One of Mississippi’s most lauded golf courses has reopened after a yearlong closure.
Old Waverly Club announced that the Mossy Oak golf course in West Point is open and ready to welcome members and guests back to the greens. The Mossy Oak course, named after the Mississippi-based camouflage apparel giant, was designed by famous golf course architect Gil Hanse. Professional golfer and businessman Jerry Pate led the way in overseeing enhancements to the facilities.
“Gil Hanse routed and strategized one of his finest works on a beautiful site of rolling farmland in the Mississippi countryside,” Pate said. “Challenging bunkers with traditional links-style greens that lay gently into the existing contours of the land make for a memorable experience at Mossy Oak.”
The renovation of Mossy Oak included a complete reconstruction of all bunkers, lengthening of the course, re-grassing of the greens with TifEagle, and upgrading of cart paths throughout.
The reopening also marks a new chapter for Old Waverly Club. A new ownership group, led by Pate as Chairman and joined by the Bryan family and a small group of investors, brings Mossy Oak and Old Waverly, another renowned course in West Point, under one umbrella.
Since its founding in 1988, Old Waverly has been highly regarded as one of the truly unique private clubs in the United States. The vision of the late founder, George Bryan, was to bring a piece of Scotland to Mississippi and create a world-class destination for golf and hospitality in the state’s Golden Triangle.
In 1986, Pate and Bob Cupp were enlisted to craft the Old Waverly course from the undeveloped 360 acres of natural forest and pastureland. It opened in September 1988 to rave reviews and has been a fixture among various “Best Of” lists, including recognition as the top golf course in Mississippi. The club has also hosted numerous major golf championships, including the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2006 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur, and the 2015 and 2021 Men’s Southern Amateur Championships.
In 2016, the club’s experience was elevated with the opening of Mossy Oak, located just across the street from Old Waverly. Mossy Oak quickly became one of the most revered golf courses nationwide and was recognized in 2018 as one of Golfweek magazine’s Top-100 Modern Golf Courses in the U.S. Mossy Oak also serves as the official golf facility for the Mississippi State University men’s and women’s golf teams.
