The improvements that have been made at Clear Creek Golf Course over the past year seem basic and small enough.

A repaved parking lot here. A rehabbed green and fairway there.

All added up, they’re slowly creating positive word of mouth that’s turning Warren County’s public course into a golf destination in Mississippi.

“People are starting to see the investment that’s been made, and we’re reaping the rewards. When your golf couse is better, people want to play and you recoup it on the back end,” said Ronny Ross, Clear Creek’s Director of Golf. “We’re getting the golf course in position now to really showcase what we’ve got to folks.”

Clear Creek will have one of those showcases next weekend when it hosts the annual Warren County Open. The 36-hole stroke play tournament to crown the county’s top golfer is July 29 and 30, and is open to both residents and non-residents. The entry fee is $150 for Clear Creek pass holders, and $160 for non-pass holders. Golfers can call 601-638-9395 or visit the Clear Creek clubhouse to register.

The Open will also serve as the Clear Creek club championship, with the top finishers who are also members qualifying for the Warren County Cup matches against the Vicksburg Country Club all-stars in August.
Ross said the club championship typically only drew a handful of players, which led to the decision to combine the two events.

“We’re going to do a two-in-one deal,” Ross said. “Any pass holders who want to play in the club championship can play in the Warren County Open and it won’t cost them any extra.”

In addition to the Warren County Open and a weekly senior scramble every Wednesday, a string of tournaments starting in early September will bring golfers to the course. Benefit tournaments for Camp Tanglewood (Sept. 1), the Exchange Club of Vicksburg (Sept. 14) and the Carr Central alumni association (Sept. 20) all follow in rapid succession.

In November, a three-day golf weekend is another showcase. Clear Creek will host its Commissioners Cup on Nov. 3, with all proceeds benefiting improvement projects at the course. Nov. 4 and 5 is the Michelob Ultra Scramble, which was rescheduled from June because of weather.

“In November, the golf course is always perfect. It’s usually dry. I’ve just always loved golfing in November, and that date worked out,” Ross said. “We’ve got the Commissioners Cup on Nov. 3, which is a fundraiser for golf course projects. And knowing the course is going to be in perfect shape, I just decided to roll this into it.”

The series of tournaments, Ross hopes, will generate more buzz for an ongoing renovation of the course.

In September 2022, the rutted parking lot received a needed repaving.

In April, new carts with geofencing technology were purchased. The technology shuts down the carts if they’re driven into certain restricted areas. The Clear Creek staff can track the carts and set the boundaries.

Most of the restricted areas are near greens, tee boxes and parts of fairways that are often damaged by cart traffic. After only a few months, Ross said, the grass in those areas is showing vast improvements because of it.

A new clubhouse is also in the planning stages. In the meantime, the layout of the current one was adjusted to create a better flow for foot traffic.

Ross credited course superintendent Brice McLendon for getting the grounds in good shape, and the Warren County Board of Supervisors for supporting the effort.

“This Parks board we have now loves this golf course. They love Vicksburg. They work hard to make the best decisions for everybody,” Ross said.

The new clubhouse is the biggest item on the list of renovations, but Ross said the smaller projects are just as important in helping Clear Creek reach its full potential.

“It’s little things we’re going to peck away at and try to keep improving,” he said. “It’s a snowball effect. One leads to the other. It’s trying to make people feel welcome. There’s a tendency to think of the course as just being there. You can flip that if they walk in and say, ‘This place is nice.’”