MGM Resorts International, Tom Fazio-designed course moves up two places from 29th spot in its 2008 debut
BILOXI, Miss. -Aug. 18, 2010 – As more and more golfers discover the beauty, aesthetic charm and total experience that is a round of golf at Fallen Oak, the Tom Fazio masterpiece earned another honor with its second inclusion in GOLF Magazine’s “Top-100 Courses You Can Play” list.
The MGM Resorts International course was ranked 27th on the biennial list of the country’s elite courses that are accessible to everyone. At No. 27, Fallen Oak moved up two spots from its debut listing of 29th two years ago.
According to Joe Passov, GOLF Magazine’s senior editor for courses and rankings, Fallen Oak earned its place on the prestigious list because of the way Fazio used the template of the nearby DeSoto National Forest as a starting point.
“The pristine, pure golf environment and just the fact that the golf holes flowed so gracefully across this property,” Passov said, describing Fallen Oak’s attributes. “There was as seamless a transition from hole to hole as you’ll ever see, yet Tom (Fazio) managed to inject terrific variety throughout the property. The natural terrain yielded such wonderful, flowing holes. Fazio enhanced what nature had already provided.
“Fallen Oak doesn’t beat you over the head with the spectacular, like an ocean course, but it’s the kind of experience where there’s one really good hole after the next. There’s those big, bold, beautiful bunkers that are strategically placed. Nothing is overdone at all.”
With its two-spot promotion to 27th, Fallen Oak jumped past five courses ranked ahead of it in the 2008 list, including Erin Hills in Wisconsin (27th to 35th), which was just awarded the 2017 U.S. Open. It is the highest-ranked of the two Mississippi courses on the Top 100 list and the second-highest casino course on the list, once again behind big sister Shadow Creek in North Las Vegas, which was 13th.
Passov, who oversees the list, is one of the most recognized golf and travel writers in the country. Besides GOLF Magazine, he handles ratings for Zagat’s and has written for numerous publications, including the Robb Report.
“What makes Fallen Oak such a special place is that its beauty and challenge has charmed the everyday golfer, the golf writer and the professional golfer,” said George P. Corchis, Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International’s Mississippi resorts, which includes Beau Rivage in Biloxi and the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica. “Each of these honors shows that Fallen Oak is meeting everyone’s idea of what a great golfing experience is like.”
The award marked the second time in the last three months Fallen Oak has received recognition from golfers and the golf media.
In June, Conde Nast Traveler named the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino and Fallen Oak one of the Top 80 Golf Resorts 2010.
The previous month, Fallen Oak played host to the Champions Tour’s inaugural Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, where it drew rave reviews from some of the game’s legends.
“Right from the start, it’s right in front of you. There are no tricks, no blind shots. The bunkering is beautiful. Tee-to-green, it’s a challenge,” said Jay Haas, a two-time Champions Tour Player of the Year.
Unique among Gulf Coast courses, Fallen Oak features dramatic elevation changes, which Fazio incorporated among the more than 4,000 oaks, magnolias, pines and other hardwood trees that join the ponds, streams and wetlands that frame the course.
Aside from those elevation changes, remarkably true-rolling greens and Fazio’s dynamic design tactics of using the DeSoto National Forest and all its inherent natural elements as a template, the multi-million dollar course features gently rolling terrain and pecan orchards amid the oaks, pines and magnolias.
Built to resemble an Acadian-style Southern mansion, the 12,000-square foot clubhouse houses a 1,000-square foot pro shop and locker facilities. The clubhouse, voted one of the “Best 19th Holes in Golf” by Golf Digest, features a 70-seat lounge and restaurant with top-level dining and panoramic views of the 18th hole, as well as the majestic live oak that gives Fallen Oak its name.
Joining the heralded Shadow Creek as the only golf courses built by MGM Resorts International for their guests, Fallen Oak is located on a 510-acre tract at the edge of the DeSoto National Forest.
From the moment guests enter the lush and picturesque course through the gated front entrance, they know they are someplace special. With a personal greeting upon arrival, swing tips on the practice facility, exceptional caddy service, on-course food and beverage and chilled scented towels, Beau Rivage guests find a round at Fallen Oak that delivers an experience that is memorable and unrivaled in the region.
Stretching to a hearty 7,487 yards from the back tees, Fallen Oak offers golfers five sets of tees and strategic play options as each hole winds through ever-changing terrain and environments.
Fallen Oak is available exclusively for guests of Beau Rivage. Greens fees for this elite MGM MIRAGE golf experience are $200. To make reservations, call (877) 805-4657 or visit www.beaurivage.com.
About Beau Rivage
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, named one of the top 100 hotels in the continental United States and Canada by Travel + Leisure, is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The resort features 1,740 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, 10 restaurants, four nightclubs and bars, a 1,550-seat theatre, an upscale shopping promenade, a world-class spa & salon and Fallen Oak, a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course. Beau Rivage is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International, one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies. For more information or to make reservations, call (888) 56-ROOMS or visit www.beaurivage.com.
About Fazio Golf Course Designers
Throughout his 40 years in golf course design, Tom Fazio and his staff of talented designers have been recognized for creating award-winning courses throughout the United States. No living designer has more credits on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses and Golfweek’s collection of America’s Best. The Golf Digest poll for Best Modern Day Golf Course Architect was discontinued after Tom claimed the award three consecutive times, and he has also received The Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is a one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. The Company has significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 15 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50% investments in four other properties in Nevada, Illinois and Macau. One of those investments is CityCenter, an unprecedented urban resort destination on the Las Vegas Strip featuring its centerpiece ARIA Resort & Casino. Through its hospitality management subsidiary, the Company holds a growing number of development and management agreements for casino and non-casino resort projects around the world. MGM Resorts International supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its gaming properties. The Company has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative, its community philanthropy programs and the Company’s commitment to sustainable development and operations. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company’s Web site at www.mgmresorts.com.
Contact:
Mary Cracchiolo Spain
Beau Rivage
(228) 386-7134
Brian Robin
Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc.
(818) 462-5610
