BILOXI, Miss. -- In five short years, Fallen Oak has grown into a course that has become an elite golfing destination for not only the game's legends, but those with a legendary course on their must-play list. Fallen Oak has wrapped up another award-winning year by earning two more honors from Golfweek - the No. 2 spot on the magazine's Best Casino Courses list for 2011 and the No. 13 spot on its list of Best Resort Courses for 2012.
It is the fifth time the Tom Fazio-designed MGM Resorts International course has garnered praise in each category. It has been selected the No. 2 Casino Course every year since it has been open (2007-2011). Each time, including this year, Fallen Oak trailed only sister MGM Resorts International course Shadow Creek in the list of America's top 50 courses attached to or affiliated with a casino.
Out of a possible 10 points, Fallen Oak earned a 7.31, holding more than a third-of-a-point lead over its nearest rival.
Among resort courses, Fallen Oak's parent - Beau Rivage - dropped one place from its 2011 position as America's No. 12 Resort Course. It debuted at No. 22 in 2009.
With these latest honors, the 5-year-old course garnered its 18th award from Golfweek and 29th national award from golf and lifestyle publications. As happens with virtually everyone who plays Fallen Oak and experiences Fazio's world-class layout and masterful use of the DeSoto National Forest's hardwood trees, wetlands, marshes, pecan groves and magnolias, the publication's raters were as taken with Fallen Oak as the Champions Tour players who visit every spring for the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic.
"Fallen Oak is really incredible, one of the best golf courses I've played out here. The shot values are fantastic," Champions Tour pro and CBS Golf Analyst Gary McCord said. "The way the course is cut out of the trees and the oaks, the second shots are fantastic. It is really a nice facility. You combine this facility with Beau Rivage to stay in; it's one of the nicest combinations of golf course and hotel that I've seen anywhere in the United States."
Fallen Oak's and Beau Rivage's status as one of the top baker's-dozen golf resorts in the country puts it in elite company - and ahead of top courses such as Sea Island in Georgia (No. 16), Kapalua in Maui (No. 17) and the Greenbrier in West Virginia (No. 33). All three of which play host to PGA TOUR events.
"The goal with Fallen Oak has always been to create a total golf experience that complements the Beau Rivage experience," said George P. Corchis Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International's Regional Operations, which includes Beau Rivage in Biloxi. "These latest honors from Golfweek not only reflect the brilliance of Fallen Oak, but the work of the people who create the experience for our guests. They deserve the credit for helping our guests enjoy such a beautiful course."
Also enjoying the classic elegance of Fallen Oak are many of the game's legends who have made the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic one of the marquee stops on the Champions Tour. The event returns to Fallen Oak March 19-25, 2012, with defending champion and Champions Tour Player of the Year Tom Lehman leading a parade of the game's greatest names to what has become one of the must-play courses on the Champions Tour.
"It's playable and enjoyable. The average player gets out here and gets tested. There's nothing wrong with that," Champions Tour player John Cook said. "That's what a great architect does - allow you to play the golf course."
Those legends and the raters from Golfweek marveled at Fallen Oak's 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.
The clubhouse and practice facilities alone put Fallen Oak among the top courses in the region. 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 70-seat lounge and restaurant features top-level dining and a panoramic view of the 18th hole, as well as the majestic live oak that gives Fallen Oak its name. In 2008, that clubhouse was voted one of the "Best 19th Holes in Golf" by Golf Digest.
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. 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 Resorts International 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 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. Leveraging MGM Resorts' unmatched amenities, the M life loyalty program delivers one-of-a-kind experiences, insider privileges and personalized rewards for guests at the Company's renowned properties nationwide. 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.
Contacts:
Mary Cracchiolo Spain, Beau Rivage/Fallen Oak, (228) 386-7134
Brian Robin, Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc., (818) 462-5610
