Best Golf in the Bayou

March 4, 2014

Fat Tuesday marks the end of Mardi Gras but it doesn’t have to mean the end of you good time in ‘Nawlins.

Home of the Zurich Classic PGA Tour event, New Orleans is a world-famous tourist attraction. Often referred to as “The most unique city in America,” its 32 golf courses are original in their own right.

So if you are looking to keep the party going, trade in your beads for your clubs and consider teeing off at one of these great GolfNow partner courses.

Stonebridge Golf Club (Gretna, La.) – The only true links-style course in the greater New Orleans area, Stonebridge features 27 championship holes named after Jazz Greats Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain and Al Hirt.

Stonebridge Golf Club also boasts 28 ponds and lakes, but they don’t often come into play and there are only two forced carries over the 27 holes.

The golf course winds through several canals and bayous, and you will likely encounter some of many species of reptiles and waterfowl that make their home in this region.

 

Riverlands Golf & Country Club  (La Place, La.) – Established in 1961, The 18-hole “Riverlands” course at the Riverlands Golf & Country Club facility features 6,899 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72.

The Tif Eagle green surfaces that have been touted as “the best in the New Orleans Metro Area” and three practice greens and a driving range provide the opportunity to work on all the facets of the game.

The course is full of Majestic Oaks, Pines and Maple Trees and is built on 126 acres with 10 freshwater tidal ponds.

 

Audubon Park Golf Course (New Orleans, La.) – Recently awarded 4.5 of 5 stars in Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play” rankings, the Audubon Park course features contoured fairways, manicured Tif Eagle greens, four lagoons and lush landscaping.

Operated by the Audubon Nature Institute, Audubon Park opened in 1898 and prior to opening was the site of the 1884 World’s Fair. The executive-18-hole course is a par 62, 4,220-yard layout set among hundred year-old oak trees that includes twelve par 3s, four par 4s, and two par 5s.

Strategically placed lagoons add difficulty to a course that Golf Digest also voted the number 1 course of “Courses Over 100 Years Old” and one of the top public courses in Louisiana.

 

Abita Springs Golf Club (Abita Springs, La.) – Newly-renovated and one of the more scenic courses in the area, Abita Springs Golf Club is one of the best kept secrets in St. Tammany Parish. The narrow fairways are a test for most golfers, yet still forgiving enough for all levels of golfer.