DESTINATIONGOLF . TRAVEL
fairway during play , while I have endured more than one crunch moment here myself . While putting on the par-3 9th green on my previous visit , the peace was suddenly shattered by an ear-splitting cracking sound nearby , followed by several more . The culprit – a huge alligator that had hauled itself onto the bank between our green and the adjacent 18th green chomping on a turtle .
TPC Louisiana ’ s most famous resident is Tripod , another large gator famed for missing his right front leg . And as I play the 9th on my latest round , there he is , basking in the shallows of the sinuous lake lining the fairway . I ’ m relieved that I didn ’ t hook my tee shot into the water . I wouldn ’ t have wanted to discover the poke the bear equivalent with a wounded gator .
Tripod hasn ’ t been seen since soon after my visit . But a statue of him made from used tyres now adorns the course as his legacy .
After a morning fishing for bass in the bayous around Morgan City , we head on to the Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild . A 7,500-yard course surrounded by pristine nature with elevated holes giving spectacular views of the Atchafalaya Basin , it is a 2006 design by celebrated architects Von Hagge , Smelek , and Baril . The two ninehole loops finish in a double green alongside a lake in front of the Acadian cottage-style clubhouse . Each hole is named for a cultural feature within the Basin , where more than 40 species of indigenous flora proliferate .
Our next venue is Farm d ’ Allie Golf Club in Carencro , an 18-hole course spanning 215 acres much it situated in what Arcadians call bottomland , or Beau Bassin , which was once the riverbed of the Mississippi River . Nature abounds here , too . The upper bank , the Coteau Ridge , is the highest point in Lafayette Parish , and was formerly used for growing cotton , raising cattle and horse riding . The Country Club at the Golden Nugget Casino lies in Louisiana ’ s far south-west Lake Charles area and is the only course we play that is not on the Audubon Golf Trail . Its wide-open fairways and immaculate greens lie in a bayou setting framed by native marsh landscaping , with the elevated Interstate 210 forming the backdrop to some holes and the on-site casino ever-present .
Also in Lake Charles is Mallard Golf Club , which only opened in 2021 . We arrive before dawn and are greeted by the most glorious sunrise , the mist rising up from the marshland it has been carved from creating sumptuous orange-hued vistas of the practice ground and the course .
Built to emulate a Scottish links , it was designed to have fast , firm fairways for maximum roll with generous landing areas and is bounded by native areas with no trees .
Our final two courses are in and around Baton Rouge . Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr , Santa Maria Golf Course is a municipal course built on 150 acres of rolling terrain and features 18 lakes and two natural waterways as well as mature oaks . The number one handicap hole , the par-5 15th , ends in a steeply-elevated green protected by water and bunkers .
Last but not least , The Island Golf Course in Plaquemine , less than 15 miles south of downtown Baton Rouge , covers 160 acres and serves up nine man-made lakes that come into play on 17 of its 18 holes . The front nine is played clockwise , while the back nine is played counterclockwise , both nines finishing with greens overlooked by the clubhouse .
Alligator statue , TPC Louisiana
Still in southern Louisiana , The Bluffs on Thompson Creek is a wonderful Arnold Palmer design near the quaint town of St Francisville , and close to the Oakley Plantation historic site where James Audubon spent a summer , that I played twice on previous visits . Sadly , it is currently closed although there are plans to revive it , as a members-only course .
Just 30 minutes from the town on the Mississippi state border is Angola Prison , aka the Louisiana State Penitentiary . It boasted the only public golf course located inside a US prison , having been designed by the prison doctor , an avid golfer , and built by inmates in 2004 after he read a book by Pete Dye on how to design golf courses .
Built for staff to use and maintained by prisoners but out of bounds for them to play , the public could play it for just $ 25 , a steal , plus $ 10 for a buggy for those wanting a quick getaway , after getting prior clearance .
My request to play it got turned down , so I never got to tee it up under the gaze of watchtowers from tee markers made from fused handcuffs . But I did manage to get inside the jail on a guided tour , visiting the old death row cells and seeing macabre exhibits in the tiny , adjacent museum .
Apparently the course is also now closed , denying golfers the chance for a golfing escape in a maximum security prison . What a tall tale that would have been over a pint in your clubhouse !
SOUTHERN LOUISIANA ATTRACTIONS New Orleans is well worth spending several days in to soak up its vibrant atmosphere . Its heart and soul is the French Quarter , the city ’ s oldest neighbourhood that spans 13 blocks in one direction and nine blocks from the Mississippi .
Bourbon Street is its vivacious hub . Lined by bars and shady strip clubs , it is packed with tourists and street entertainers at night . Escape the melee for traditional Creole food at restaurants such as Arnaud ’ s ( the turtle soup is a must-try ) and its more casual and family-friendly sister establishment , Remoulade .
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