Cardinal at Diamondhead Country Club

The Cardinal Course at Diamondhead Country Club sits in the small resort community of Diamondhead, Mississippi, roughly midway between New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Designed by Earl Stone and John LaFoy, the course opened in the early 1970s as part of a planned residential development that included multiple golf courses. Stone, a regional architect active throughout the South during this period, worked with LaFoy to create a layout that navigates the area's characteristic pine forests and gentle rolling terrain.

The routing takes advantage of the natural topography, with fairways carved through stands of longleaf and loblolly pine. The course features elevation changes modest by coastal standards but notable for the region, with several holes playing uphill or downhill through tree-lined corridors. Water comes into play on select holes, typical of courses built in this low-lying coastal plain environment. The design reflects the architectural sensibilities of its era, with relatively straightforward hole strategies and greens that are generally accessible to mid-handicap players.

Diamondhead Country Club operates as a semi-private facility, serving both club members and resort guests. The Cardinal Course is one of multiple layouts at the property, which has functioned as a golf-centered community amenity since its development. The course provides a traditional tree-lined experience characteristic of Mississippi golf, where accuracy off the tee and course management through wooded corridors define the playing challenge.