Source: Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Miss.)
Collins, Miss. - Longtime Covington County residents pinch themselves just about every time they step on the first tee at Okatoma Golf Club.
"I never dreamed we'd have a golf course here," said Billy Dale Shoemake, course superintendent and founding member of the club. "I just wasn't sure Covington County was ready for one."
Okatoma has not only overcome some early growing pains, but has sprouted into one of the Pine Belt area's more popular golf destinations.
The club, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last month, features reasonable playing rates and a membership that hovers between 165 and 170.
"Right now, the fairways are in great shape. There might be a little foreign grass here or there, but you won't have much reason to complain," said Shoemake.
"But I offer no apologies for our greens. I have never seen them this good. In fact, if I had $100,000 to spend right now on them, I don't know what I would do with the money."
The course is located approximately 30 miles north of Hattiesburg. Golfers can be seen walking or riding up the first fairway by passing motorists on U.S. 49.
Charles Lee, Okatoma pro shop manager, said the course's visibility has helped attract a high number of drop-in golfers.
"Oh yeah, we get a lot of that," he said. "Plus, we've got a sign just north of us near Mount Olive and another one south of us around Seminary. That helps drum up business quite a bit."
Lee, 65, is a former head football coach at Mize High School, which sits about 20 miles north of the Okatoma Club. His pro shop duties don't allow for much playing time these days, but Lee isn't complaining. And he doesn't hear a lot of complaining either from those who finish a round of golf at Covington County's only 18-hole facility.
"Once people play it, they all tell me that they're coming back," said Lee. "Look, our fairways are so nice that you don't have to move your ball. The greens hold real good and they putt smoothly.
"I'm just thankful for what we've got here."
The golf course and property are owned by club members who invested seed money more than a decade ago. The Okatoma Golf Association includes a governing board of nine members.
Longtime Collins area resident Jimmy Goff is a founding member of the Okatoma Club.
"Right now, the course is in the best shape I've ever seen it," said Goff. "It's right where we'd hoped it would be after 10 years, if not better."
Relatively short but today's standards at 6,200 yards from the back tees, Okatoma can nevertheless present some challenges to golfers of every skill level. Goff likes to use the 130-yard, par-3, seventh hole as a prime example.
"It's not a long hole, but you can get into a lot of trouble if you hit it short or left," said Goff. "There's a pond right in front of the green and the hole slopes pretty sharply from left to right. It's probably my favorite hole on the course."
Shoemake has played the course hundreds of time in the past 10 years. He ran the pro shop for about seven years when it first opened before taking over the superintendent duties.
He's a strong believer in fate.
"God put this piece of property here for a golf course," he said. "We're not Canebrake here, but we don't try to be.
"We're just a nice, country golf course that rural Covington County can be especially proud of."
