Mississippi State course again shoots par with national golf magazine

For the third time in six years, the Mississippi State University Golf Course is highly recommended by the nation's most widely circulated golf magazine.

Golf Digest includes the 18-hole, par 72 course in its regional edition of the 1996-97 "Places to Play," an annual supplement to the monthly magazine editions. "Best college course in the South," "challenging, but fair" and "fun, walkable layout" are among comments included in the Mississippi State legend.

Overall, the course receives a three-star rating (out of five), with the accompanying designation: "Very good. Tell a friend it's worth getting off the highway to play."

Golf Digest has a monthly circulation of 1.5 million. Designed for golfers who play when traveling on business or for pleasure, the supplement includes brief, essential information about courses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Mississippi State was included in 1990 and 1994.

The year-round public facility also was given the current publication's special designation as a "great value." Green fees are $10 and $15.

In addition to athletic pleasures it provides, the course has an educational purpose. It is a teaching laboratory for the professional golf management and the golf and sports turf management academic programs.

One of only four in the U.S. sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association of America--and the only one in the Southeast--the PGM program prepares students for careers as club professionals or directors of golf. About 200 are currently enrolled.

The turf management program, which enrolls more than 100, trains future course superintendents and turf managers in golf and other sports areas requiring grass playing surfaces.