizers and a beautiful sunset set the tone for the evening at a Gulf Coast landmark.  The Blow Fly Inn is a long-time Gulf Coast attraction – nothing fancy, a fun place to hang out and meet some of the locals. The view of peaceful Bayou Bernard is almost as sumptuous as the food.

No, we didn’t forget the outlet mall

It’s our last full day, and what better way for the golfers in the group to spend it than with a round at Grand Bear Golf Club.  The course is not only a bear, but also designed by one, the great Jack Nicklaus. Located just north of Gulfport in Saucier, the course is owned by Harrah’s Grand Biloxi, which provides amenities and service that are second-to-none. Grand Bear was named the “best public course in Mississippi” by Golfweek magazine and made Golf magazine’s list of “top 100 courses you can play”. Towering pines and natural cypress wetlands are in abundance, as are secluded fairways and impeccable greens. So just how good is it? Well, to quote Nicklaus: “With its packed pine needle rough, championship greens and deep bunkers, Grand Bear has the feel and excitement of Pinehurst, with a touch of Augusta National.”

For the non-golfers – and we know many of you have been waiting for this – you can go shopping at the Gulfport Outlet Mall. Central to Mobile and New Orleans, Prime Outlets - Gulfport is the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s premier outlet shopping destination. It features over 60 brand-name outlet stores. We’ll gather for lunch once everyone is shopped out.

It’s time to leave this special place.  Farewells always bring about mixed emotions, so we expect to see both tears and laughter when we gather at The Dock Bar & Grill to officially say goodbye to Mississippi. As you might expect, The Dock is a party place, located on Gulfport Lake, has some of the best entertainment around and has many pub style seafood specialties.

All good things must to come to an end

It’s been a whirlwind trip, but we’ve got the most out of every Mississippi moment. For most duty calls and it is time to go home.  For a couple of us there was one more stop. Out of state, it just so happens that the New Orleans Jazz Festival was on and we could hear the TPC of Louisiana calling! Read on.

As you board the flight at Gulfport International Airport, you’ll surely reflect on why Mississippi is such a popular destination, and why you’ll want to come back to see even more of it. Thanks for joining us. We’ll look forward to seeing you on our next Mississippi adventure – whether it’s to play a round, or just play around.

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