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The Grand Bear Golf Course
Rating Snapshot
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
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Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by adh4md on 07/18/2023
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Photo submitted by adh4md on 07/18/2023
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Photo submitted by ezpar722 on 04/07/2023
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Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
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Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
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Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
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Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 12/31/2022
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Photo submitted by coop1911 on 07/09/2022
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Photo submitted by paulharley on 05/22/2021
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Photo submitted by evgyan on 07/08/2019
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Photo submitted by evgyan on 07/08/2019
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Photo submitted by evgyan on 07/08/2019
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View from the 17th tee Photo submitted by Bwest90 on 06/28/2019
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Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
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Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
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Perfect fairways and bunkers. Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
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12 foot gator....huge! Photo submitted by scottlsu on 05/28/2017
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Photo submitted by Target00 on 03/19/2016
Fun and Challenging
Good day to play. Had fun and watch some gators. Grrens smoother today than previous round.
Green looked a little stressed
Not sure if the greens had been punched recently or not. They looked and felt a little bumpy and dry,
Seen the greens look better in the past.
Overall a great layout, enjoyed two rounds while in town.
Will always be on my play list....
Grand Bear
course was in excellent condition considering previous weeks weather.
Not worth it
This course is an embarrassment to a great Jack Nicholas design. The staff was great but the course conditions and carts were terrible. The carts looked the were purchased from the losers of a demolition derby.The greens did not looked to be mowed. they were slow and bumpy. When I questioned several members of the staff they explained the casino stopped caring for the course after the last hurricane and it sure shows. Prior to arrival I tried to contact the casino to check out any stay and play packages they kept transferring to someone that never answered the phone. I left several messages but no one ever called me back so we stayed somewhere else and paid way to much for this course. This course has a great lay out, but managed buy people that really don't care or understand golf. I am sorry for the dedicated staff but to be honest I would not consider playing this course until they can turn it around.
grand time at grand bear
extremely friendly staff from directions to the course to scheduling a replay in afternoon. fantastic clubhouse. a "must" play if down on Ms coast!
This course is bad, after the last hurricane the owners just gave up. the carts were on their last leg, the greens did not seem to be mowed. Staff at the course was great but trying to get hold of someone at the casino about the course and possible stay and play packages was impossible. I was always forward to someone that was not their and when I left a message they would not return the call. staff gets 4.5 stars the rest of it get 1 star. I would not recommend this place to anyone.
Great staff and great course.
Friendly staff. Course still dormant. Greens smooth and fast.
Worth the drive to get there.
Great course in great condition. Well worth the drive to get to the course. $7.50 for a hotdog is starting to get on the pricey side, however.
Awesome course
Little pricey. But you get what you pay for. Excellent course. A little muddy in the fairways. It's expected this time of year though.
Must Play
This was a nice course and a must play if in the Golf Coast area. Have already played several more times since this time.
a most beautiful and challenging course
The challenging course at Grand bear, the beauty of the club house and the friendly staff all rate an excellent in all ways. We enjoyed the quiet solitude of the course, the scenic river and the quality of the golf. The dozen deer that nibbled the grass were a bonus. Great day!!
awesome
this course is a winner,must play course everything was all good wildlife/scenic views the course has it all
Winter Grand Bear
It was 28 degrees as we arrived. A Frost delay moved our 7:40 tee time to 8:20, but we were glad to wait until it warmed up! By 9:30 we had shed all of our extra clothing and had a wonderful day of golf under clear blue skies. The course was winter brown, but in excellent condition. The greens were very well kept and great for winter conditions. The course played long, but very enjoyable. Can't wait to play it in the summer. Staff was great.
Top notch
Wonderful staff, very accommodating and one heck of a well maintained track. This place is tough but fair. Highly recommend this place.
Still a great experience...
This is an excellent playing experience. The choice of multiple tee boxes makes this course fun for any skill level. I highly recommend this course!
Ford Express
I have played this course on several occasions and have have greatly enjoyed each one. For my handicap I play from the Brown Bear tees which demands you focus on each and every shot. The staff and restuarant personnel are always friendly and helpful. And so is the cart and Marshall. I look forward to playing this course on more occasion this year.
Grand Bear
The course was in great shape and everything was awesome but 3 things that stuck out to my group.
1. For a cousre that is soooo good and club house that is awesome looking.. WHY DO THEY HAVE GOLF CARTS THATS so OLD AND BROKEN DOWN LOOKING?
2. Did not rain in 2 days but was still cartpath...why not 90 degrees?
3. need a beverage cart ..esspecially on weekends
Thank you for the kind words. I would like to address your concerns.
1. We are continually working on upgrading our fleet of carts but as you know, the economy and especially the golf industry is still fairly weak. As soon as the capital is made available to us, we will be getting new carts. We agree that our carts are not fitting a course as excellent as ours.
2. This time of year when the grass is dormant, if we receive almost 4" of rain on a Friday, we will have a difficult time allowing carts onto the turf come Sunday. The grass just doesn't soak up the moisture like it does it the summer. And if we make the mistake of going 90 degrees too soon, any damage done to the dormant turf will not heal until the Spring since it simply isn't growing. One day too early will effect the course for weeks or months later.
3. We usually have a beverage cart but on that particular Sunday, we only had 30 players on the sheet at the start the day so we deemed a beverage cart unneccessary. Next time you come out to play, let me know and I'll make sure there is a beverage cart on the course.
Thank you for coming out to play with us and we look forward to seeing you again!
Ian Kahn
Head Golf Professional
Grand Bear Golf Course
Quiet and peaceful.
I love the course. For winter time it is in good shape. The greens are brown but don't let that fool you. They putt true and with good speed. They are not over seeded with rye grass just to make them look green.
A championship course
We had a foursome & pace of play was great. The course was in great winter condition. We need to improve our bunker shots.
Will play the course again.
Long and Tough
I am 67 with a 19 handicap. I played from the forward tees and this course still seemed long. You should definitely play forward unless you are a 12 or better handicap. The one thing that bothered me about the course was the fairways were cut so tight the average golfer has a hard time making good contact. I am use to the ball sitting up a little and it definitely was not at this course. Course was wet but in great shape for being winter.
Good course and play again
The staff was very good the course was challenging. It was cart path only due to excessive rain the night before, so it made club selection more challenging. I would love to paly again under better condition. I have play all the JN courses in TN and this course is just as good as the others I have played
Mystic Creek Experience Stay & Play Package
I haven't played Grand Bear in a year or so, but this review certainly conflicts with my recollection. I recall the course being in terrific shape and a delight to play. I also see that reviews around the time this comment was left report that the course was in very good shape when they played. I don't have a dog in the hunt, but perhaps ScotteK's review should be taken with a grain of salt.