Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 6
0 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 6
The sixth hole at Old Waverly Golf Club bends right to a green behind a pond. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 3
1 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 3
The third hole at Old Waverly Golf Club isn't too long at 170 yards. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 7
2 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 7
Palmer Falls" -- named after Arnold Palmer -- decorates the seventh hole at Old Waverly Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 9
3 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 9
The ninth hole at Old Waverly is the longest par 5 on the golf course. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 10
4 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 10
No. 10, a sweeping par 5, might be the most interesting hole at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 11
5 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 11
Lake Waverly intrudes on the 11th hole at Old Waverly Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 12
6 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 12
The 173-yard 12th hole is the first of two par 3s on the back nine at Old Waverly Golf Club. It plays over Lake Waverly. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 18
7 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 18
There's a fire pit near the 18th hole at Old Waverly Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 18 monument
8 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 18 monument
A monument honoring the U.S. military sits near the 18th green at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 9 bell
9 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - hole 9 bell
An old bell sits behind the ninth green at Old Waverly Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Old Waverly Golf Club - cottage
10 of 11
Old Waverly Golf Club - cottage
Guests have to stay on property in a cottage like this to play Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
11 Images

Southern charm: Old Waverly Golf Club is a Mississippi classic

WEST POINT, Miss. -- It doesn't get much better in Mississippi than Old Waverly Golf Club.

The semiprivate club is accessible for anyone who books a stay at one of its cottages, villas or condos. Getting inside the gates unlocks a classy golf experience. The staff is friendly, the true epitome of Southern hospitality. The clubhouse is comfortable with multiple areas to dine in or have a drink. The whole place, built by the Bryan family in 1988, just exudes class.

The 7,088-yard golf course is a keeper, a Jerry Pate/Bob Cupp design that hosted the 1999 U.S. Women's Open won by Juli Inkster. It roams through the gated community with a long forested stretch from holes 4-7 and Lake Waverly setting the tone for the more difficult back nine. The par-3 seventh is particularly memorable with "Palmer Falls" -- a water feature named after Arnold Palmer -- winding its way in front of the green.

The strongest challenges hug the shores of Lake Waverly. The 10th hole, a 543-yard par 5, might be the most interesting. Its fairway sweeps up a ridge, then falls and bends left to a green guarded by the lake. The par-4 11th plays long at 444 yards with the lake all along the left side. The 12th and 17th holes, two testy par 3s, require shots over water. The finishing hole, a 445-yard par 4 that doglegs left, delivers the ultimate gut check. Those who flirt with the lake are rewarded with a shorter approach to the green. Those who bail out right face the monumental task of taking on the water.

With the new Mossy Oak Golf Club designed by Gil Hanse across the street, Old Waverly became one of the most coveted golf getaways in the South, especially on college football Saturdays when the Mississippi State Bulldogs, located in nearby Starkville, host another rugged home game in the SEC.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
Now Reading
Southern charm: Old Waverly Golf Club is a Mississippi classic