Beau Pré

Beau Pré Country Club stakes itself in the French culture that spread from nearby Louisiana during the early days of American development, and that heritage is evidenced in the French-language names of holes throughout the course. Although a translator might help for a few, there are a number of holes where any English-speaker will understand what the scorecard is trying to translate.

For example, No. 5 “Longue” is just as much a par five as it sounds, playing more than 580 yards from the back tees...the longest hole on the course. The word “tombe” in the title at No. 11 will easily translates to “grave,” but what about “de sable”? Put it all together and you’ve got “sand grave,” the name of the giant centerline bunker that divides the fairway on this short par four. And “Trou Cape”? Every golfer will recognize the hole’s trademark Cape design when they look at the pond along the right; the title simply translates to “Cape Hole.”

Does architect Mike Young actually know how to speak French? Who knows. What he does know is how to make a compelling course that routes around the wetlands of southern Mississippi.