PRESS RELEASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 21, 2002

CONTACT:
Dan Shepherd, 703.761.1444
Buffalo Communications
dshepherd@billycaspergolf.com

Mississippi Golf Destinations Garner Industry Accolades

Biloxi-Gulfport and Hattiesburg Regions
Rank Among Nation's Best Golf Areas

(JACKSON, Mississippi) - The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)
Division of Tourism today announces Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula
("Biloxi-Gulfport") and Hattiesburg have been rated among the best golf
areas in the U.S. by Golf Digest magazine in its "Metro Golf Rankings"
(November 2002 issue).

Of 314 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) defined by the U.S. Census
Bureau, Biloxi-Gulfport ranks No. 64 and in the top 20 percent nationwide, with Hattiesburg close behind at No. 76 and in the top 24 percent.

Both Biloxi-Gulfport and Hattiesburg are ranked above Honolulu, Tucson, Las Vegas, and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, for example. The rankings were scientifically analyzed and compiled by a Golf Digest
research team which assigned values for the following categories:

Weather/climate
Number of public courses per capita
Number of total courses per capita
Number of public courses per "avid" player
Average green fee
Average star rating and value ranking of Golf Digest's "Places to Play" feature and average fee
"Golfers nationwide are increasingly discovering Mississippi offers
convenient access to a wealth of highly-rated golf venues at affordable prices," says Robert J. Rohrlack, Jr., the MDA's Executive Director. "Moreover, visitors tell us they love complementing unique golf experiences in Mississippi with trips to new casinos, world-famous music, delicious restaurants, and with our heritage, history and architecture."

With a readership estimated at 2.8 million, Golf Digest's Metro Golf
Rankings confirm through scientific analysis what the MDA and golfers already know: Mississippi provides some of the premier golf in the country and continues to grow its golf resources through new developments.

A dozen new golf courses are currently under development and will open in the near future. Golf-tourism revenue has increased more than 41 percent the past three years (1999-2002).

Attractions contributing to Mississippi's growing popularity as the
preferred golf-and-travel destination include:

Great year-round weather and direct flights from major carriers;
More than 140 courses that offer all price points and design varieties in five distinct regions;

New and existing courses designed by top golf course architects that garner national recognition;

More affordable courses than most other comparable U.S. golf destinations;

World-famous gourmet cuisine, blues music, and luxurious casino resorts offering star-studded shows;

Family-themed attractions offering everything from parks and beaches;

Widespread acclaim from the annual PGA Tour golf tournament held in the state capital, Jackson; and,
History and architecture, including stunning Antebellum Era mansions turned award-winning B&B venues.
Golf-course architects represented in Mississippi are Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Davis Love III, Jerry Pate, Tom Fazio, Arthur Hills, and Hale Irwin. Representative golf courses are Old Waverly GolfClub in West Point, host of the 1999 U.S. Women;s Open won by Julie Inkster; award-winning Dancing Rabit at Pearl River Resort and Casino in Choctaw/Philadelphia; and the Nicklaus-designed Grand Bear Golf Club in Gulfport near Biloxi.

A free Golf Mississippi Travel Guide and more information is available by calling 866.801.8551.

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Mollie Gregory
Mississippi Development Authority/
Division of Tourism
P. O. Box 849
Jackson, MS 39205
601.359.3297
mgregory@mississippi.org