Bookmark and Share

TPC Louisiana

Tournament Players Club (TPC) courses are designed for the average golfer and fan to play in exceptional surroundings and enjoy a level of service and personal attention that is normally reserved exclusively for tour players.    When TPC Louisiana made its debuted in 2004, everyone knew it would live up to that reputation and be the crowned jewel of Louisiana’s Audubon Golf Trail.  The annual of host of a PGA Tour stop, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC Louisiana provides just such a playing experience for the golfing public, allowing you to play where the pros play.

Situated across the Mississippi river and only 12 miles from the famed Bourbon Street of New Orleans, is a brilliant display of the design work of Pete Dye and PGA Tour player consultants Steve Elkington and New Orleans native Kelly Gibson.  Pete Dye is considered to be one of the most influential golf course architects in the world. His designs are known for distinctive features and challenging shots.   He is known for designing the "world's most terrifying tee shot”, the "Island Green", at the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.  TPC Louisiana is an extension of Dye’s legacy.    

The challenges are all around on this beautifully maintained 7,500 yard par-72 championship monster.  There are over 100 bunkers of all shapes and sizes that take up nearly 20 acres of the 80-plus acres of playing area.  If you manage to play an entire round without landing in one, it is nearly a miracle.  One bunker is 150 yards long and includes six small “islands” of turf.  And speaking of bunkers, more than 60 are well-placed pot bunkers that will catch sloppy tee shots and poor approach shots.

One of the most attractive features to the property is that it's self-contained, surrounded on three sides by drainage canals.  But the relatively flat terrain and limited topography was a challenge that needed to be overcome to create this masterpiece.  Numerous wetland areas were created and natural vegetation was added while incorporating hundred year old cypress trees that were on the property to provide an exceptional experience and stunning views.

The course offers four sets of tees, and even though it stretches to 7,500 yards from the champion set of tees, it offers a great collection of challenging par-4 holes that complement the longer ones. 

The par-4 6th hole is a 476 yard challenge and is legendary as the most difficult hole on the course.  It is the third long par-4 on the front nine and is dubbed the ‘Triangle of Doom,’ because it is surrounded by hazards and trees requiring pin point accurate shots.  The tee shot requires a nearly arrow-like straight shot that avoids a water hazard on the left, a large bunker on the right and trees ahead.  The second shot is a nearly 90-degree dogleg to the left that has a number of cypress trees and natural grasses.  This hole plays differently based upon the weather conditions, on a windy day, your second shot may require a solid fairway wood to land the green in regulation.

The 7th hole requires more well placed shots.  The par-5, 561 yard hole makes you dodge a huge well placed fairway bunker on the right and several pot bunkers on the left.  If you play safe and lay-up, the fairway widens a bit to the right, but leaves you an incredibly long shot to the reasonably small green. 

The 18th is TPC Louisiana’s signature hole.  As you look at it, you can’t but think of the mad genius that Pete Dye is.  Water is in play the entire right side of this 583-yard, par-5, so keep your slice in check.  Bunkers placed along the water line may be a savior as they can keep a misplaced shot from a watery doom.  But because of its length and challenges, the 18th may feel like a par-6.

When the course debuted in 2004, Golf Digest named it the 4th best upscale public golf course.  Since its open, not much has changed, but hurricane Katrina did its best to change the landscape, taking with it a number of the huge cypress and oak trees.  But with numerous wetland areas, fast greens, narrow fairways, tons of bunkers and plenty of trees remaining, TPC Louisiana is a beautiful and challenging golf course.

Louisiana is more than great food and music - it's great golf, and TPC Louisiana will certainly provide that.  Like all 12 member courses of the Audubon Golf Trail, TPC Louisiana is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary of golf courses, dedicated to protecting the environment and preserving the natural heritage of the game of golf.