GOLF & GAMBLING GETAWAYS: OUR

Top Picks

When it comes to great gambling getaways, there are plenty to choose from. Whether you are looking to stay local, within a couple hour drive or hopping on a plane and heading to a remote destination, taking advantage of some of the outdoor amenities is a great way to elevate the value and excitement on your trip. We are partial to properties with great golf courses as it is always fun to sneak in a round or two in the daytime, and then settle in with an extravagant dinner and gambling at night.

Casino golf courses are among some of the finest in the country and are traditionally very well-maintained and manicured providing an extra attraction for high rollers and group outings. Golf and gambling go together like peanut butter and jelly and there are few finer pairings than birdies and blackjacks at your favorite casino resort.

We have pulled together a few of our favorite courses for you to consider on your next gambling and golf getaway ranging from courses in the South to the Midwest. We hope you enjoy these layouts as much as we did.

DANCING RABBIT GOLF CLUB: AZALEAS AND OAKS COURSES AT PEARL RIVER RESORT

(PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI)

1-601-663-0011 |

DancingRabbitGolf.com

Head Pro: Sean Racki

AZALEAS COURSE:

Yards from the tips: 7,157

Rating: 74.4 Slope: 135

OAKS COURSE:

Yards from the tips: 7,076

Rating: 74.6 Slope: 139

Cost to play: $70 - $150

(Stay & Play packages available)

Course Overview: Described as “The Augusta you can play”, the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club at Pearl River Resort is a favorite destination for gamblers and golfers alike offering guests the ultimate Southern hospitality. The Mississippi Band of Choctaws can take pride with their beautiful and scenic Dancing Rabbit Golf Club boasting two championship courses, The Oaks and The Azaleas, that both resemble Augusta National-like conditions and difficulty. Located in east central Mississippi just an hour north of Jackson, the two courses are hidden among towering pines and stunning oaks without the hindrance of houses or buildings around the course. The best time of year to play it is the first week of April, when the Azaleas are in full bloom, and there are approximately 2,500 on the course, so it is absolutely spectacular to experience it. facilities in the Gulf State region. Serving as part of the Audobon Golf Trail, the course is always in superb playing conditions and welcoming to golfers of all skill levels. The 18hole championship golf course is located on a beautiful tract of rolling terrain with century-old oak trees and meandering creeks. With six sets of tees, the course is fun yet challenging and the entertaining layout combined with perfectly manicured course conditions and uncompromising customer service creates one of the finest resort golf experiences in the South.

The award-winning, par 72 courses present players with nearly 14,200 yards of soul-stirring golf and each of the club’s 36 holes bears its own distinct personality, yet they retain the character and grandeur of the Southern woodlands from which they are carved.

The Azaleas boast immaculately manicured 419 Bermuda fairways and TifEagle greens and The Oaks offers Champion Bermuda greens and Zoysia fairways. This classic combination provides a truly exceptional experience for golf enthusiasts around the country.

Hosting three U.S. qualifiers, advanced players can get all they want from the back tees, and higher handicaps can still enjoy the round with the further forward ones. There are numerous and massive bunkers throughout the course making your tee to green strategy important.

Pine Hills Golf Course At North Star Mohican

CASINO RESORT (GRESHAM, WI)

1-715-787-3778 | PineHillsGolf.net

Yards from the Tips: 6,465

Rating: 70 Slope: 126

Cost to play: $40 to $50

TAMAHKA TRAILS GOLF COURSE

AT PARAGON CASINO RESORT

(MARKSVILLE, LOUISIANA)

1-800-946-1946 x6300 |

ParagonCasinoResort.com

Head Pro: Kevin Michael

Yards from the tips: 7,152

Rating: 74.7 Slope: 135

Cost to Play: $49 - $59

Course Overview: Tamahka Trails is one of the most prominent golf

Tamahka Trails boasts everything you’d expect from a top-notch golf club and there are several unique characteristics of the course including the rolling terrain, which is very unique to central Louisiana delta land. They also offer unlimited daily golf with every paid green fee, and one of the best parts of finishing a round, the Iced mango towels when in season are both exhilarating and refreshing. The best time to play is mid to late October when the heat of the summer months is typically gone and the dryer course conditions are nice and the golf course is in perfect shape.

Course Overview: Any golfer can appreciate the site of rolling hills and tree-lined fairways leading to a plush green. Pine Hills is truly one of the finest golf courses throughout Wisconsin’s historic Northwoods featuring GPS in each cart and is well-maintained throughout the course. Conveniently nestled among thousands of towering pines, each hole has its own unique characteristics that will challenge the seasoned golfers with risk verse reward decisions, or more simple safe shots for higher handicaps. Pine Hills is truly one of the finest golf courses throughout Wisconsin’s historic Northwoods.

GRAND NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AT GRAND CASINO HINCKLEY (HINCKLEY, MN)

1-320-384-7427

GrandCasinoMN.com

Yards from the Tips: 6,843

Rating: 72.9 Slope: 137

Course Overview: Grand National Golf Course offers players the ultimate challenge on the links and is conveniently located next to Grand Casino Hinckley. No matter what your skill level, Grand National is home to some of the best golf in Minnesota with gently rolling hills, ponds, marshes and creeks, hardwood native trees, and wide Bentgrass fairways. With the yardage from the tips coming in at just under 7,000 yards, the full course will challenge the most skilled golfers and shorter tees will make it more manageable for the more casual players.

SAGE RUN GOLF COURSE

1-906-723-2254

Islandresortgolf.com/sage-rungolf-club

Yards from tips: 7,334

Rating: 76.4 Slope: 147

Cost to play: $49 - $85

Course Overview: These two gems of golf courses were both designed by Paul Albanese. Sweetgrass features an open layout with some of the game’s most fun greens to putt on as well as some wonderful strategic holes -- including the famous island green No. 15 and spectacular double green with finishing par-five holes on each side. The course, which plays host to the newly dubbed EPSON Tour’s Island Resort Championship, is ranked among Golfweek’s Best Courses and proud to be titled both the 2021 Michigan Golf Course of the Year and National Golf Course of the Year for 2022.

THE BRIDGES GOLF CLUB AT HOLLYWOOD GULF COAST

1-228-469-2100

HollywoodGulfCoast.com

Yards from the Tips: 6,841

Rating: 73.5 Slope: 138

SWEETGRASS GOLF CLUB & SAGE

RUN GOLF COURSE AT ISLAND

RESORT & CASINO (HARRIS, MI)

SWEETGRASS GOLF CLUB

1-800-682-6040

Sweetgrassgolfclub.com

Yards from the Tips: 7,275

Rating: 143 Slope: 75.2

Cost to play: $45 to $80

Sage Run is ranked among Golfweek’s Best Courses, offers a contrasting style from its sister course. The course meanders through the beautiful Upper Peninsula hardwoods, open vistas, and a very dramatic ridge -offering a scenic variety of shots that collectively create a fun thrill ride for golfers. The course annually plays host to some of the top collegiate players with The Island Resort Intercollegiate at Sage Run.

Sweetgrass and Sage Run both rank in the Top 20 courses you can play in Michigan as well as high on national golf course rankings.

On the banks of Mississippi’s beautiful Bay of St. Louis, set among 600 acres of mossdraped live oaks, stately pines, magnolias and sweeping vistas of saltwater marsh, lies the canvas for an extraordinary golf experience.

This 6,900-yard, par 72 signature masterpiece is a work of art sculpted by one of the century’s great players and nationally-renowned golf course architect Arnold Palmer. Consistently rated among the top golf course architects in the country, Palmer has taken a superb gift of land and water and crafted it into a rare test of sport and spirit. Over 21 bridges, spanning nearly one mile in length, and bulkheads are incorporated into this magnificent layout.

LAVA LINKS GOLF CLUB AT SCARLET

PEARL CASINO RESORT (GULF COAST)

1-888-752-9772 ScarletPearlCasino.com

Open Mon – Thurs: Noon – 8pm Friday – Sunday: 10am – 10pm

Adults: $10 | Seniors/Military: $8 | Children 5-11: $7 Extra Round: $5

When it comes to casino resort amenities and extra-curricular activities, one of the more unique and entertaining ones has to be Lava Links Golf Club at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. These two championship-style miniature golf courses offer the perfect opportunity for ‘extra golf’ with your buddies after the sun goes down. The courses feature lush gardens, waterfalls, music and an erupting volcano! Be sure to carve out a couple hours to stop by Lava Links on your next Gulf Coast Visit.

The Pete Dye Course At French

LICK RESORT (WEST BADEN, IN)

1-888-936-9360 | FrenchLick.com

Yards from the Tips: 8,102

Rating: 80.0 Slope: 148

Course Overview: Sketched on a napkin and carved into history by Hall of Fame architect Pete Dye, this course hosted the Senior PGA Championship in 2015 and champion, Colin Montgomerie called it “one of the iconic courses” in America and one that golfers all over the world will want to play. This championship golf course on one of Indiana’s highest elevation points has narrow, immaculate fairways and rugged, intense terrain. The Pete Dye Course has gained national acclaim for its 40-mile panoramic views of the southern Indiana countryside, three manmade lakes, “volcano” bunkers and a variety of elevation changes. A robust 8,100 yards from the professional tees punctuate Dye’s signature sting from vista to vista.