Louisiana’s Audubon Golf Trail – Imagine the Possibilities! By Dave Finn
When I think of Louisiana, the first place that springs to mind is New Orleans. I think of Bourbon Street, balconies, and beads. I can taste the gumbo and beignets served with chickory coffee. I can hear the jazz notes floating in the air, and the beat of feet tapping away to a Zydeco tune, but when it comes to golf, that’s only the beginning of the adventure.
Imagine sixteen of the state’s top golf courses stretching from New Orleans to the Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi borders. Imagine yourself following a path that will let you explore Northern Louisiana, a Sportsman’s Paradise, Cajun Country, the Plantation Region and the Big Easy. Imagine challenging yourself on courses designed by legendary golf greats like Pete Dye, Arnold Palmer, Hal Sutton, David Toms and Robert Trent Jones.
Imagine yourself following the Audubon Golf Trail as it weaves its way from The Big Easy to Baton Rouge and Monroe through bayous and wetlands, live oaks, cypress groves, and upland pine forests and rolling hills. Imagine the efforts of sixteen cooperative members to protect the abundant native wildlife and preserve the natural habitat while delivering the ultimate golf experience.
Imagine yourself there!
We began our journey with a round at The Golf Course at Audubon Park located in the historic district, minutes from downtown New Orleans. This par-62 4220-yard 18-hole layout opened in 1898 and meanders through 81 acres of centuries-old oak trees with five lakes surrounded by a bustling pedestrian-friendly park. It is the only golf course in America accessible by streetcar and has been ranked by Golfweek in the Top 50 Municipal Courses.
Baton Rouge lies in the heart of Plantation Country. The city is home to Louisiana State University and hums to the beat of student life. There are six Audobon championship courses within striking distance of the Capital, and on this trip, we chose to play Santa Maria. This municipal Robert Trent Jones Sr. course has a parkland-style feel set on 150 acres of rolling lowland terrain with 15 lakes, two natural waterways and ancient oaks that frame the well-tended Bermuda fairways. I loved the layout, especially the beautiful par-5 finishing hole that led us back to the lovely Spanish-style clubhouse. With green fees including cart and taxes ranging from $36 from $52, Santa Maria is a steal.
Our next stop was the Carter Plantation Golf Club, the first course designed by PGA Tour champion and LSU Alumni David Toms. This 18-hole par-72 course features three distinct landscapes including magnificent live oaks, cypress wetlands and a tall pines and hardwood forest. There are subtle rolling fairways throughout this lowland layout but beware, water comes into play on eleven holes. For the most part, the greens are crested with swales around them and the bunkering is rugged-faced with deep soft sand. Similar to an Arnold Palmer design, you’ll soon discover that if you are not playing from the right tee blocks you will be hitting your second shots out of bunkers all day long.
The Tamahka Trails Golf Club is in the centre of the Louisiana, about 90 miles north of Baton Rouge, and forms an integral part of the upscale Paragon Casino Resort. This Steve Smyers design is a hybrid layout of links and parkland-style holes with numerous, deep sod-faced bunkers. With a little imagination you might feel that you’ve been transported ‘across the pond’ to where it all began – Scotland. This is a top-notch facility and with unlimited golf with your greens fees, a must play as you navigate the trail.
The Black Bear Golf Club at Poverty Point State Park in northeastern Louisiana marks the start of the trail. This Bechtol Russell design has consistently ranked as one of the best public golf courses in the state. I must admit it was probably my most favourite layout because of the well tree-lined fairways and huge elevation changes but be advised that the course is undergoing some upgrades. The green-side bunkers have been repaired and next on the list is the restoration of the fairway bunkers. In the meantime, enjoy the stunning views.
But I’ve saved the best for last.
Imagine the thrill of playing in the Zurich Classic Pro-Am.
When we pulled up to the stately clubhouse at TPC Louisiana, I realized I was about to do what most golf fans only dream of doing. You see, for the first time ever, I would be playing in a PGA Tour event. Truly, I was so taken in by the entire scene that all I could think to do was snap pictures. Before I knew it, it was time to find our teams and at this point, I think I was honestly vibrating. Let’s face it, playing a Dye course is challenging in its own right, but playing with a pro ups the ante.
As I slipped ‘behind the ropes’, I realized how privileged I was to have this chance to get a taste of tournament life, something you can’t really witness from the gallery or appreciate watching the big screen. I was out of my comfort zone but excited at the same time. Fortunately, we were paired with Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, a seven-time European champion who was not only a great golfer but also a real gentleman. From the moment we stepped onto the first tee to pose for our individual pictures with him, he put us at ease. The best advice he gave us was to not focus on our scorecards but simply enjoy our day and I did! The only way I can describe how I felt when we finished our round was this was an experience of a lifetime!
Now it’s time to stop imaging what it would be like to play any of the sixteen courses that comprise the Audubon Trail and head for Louisiana to start making memories of your own.