Louisiana, the beautiful, bustling Bayou State, is home to hundreds of great golf courses. While there are plenty of tracks for the common man, the upper echelon of Louisiana golf courses are among the best in the region and are truly world class. The state is a convergence of sorts, where Creole and Cajun culture meets French and Spanish heritage. With this many unique perspective on tap in The Pelican State, you can bet the golf courses are full of flavor and spice.
To get you started on your cajun course quest, here are five Louisiana golf courses you need to play.
Squire Creek Country Club (Best Overall and Best Private Course)
The Tom Fazio designed Squire Creek Country Club is without question the premier golfing venue in the entire state, if not the region. Located in Chourant, the course is the perfect representation of the lush, green landscape Louisiana is known for. The course features plenty of water, trees, and other obstacles to keep your round interesting and its charming to boot.
The first hole begins with a slight dogleg right toward a backward sloping green. Water lurks to the back and right of the green, so beware over eager or errant approaches.
The second hole is, in a word, spectacular, and boasts an adventurous creek and thick trees forming a crown behind the green. It is a par 5 and can be reached in two if you play your shots right.
The round finishes with a long par 5 17 that zigs and zags and is home to several deep bunkers, and a dogleg left par 4 18. The fairways on the final hole roll, sprawl, and shift as you approach a well guarded, multi tiered green.
The course measures 7105 yards from the black, or “Fazio” tees as they are known, and is a regulation par 72.
While Squire Creek really does dazzle, it is reserved for members and their guests. Getting on will be tough, but if you can, it is sure to be a memorable day at the links.
The Bluffs (Best Public Golf Course)
The Bluffs, the product of golfing legend Arnold Palmer, was opened in 1988 and has received nothing but rave reviews since. This striking course is routinely ranked as the best course you can play in the state by leading golf publications and is a stunning display of Louisiana’s natural beauty.
The Bluffs features stiff elevation changes and well maintained, rolling fairways. The greens are immaculate and its as if every bunker and and water hazard is tucked in just the right spot. Surrounding the course is thick forest and on 17, the signature hole on the course, the lovely Louisiana landscape is simply on another level.
The Bluffs measures 7003 yards from the tips and is a regulation par 72.
What makes this incredible course even more alluring are the reasonable rates. You can play The Bluffs for only $35 for 18 walking and the price dips to $30 after 3 pm. In many other states, the top course costs upwards of $100 or more. Not so in Louisiana.
TPC Louisiana (Most Scenic Course)
The TPC Louisiana is a testament to how beautiful a golf course built on over 200 acres of Louisiana wetlands can be. The course boasts several ponds and over a hundred, well placed bunkers. Because of its thoughtful design and attention to detail, the course incorporates the varied landscapes and vegetation of the region into its layout—including cypress and oak trees lining many of the fairways.
The signature hole, the par 5 fifth is particularly breathtaking, as a long pond runs the length of the hole to the right. Throughout, sloping, lighting quick greens make this masterpiece quite challenging too.
TPC Louisiana measures 7425 yards deep from the tips and is a regulation par 72.
A championship level course of this quality is not always available for public play. But you can get on at TPC Louisiana…for a price. The standard daytime rate can climb past $200, but the twilight rate after 4 pm can dip below $50.
Kosasti Pines (Most Challenging Course)
Located in Kinder, Louisiana and part of Coushatta Resort, Kosasti Pines is one of the more demanding tracks in the state. Kosasti Pines plays long, really long and starts out deep from the get go.
The first hole is over 600 yards of par 5 golf and features two fairways separated by an army of pines. The first par 3 of the course comes on the third hole and is also long. At close to 200 yards you can’t sacrifice accuracy for distance as you have to fly a pond standing in between the tee and the green.
The back nine boasts more par 3’s over 200 yards and the par 5 18th hole is 624 yards. It also has a unique layout—the fairway is cut horizontally by a wide water hazard that continues to the right all the way up to the green.
In total, Kosati Pines measures 7617 yards from the blacks and is a regulation par 72.
During the week you can play Kosasti Pines for $70, but the price goes up to $90 on holidays and weekends. The twilight rate is considerably cheaper at $45 for play starting after 4pm on weekdays at $60 on the weekends.
Black Bear Golf Course (Best Deal)
Located in Delhi, Louisiana, Black Bear Golf Course is a state owned and operated course and offers high quality golf at a decent rate. Since it opened in the early 2000’s, the course has routinely been ranked among the best in the state.
The course features wide, rolling fairways, at times wide open and at times crowded by thick forest. Many of the greens are guarded by uniquely shaped bunkers and the layout is filled with twists and turns and keeps things exciting.
Black Bear is a 7200 yard par 72, championship level course.
But it doesn’t charge rates like one. The twilight rate at Black Bear is especially appealing and gets as low as $33.50 for rounds starting after 3pm.
Louisiana Golf
With so many courses that make great use of Louisiana’s unique habitats and landscapes, and with a climate conducive to year round golf, Louisiana is a great state to head to for some amazing golf. Check out some of these courses, or other great tracks in the state, to start your Louisiana golfing adventures. Happy golfing.
Did we miss a course? Share your Louisiana golf experience in the comment section below.
