Just 30 minutes south of Jackson - The Bear Trace at Chickasaw was recently named “One of the Top Ten You Can Play” by Golf Magazine. Heavily wooded, it’s fraught with traps and hazards that include the cruel and unusual use of its natural marshes and well a creek that meanders into play on seven of the nine finishing holes.
This is the most popular of the five courses in the Trace. It, too, was named “One of the Top Ten You Can Play” by Golf Magazine in 1999.
This is my personal favorite. At 7,140 yards, it’s the longest course on the Trace, and maybe the toughest.
A truly magnificent test of golf, part links, part rolling hills and a course where Nicklaus caters to his somewhat morbid love of the bunker.
An alien land of marshes, creeks and river. Jack worked hard here to preserve the natural environment. The result is a new course that looks almost as old as time itself.
But the Bear Trace experience goes far beyond its fairways and greens. Exceptional hospitality, impeccable service, an overall ambiance and a sweet sense of solitude and tranquility that I’ve yet to the match for anywhere else.
Where To Stay
Most of the Bear Trace Golf Courses are in remote locations, which make finding a place to stay close at hand a little difficult. Here are a few suggestions: