The Grand Bear Golf Course
About
Unlike some Jack Nicklaus golf courses that have earned a reputation for being among the world's most difficult, mid- and high-handicappers stand a fighting chance at the Grand Bear Golf Course. Nicklaus offers wide fairways before the sprawling woods take over on either side, most bunkers aren't horribly steep, and greens generally have room in front to run a shot up. The winding Biloxi River helps build Grand Bear to a dramatic finish. The par-3 14th hole plays through a chute of woods to a green guarded by the river below that runs along diagonally, punishing hooked shots left short. After another par 3 on the 16th that plays with the river to the left, the 17th once again plays over the river on the drive, then parallel to the hole. The 18th hole plays long and uphill back toward the clubhouse.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Grizzly Bear | 72 | 7204 yards | 75.5 | 143 |
Golden Bear | 72 | 6733 yards | 73.0 | 139 |
Brown Bear | 72 | 6221 yards | 70.5 | 134 |
Black Bear | 72 | 5638 yards | 67.9 | 130 |
Teddy Bear | 72 | 4802 yards | 68.4 | 120 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grizzly Bear M: 75.0/142 | 419 | 540 | 211 | 371 | 603 | 473 | 179 | 470 | 404 | 3670 | 418 | 520 | 458 | 349 | 195 | 548 | 165 | 433 | 448 | 3534 | 7204 |
Golden Bear M: 73.0/137 | 392 | 515 | 192 | 353 | 565 | 428 | 159 | 441 | 368 | 3413 | 368 | 489 | 429 | 336 | 185 | 520 | 154 | 414 | 425 | 3320 | 6733 |
Brown Bear M: 70.9/134 | 344 | 489 | 176 | 334 | 508 | 381 | 145 | 401 | 328 | 3106 | 354 | 475 | 402 | 308 | 163 | 500 | 142 | 370 | 401 | 3115 | 6221 |
Black Bear M: 67.6/128 W: 72.3/129 | 299 | 455 | 163 | 286 | 476 | 356 | 102 | 325 | 308 | 2770 | 316 | 460 | 348 | 296 | 159 | 450 | 133 | 354 | 352 | 2868 | 5638 |
Teddy Bear M: 62.5/97 W: 67.5/118 | 243 | 391 | 97 | 268 | 421 | 313 | 90 | 287 | 253 | 2363 | 284 | 373 | 297 | 257 | 132 | 364 | 123 | 325 | 284 | 2439 | 4802 |
Handicap | 17 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 6 | 2 | |||
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Available Facilities
ClubhouseAccolades
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
-
Photo submitted by adh4md on 07/18/2023
-
Photo submitted by adh4md on 07/18/2023
-
Photo submitted by ezpar722 on 04/07/2023
-
Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
-
Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
-
Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
-
Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
-
Photo submitted by coop1911 on 07/09/2022
-
Photo submitted by paulharley on 05/22/2021
-
Photo submitted by evgyan on 07/08/2019
-
Photo submitted by evgyan on 07/08/2019
-
Photo submitted by evgyan on 07/08/2019
-
View from the 17th tee Photo submitted by Bwest90 on 06/28/2019
-
Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
-
Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
-
Perfect fairways and bunkers. Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
-
12 foot gator....huge! Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
-
Photo submitted by Target00 on 03/19/2016
Amazing course!
As soon as you enter the grounds you are treated like royalty! Staff is absolutely amazing and will assist you with anything you need. The course itself is one of a kind, extremely challenging, yet rewarding! Hands down the best overall experience from our trip to Mississippi, would definitely make time for a round or two there in a heart beat!
G.B.
Very beautiful and open course . All holes are secluded and peaceful throughout woods.
However, greens were freshly punched and very fast. Fairways could stand be a little better. Some hard pan areas. Staff very helpful and friendly.
Great tract, but a little expensive for course.
Great course with fun layout
I enjoyed the course and club house. The lay out was awesome. The greens were super from and quick. We saw the cart girl about every 4 holes. Staff was friendly.
Allow more 2-somes to play!
We looked forward to playing Grand Bear and drove in from Louisiana to play. Got paired up with a couple of very very inexperienced golfers who didn’t know how to pick up. Side note… my husband and I usually shoot in high 80’s low 90’s so we are nowhere near scratch golfers but we do know how to keep the pace of play moving. Our group was 40 minutes behind when we made the turn and we were forced to skip hole 10 because the course was backed up. We were a little upset as we paid $400 to play and we didn’t ask to get paired up with such slow inexperienced players. The course is magnificent and the staff was great. They gave us a 9 hole rain check to return and play another day. I would highly recommend Grand Bear as it is a fantastic course, but they should monitor the pairings better or let twosomes play.
Enjoyed the Grand Bear
Our twosome played the Grand Bear while passing through the area. The course is well laid out and certainly well maintained for a public course. 5 sets of tees make the length and difficulty perfect for any player. There were no "signature" holes but the fairways and greens were definitely on par with many courses we've played. We played after 2pm for the lower rate and I'm glad we did.
Played this course as part of a spring break getaway the Biloxi, MS area.
This course is rated #1 on GolfPass’ Top 10 Golf Courses in Mississippi - Golfers' Choice 2024. This rating seems fair. However, with the rain that they received days prior to my round the course was cart path only, the range was closed, and I saw no starter/ranger out on the course (Saturday, Noon-ish tee time). This course boasts on its website about “Dynamic Pricing,” but that must only work when they want to charge more and not adjust rates for a subpar experience.
CONDITIONS: It rained pretty good the day before, and the course was cart path only. As such, I decided to walk instead of ride. This course is very walkable and should offer a walking rate (I did not see one available). There were plenty of plugged lies, and the chipping areas around the greens were particularly soaked.
VALUE: Again, Dynamic Pricing should work both ways. It didn’t on this day.
LAYOUT: Excellent. A great variety of holes… you will use every club in your bag. There are a lot of strategic and heroic shots to be played on this course.
FRIENDLINESS: The cart girl was amazing! After telling me there should have been a starter, she gave me the “green light” to tee off and start. She helped with refreshments AND served as a therapist when a slow 4some slid in front of me to start the back 9. Thank you!
PACE: 1 hour 40 minute front… 2 hour 30 minute back. A 4some several groups ahead decided to take a break in the clubhouse after 9, and then pulled in front of me to start the back 9. With no starter/range there really wasn’t any recourse. Very disappointing.
DIFFICULTY: Though it is a challenge, I found this course to be much for fun than difficult. You have more room off the tee than it appears, and there’s more room around the greens that it looks like as well. The bunkers are a tough test (and were in reasonable condition this day).
Always worth it.
A little wet and windy, but always a great course to play.
Great Course
A buddy and I played Grand Bear on a day where the rain percentage was 70%. Very few people were there, but the weather held up and we thoroughly enjoyed the course. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the course layout was top notch. Par threes were a little longer than I was used to , which added to the challenge, but the course was demanding and rewarding. I plan to play this course again in the future.
Beautiful
Course is fantastic! A little hard with a lot of traps, and lots of fun. I’d love to see it in the spring when everything is green. I would love to play it again.
Due to heavy rain the day before the course was cart path only and the driving range was closed. Besides that its well worth the money!
Played Grand Bear this week for the first time. As a visitor from the Northeast, and unfamiliar with the course, I would like to have known a few facts prior to booking this tee time. I was not aware that fivesomes are common in MS. Also the course had fivesomes holding up groups and no Rangers were anywhere to be found. . Ended up skipping a hole to achieve a half decent pace of play. The restaurant had one poor girl trying to hold down the fort and appeared overwhelmed. And rightfully so. I would not rush back although its a shame as the layout is nice but poorly managed in my opinion.