By Danny and Alice Scott
Dancing Rabbit Golf Club
Dancing Rabbit Golf Club is part of the Pearl River Resort, owned and operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Tucked into the rolling hills of east-central Mississippi, Dancing Rabbit Golf Club has earned the nickname “Augusta West,” thanks to the azaleas strewn throughout its two championship courses. Yet the terrain is even more dramatic with towering pines, hardwood forests, spring-fed creeks, and sweeping elevation changes.
The Azaleas and The Oaks courses
Acclaimed architect Tom Fazio and PGA great Jerry Pate outdid themselves partnering on the design of The Azaleas and The Oaks courses, winding through more than 700 pristine acres.
The Azaleas course is most stunning in late March and early April when the flowers are in full bloom, especially around the picturesque par-3 13th green. Hole 17 epitomizes the risk/reward concept in golf, requiring a creek crossing three times while playing alongside of it.
While The Azaleas gets much of the attention, The Oaks delivers an equally memorable challenge with elevated par 3 greens, where you’re shooting for the moon, literally on number 5, as the golden moon globe on top of the casino serves as an aiming point. By the sixth hole, the wow factor elicits, “Man, these are some good-looking golf holes.”
The Clubhouse Experience
The clubhouse experience is every bit as impressive as the golf. The Dancing Rabbit logo is too cute to resist taking home, and the pro shop is full of stylish merchandise for both men and women. Before or after the round, the restaurant offers something for everyone, paired with attentive service and genuine Southern hospitality.
Suites and Amenities
Upstairs, The Clubhouse has eight king suites with whirlpool tubs, plus a common area and veranda overlooking the course and gazebo. It is ideal for stay and play groups. Guests in these rooms receive an executive cart to transport around the resort, a convenience also offered by the Dancing Rabbit Inn, next to the clubhouse.
Pearl River Resort
Pearl River Resort is truly a “twofer” destination, with not only the two championship courses, but two full casino hotels: Silver Star Hotel & Casino and Golden Moon Hotel & Casino, connected by a skywalk. Together, there are over 1,000 spacious and comfy guest rooms, a full-service spa, and a water park. Extensive gaming options satisfy any betting inclination while restaurants satisfy any palette.
Restaurants
Among the standout restaurants, Mama and ‘Ems at Golden Moon is a play on words connoting good times with good food, whether choosing the redfish with lump crab piled high or a savory steak. Phillip M’s in Silver Star is an award-winning steakhouse for a special treat, also serving seafood, and named in honor of the late tribal chief, Phillip Martin. Eight more restaurants are ready to serve.
Choctaw is located four miles west of Philadelphia, Mississippi, 35 miles northwest of Meridian and 72 miles northeast of the convenient Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport.
Package Bookings
A variety of stay and play packages are available through www.pearlriverresort.com or www.dancingrabbitgolf.com
