Gil Hanse has been hired to create a new course in the US state of Mississippi.

The Bryan family has hired the architect behind the Rio 2016 Olympic course to develop the Mossy Oak Golf Club near the city of West Point in the northeastern part of the state.

The project is a joint venture between the Bryan family, Hanse and outdoor brand Mossy Oak. The development will have a specific focus on nature preservation, an approach that has been named ‘Nature’s Golf’.

“‘Nature’s Golf’ is a perfect complement to Hanse’s minimalist approach to course design and a logical extension of the Mossy Oak brand,” said George Bryan and Toxey Haas, co-founders of Mossy Oak Golf Club. “The lay of the land and depth of the untouched prairie will guide the development of this new course and inform fairway routings, to the point of utilising existing ridge views for the final green complexes on which legendary putts will be made.”

The new course will play 7,400 yards and Mossy Oak’s team of experts will partner with Hanse to physically prepare the land for course development and guide the selection of native grasses, plants and trees to be used during the project. 

“Mossy Oak is an iconic thought-leader in the outdoor industry and I’ve admired the approach that they have taken towards preservation and the love of the outdoors,” said Hanse. “We are excited to learn from each other and innovate in the way we approach the design of the overall golf experience. We believe that the outdoor enthusiast and avid golf traveler share a common love of nature, and the inherent qualities in this site will allow us to seek to create the ultimate in ‘Nature’s Golf’.”

Hanse will also design a new practice facility for the site, which will serve as the official home of the Mississippi State University men’s and women’s golf teams. This facility will include a five-green driving range, short game training areas and a 16,000 sq ft putting green. 

“This facility is a program changer for us and we are overjoyed by the partnership and vision of both Mossy Oak Golf Club and Gil Hanse to make our dream a reality,” said Clay Homan, men’s golf head coach at Mississippi State University.

The new course will be built on land adjacent to Old Waverly Golf Club, which was also the brainchild of the George Bryan family. Old Waverly hosted the 1999 Women’s U.S. Open and 2014 ISPS Handa Cup.

The new course will become an extension of the Old Waverly Golf Club, with opportunities for guests to stay and play at both championship courses.