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Golf Course Review & Scouting Report

Old Waverly Golf Club

82

West Point, Mississippi

MS #3
Established
1988
Architect
Jerry Pate & Bob Cupp; major renovation (2025) by club team
Access
Public
Par
Par 72
Length
5,162 – 7,088 yds
The verdict

Elite Southern strategy and hospitality

Old Waverly brings together championship pedigree, southern hospitality, and a blend of beauty and challenge that rewards the thinking golfer. Expect strategic golf with high-caliber greens and water ever in play—plus the polish of a regionally elite destination.

Course DNA
Difficulty
84
Scenery
79
Conditioning
92
Shot Variety
81
Walkability
68
Green Complexity
88
Wow Factor
77
Design Quality
80
At a glance

Quick facts

Greens surface
TifEagle Bermuda (2025 renovation)
Major championships hosted
1999 U.S. Women’s Open
Signature hole
No. 7 'Palmer Falls' par 3 over water
Bunker style
Fully rebuilt and drained (2025)
Water features
Present on almost every hole
Clubhouse setting
Historic Waverly estate grounds
National recognition
Multiple years on America's 100 Greatest
The design

The architecture

Old Waverly fuses classic Southern golf sensibilities with championship edge—rolling Black Prairie land, sculpted bunkering, and ever-present water give each hole a defined purpose. The post-2025 layout is pure strategy, with risk-reward options, bold approaches, and large, fast greens ready to showcase both precision and imagination. The routing makes the most of lakeside beauty and elevation, while new bunkering shapes both visuals and decisions. This is Mississippi’s grand, water-guarded challenge—reborn for the modern player.

Jerry Pate and Bob Cupp leveraged the Black Prairie land to create a course defined by strategic risk, visual intimidation, and Southern charm—a philosophy revived and refined in the club-led 2025 renovation.

Defining features
  • Lakeside and water-bordering holes on both nines
  • Completely rebuilt bunkers with modern shaping and drainage
  • Firm, fast TifEagle greens provide exacting challenge
  • Distinctive risk-reward short par 4s and doglegs
  • Pastoral Southern setting with mature trees and prairie views
Hole by hole

Signature holes

Hole 6

Hole 6

PAR
4
YARDAGE
331 yds

A short par 4 packed with temptation: carry waste and water, then thread a touchy approach into a green framed by pond and bunker. The perfect showcase for bold play and smart restraint.

Play it smart

Strategic layup off the tee leaves a manageable pitch; the bold driver can flirt with the green but risks water and sand.

Where it bites

Water and bunker right of the green punish any over-aggression.

Course management

Shots to think about

Approaching the large, fast greens
Favor below the hole—downhill putts can get away from you.
Risk-reward short par 4 (No. 6)
Unless you’re feeling your driver, lay up right for a comfortable wedge.
Long par 5s with water left (No. 10)
Second shot is all about angles—don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Tight landing fairways with tree and water framing
Precision trumps power—3-wood or hybrid is often smarter.
Par 3s guarded by water
Club up, trust your swing, and don’t get cute with front pins.
Windy days across open prairie land
Punch shots and low draws will beat moon balls.
Greenside recovery from reconstructed bunkers
Commit to aggressive splash—drainage keeps sand crisp and quick.
On the day

What to expect

Conditions

Emerald-green fairways, sleek TifEagle greens, pristine bunkers—championship polish from tee to green.

Pace

Full championship pace—plan for 4.5 hours on busy days.

Vibe

Upmarket but friendly Southern hospitality; championship history with a relaxed welcome.

Before you tee off

Your game plan

01

Bring your A-game around greens

Practice chipping and lag putting; big, fast greens reward touch.

02

Prepare for creative recovery

Course demands inventive short-game; bunkers and water will test your nerve.

03

Manage tactics, not just yardage

Play for angles and safe layups when risk doesn’t pay.

04

Expect a test—pace yourself

Mentally prepare for a full championship round with water lurking everywhere.

The lore

How it came to be

  1. 1988

    Course opens, vision of the Bryan family

  2. 1999

    Hosts U.S. Women’s Open, putting Old Waverly on the national stage

  3. 2006

    Hosts U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur

  4. 2016

    Companion course Mossy Oak Golf Club opens next door

  5. 2019

    Hosts U.S. Women’s Amateur

  6. 2025

    Major renovation: bunkers rebuilt, greens re-grassed, course lengthened

Stories & legends

What makes it special

history

A U.S. Women’s Open Moment

The 1999 U.S. Women’s Open put Old Waverly on the global golf map, drawing the world’s best and cementing its status among the South’s elite. The event’s legacy still shapes the course’s championship edges and lore.

signature

‘Palmer Falls’ and the Art of Pressure

Standing on Old Waverly’s iconic 7th, the all-carry par 3 over sparkling water, even the best players feel their pulse rise. It’s as beautiful as it is nerve-wracking—a little piece of visual Southern drama.

renovation

Reviving Greatness: The 2025 Renovation

When Old Waverly’s new era began, a meticulous bunker rebuild and slick TifEagle greens elevated challenge and conditioning to modern championship standards. Today every approach and recovery shot feels world-class.

vibe

Southern Hospitality, Modern Challenge

Old Waverly’s founders wanted more than just a course—they wanted a destination. The club has grown into a hub of golf and camaraderie, with service and scenery as memorable as any hole.

For the group chat

Fun facts

1

Host of the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open—a landmark moment for Mississippi golf

2

Built on the grounds of the historic Waverly Mansion estate

3

Every single hole plays near, over, or beside water or wetland

4

The course’s post-2025 TifEagle greens run as fast as top championship venues

5

Signature 7th hole is named 'Palmer Falls,' in tribute to golf legend Arnold Palmer

Build the trip

If you're making a Starkville/West Point golf trip out of it

CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Mossy Oak Golf Club
Public

Wildly natural modern design—prairie links contrast to Old Waverly’s classic parkland

Ole Miss Golf Course
Public

A playable university course, useful for an extra casual round nearby

Tupelo Country Club
Private

Private club experience if you have access; solid local contender

West Point or Starkville for convenience and amenities

Course DNA

If You Like Old Waverly Golf Club

Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.

Strong DNA Match8.4

Coral Creek Club

Placida, Florida
Conditioning

Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Coral Creek Club offers similarly polished playing surfaces, making it a compelling counterpart to Old Waverly Golf Club.

Strong DNA Match8.1

Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course)

Johns Creek, Georgia
Conditioning

Why it matches: What links these two? Puts the same premium on presentation — a familiar feeling, expressed in Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course)'s own setting.

Strong DNA Match7.6

Keene Trace Golf Club (Keene Run Course)

Nicholasville, Kentucky

Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Keene Trace Golf Club (Keene Run Course)'s own setting.

From the community

Community Sentiment

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