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thought i'd start a review thread on Louisiana's golf courses......please add the courses you've played, or have a different view on......*all my course rates include a cart fee, and are a rough estimate from the last time i played it

Southwest Louisiana:

Gray Plantation -Lake Charles - public - nicest course i've been able to play in the state, well manicured fairways, and nice greens.......plenty of sand and water makes up for the lack of trees to add to the difficulty of this course.......it IS pretty open, and you can pretty much "Bomb away" w/ the driver.....if you can keep it out of the water, you usually have a pretty good chance to score well here....beautiful clubhouse....GPS carts...course rates -- weekends - $60 weekdays - $45

Mallard Cove -Lake Charles - public - not a bad little course, i've played here a few times recently and enjoyed each round.......the fairways were in good shape, and i thought the greens were as well......i don't find it to be a very difficult course, not too much water and the trees that come into play seem to be shorter trees that allow you to go over them........not a bad play for the price, gets a little crowded on the weekends though.....GPS carts for an additional $5...course rates -- weekends - $40 weekdays - $30


Lake Charles Country Club - Lake Charles - private - also a nice course, nothing overly impressive for a "country club" but they keep it in good shape.......it's been awhile, but every time i've ever played it, the greens and fairways have always looked really nice.........a little bit of sand and water add to the course........if you get a chance, i'd play it, but if you don't, don't be too upset....i wouldn't say you've missed out on too much.....course rates -- ?? can't remember, sorry

Pine Shadows - Lake Charles - public - nothing impressive here, shorter course w/ small "turtle back" greens, and a LOT of doglegs.......i played here a couple of weeks ago for the first time in many years and came away disappointed.....i will say that the greens had just been aeriated & sanded so that took away quite a bit of the pleasure for me.......it's an O.K. place to play, but if you're coming in from out of town, there are quite a few other options i'd recommend for this area.......course rates -- weekends - $35 weekdays - $25

Contraband Bayou - Lake Charles - public - pretty little Tom Fazio designed course at the casino here in Lake Charles........i've played here quite a few times recently and have enjoyed it........the fairways and the greens were both in good shape each time..........there's plenty of sand and water, not many trees......i'd say it's a shorter course and that longer hitters should play from the tips to make it a little more challenging.......i'd rank this one #2 in Lake Charles, behind Gray Plantation.......GPS carts..course rates -- weekends - $80+(i think, not sure, only played during the week) weekdays(locals) - $40.....(go sign up for a casino card for free in the casino lobby and you get the local rate)

Frasch Park Golf Course - Sulphur - public - i play here the most being that it's only 15 minutes from my house and 5 minutes from work........and for the price, it's a pretty decent course......the fairways always have decent grass and the greens are o.k......during the middle of the summer, the greens get a little hard, and are tough to hit approach shots into (this coming from a guy who hits his irons REALLY high)......it's definitely a narrow course that places a premium on driving accuracy, but if you hit it straight ,you should score well here, as it's a short course........a little bit of water and sand but not too much........a lot of TALL pine trees line most fairways, and make getting over them pretty difficult......course rates -- weekends $30 weekdays $20

Bayou Oaks Country Club - Sulphur - semi-private - normally a private course, but right now, w/ the condition the course is in, they are letting any and everybody play it..........this is the course i grew up on, and learned the game of golf.......it's a good design/layout, and that's about all the good things i can say for it.......the last few years it's just taken a turn for the worse.........the fairways are horrible, w/ antpiles and pasture grass in them........the tee boxes are unlevel.......the one sand trap on the course has gravel in it.......and the worst part of the course, the greens.....they're horrible, there are little patches of crabgrass on them and w/o them i don't think there would be ANY grass on them.........elevated dirt mounds, w/ a hole and a flag...........they ARE doing a lot of work on it right now, and i hope they turn it around.......like i said, they have a nice layout but it's been neglected for TOO long.....just in horrible shape right now.......course rates not sure there's been a coupon in the paper every sunday for the lasy year where you can get 2 green fees and a cart for $30, and w/o it i know i would never play this course

Koasati Pines - Kinder - public - very nice course at Coushatta Casino in Kinder......greens were immaculate last time we went, and the fairways were also very well kept.....had a lot of sand, but i don't remember too much water or trees.......i know that this is another course where you can really let the driver loose, as there's not a whole lot of penalty for missing the fairway.....i'd definitely recommend this course if you're in the area, as it's the 2nd best course in SW Louisiana in my opinion........very nice clubhouse....GPS carts......course rates - weekends $60 weekdays $40

Cypress Bend - Toledo Bend - public - (not sure if this should be classified as Southwest La) mixed reviews here, the people i go w/ up there love it, and i can't stand it........i don't know why i hate the course so much, maybe b/c i always seem to stink it up when i go.......but they always rave on this course, and the few times i've been i just didn't think it deserved all the great praise........fairways were O.K., greens were decent at best, a lot of doglegs that took your driver out of your hands......quite a few blind shots, that if you aren't familiar with, would definitley leave you red faced.........and all the undulations in the fairway, take a few holes getting used to......i guess it's a nice course, just not one i'd drive over an hour to go play again.......been a few years--->course rates weekends $75 weekdays $50


--those are the only courses i know in depth, hope it helps some of you traveling to this area......i'll also be going to "the farm" in Lafayette in a couple of weeks, so i'll add a review to that one as well..........the following are some of the courses i've played in La, but only once or twice and it's been a little too long for me to remember the details

Carter Plantation - Springfield - played a scramble here, and had heard quite a few good things about it before i went, so maybe my expectations of it were too high.....it was a nice course, don't get me wrong, but nothing really stood out at me.....the fairways were nice, and the greens were in pretty good shape.......it just didn't have that "wow" factor for me, except for the fact that they had us teeing up from the tips on all the par 5's and they were close to 600 yards long..........i also asked in the clubhouse for individual rates and they were very expensive

Copper Mill - Zachary - it's been a couple of years and i don't remember a whole lot about it except that it was in good shape and i enjoyed the round, think it was around $50 when i went

Dumas Golf Course - Baker - it's been close to 10 years since i played this one probably, in fact i had to google the name......don't remember much about it, but i don't think i cared for it too much.

Warrior Hills - Leesville - another one i don't remember too much about it, but this time i know i didn't come away impressed.......not a great course

Country Club of Louisiana - Baton Rouge - talk about over-priced.......played in a couple of member/guests here, and the member i played w/ told me how much a membership at this place costs and i couldn't believe it..........decent course, nothing spectacular except the houses surrounding it........greens were in good shape, and the fairways were nice, but like i said, there is NO WAY i would pay that much money to be a member out there

I like Cypress Bend. I am surprised you didn't mention any courses around Lafayette. My borther-in-law lives there and we go down from time to time. We often Tee it up at The Farm Golflinks in Carencro. Great course well maintained I think over 7,000 yards. Pretty open can play alot of big drvies.

to be honest, i haven't played any courses in lafayette......i hear really good things about The Farm though, and me and a few friends are planning on going soon

as far as Cypress Bend, like i said, the guys i used to go up there with loved it as well........i'm just not a fan of it for some reason, probably my scoring there had a lot to do w/ it .......it's a nice course i guess, but w/ gray plantation 20 minutes from my house, it's hard to justify driving over an hour to go play a more expensive, less maintained course

Southeast Louisiana:

Beaver Creek - Zachary - public -- nice course, i played there monday morning and really enjoyed myself........the front nine was more of a links style course w/ hardly any trees, and the back nine trended to a more traditional style course.......i thought it was a fairly easy layout, playing pretty short, but we did play one up from the tips, so it may be a little more difficult if you play from the back tees.......it was in great condition today, w/ the greens being fast and receptive to iron shots.........and no complaints on the fairways either, always had good grass to hit out of.......and when you take into account that this is a city run course, you have to come away impressed.....very, very good shape for a muni.....course rates - payed a little less than $50, it was a holiday so i assume that this is the weekend rates

The Island - Plaquemine - public - we were excited to play this one monday afternoon w/ it being part of the Audubon Trail, and i have to say that it didn't let us down........a really challenging course w/ narrow fairways, and water that comes into play on 16 of the 18 holes....the fairways and greens were in great shape as well.......but i'll warn you, the greens are very difficult w/ a lot of ridges and break....definitely took some getting used to........and if you're not hitting your driver well, i could easily see putting up a pretty big number on the scorecard.......course rates - $45, this was a twilight green fee w/ cart

Went to Natchitoches this weekend and played. Saturday was in Alexandria at the Bayou Links. I think there are 3 trees on the whole course. Just bomb it and go from anywhere, nice course just too open. But Cheap.

Played Northwestern University rec center today. Usually it is in really poor condition but today was really nice. Cheap and a nice little outing, short par 4s, good scoring. It is ashamed that with the tourist business Natchitoches gets, that they don't have at least one really good course.

I agree, I was a little disappointed when I stayed there. Luckily, I was work down in Alexandria, so I played down there.

Copper Mill - try it again - know I'm prejudice as a member but it's in the best shape ever and as good as anywhere for the price. Many memorable holes. Building large new clubhouse.

Santa Maria - Baton Rouge, Beaver Creek- Zachary, The Island - Plaquemine, The Farm - Lafayette, Wetlands - Lafayette, Pelican Point - Gonzales, University - Baton Rouge, Gray Plantation - Lake Charles, Contraband Bayou - Lake Charles, Carter Plantation - Hammond - all very nice and most are reasonable for the mioney, but seemingly to me, not as many memorable holes as Copper MIll.

Kosati - Kinder - every inch landscaped - very nice. A must for the money - free replay.

Bluff's - St Francisville - very, very very nice - was a good price at $75-$100. Now at $125 a little steep - but worth at least one splurge. Number 17 has got to be a top Louisiana signature holes. Trying to go totally private so hurry. 1, 3, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 - very memorable.

Tamahka - Marksville - nice -- memorable for all the sand that was kept better earlier than muy last visits, but I'll still go back. Wood-tree carvings unique.

Cypress Bend - Agree - not really worth the trip into the boonies

Graystone - Denham Springs - a little pricey for not having many driver holes - well kept like all mentioned here.

TPC - New Orleans - too pricey - no distinction from other marsh courses mentioned above.

Atchafalya - Morgan City - some distinction - well kept - memorable for a crazy par five and a shovel green on a par five - and particulary for the clubhouse balcony over-hanging the 9 & 18 combined green. A Must!

Gemstone - near Amite - nice, hilly - several fairways too close