Joseph M. Bartholomew Golf Course

I have played JB many times and it's mostly a fun experience. However, when you get stuck behind experienced players (4-some) who have little regard for pace-of-play, it can make for a miserable outing. The fact that there ARE rangers on the course, but they don't keep track of pace only enhances the frustration. JB is a very good course and can be played in a 3 hour normal pace.

Solid bang for your buck. The greens have been in great shape since spring. My only complaint is they allow 5 and 6 people in a group, and they're all friends with the course rangers. They play very slow and don't let you play through. If you don't get stuck behind one of these groups it's a pretty enjoyable experience.

I learned to play golf at the old course. It was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The new course is beautiful and it was my first time playing it.
It brought back a lot of memories and historically it was
the only course where Black People could play golf in the New Orleans area. Even thought the architect was Black and designed several courses in the 1940's and 50's, and couldn't play on them.

Good public course. The course was actually pretty nice. Beautifully redone after hurricane Katrina. Great work by the grounds crew. Play early, the first tee box was jammed up around noon. Watch out for foursomes if you play alone. I caught up with one on hole 7 and they would not even offer me to play through. Took 4 hours to play 18 by myself. Overall good course for the price.

Overall the course was in good condition, a little challenging at times.

Greens were pretty fast and the fairways were in really good shape.. Some tee boxes needed help, but understandable with the lack of rain. All in all, the course is in really good shape for being a public course in the city of New Orleans. Pace of play ridiculously slow. Local regulars consider this their personal course and have no concept of considerate play. Marshals are no help in this area.

I've played several rounds and the staff is always very friendly.
Course was renovated several years ago and is in great shape.This course drains well. Which is important because In southern Louisiana we often get periods of heavy rain. Greens are in nice shape and roll well. Bunkers are well placed and well maintained also. Water comes into play on several holes but not extremely difficult. Closer to the lake than downtown New Orleans, but not too far. Pace of play may be a bit slower than average because it's the best public course in the area, but not overcrowded.

course in great shape for august. staff is friendly.good value for money

I used to play here all the time before Katrina , first time back , I was really impressed. How nice it is.

It's a great value for the fees; with challegeing greens.

Always loved this course..but lately the course has been in great condition

Just love what they have done with the course. Very challenging, but fair.

Played here about 25 years ago and was amaze at the condition of the course. I don't play that often but has played at several really nice facilities across the country. This course has won me over!

After over a week of heavy rain in the area, I was amazed at the condition of the course. Fairways and greens were very nice. Greens were the best I have played in a while. Very fast with good movement. Friendly staff. Overall a great experience.

I guess the city of New Orleans has better use for funding,Because the Greens and the fairways are not Maintained well at all.It's Really sad Because it (the Course)could be very Challenging if looked after.

I received a good price on Golfnow and the course was definitely worth the lower price. Interesting layout. Greens do not run true due to small patches of grass, etc. Would recommend for moderate to average golfers who are not too picky about green conditions.

The course is well maintained, greens good shape for winter play. New clubhouse facilities.

Best public course in metro New Orleans. Good layout. Good conditions. Fantastic new clubhouse although no food yet.

This course is the best value in the city by far! Very well maintained. BIG and beautiful greens. Really love the par 5s. It's flat, but so is everything else around the city, so there is not much that can be done about that.

I highly prefer this course to City Park North.

Go try it out and you will not regret it!

Joseph Bartholomew was famous for being a golf course architect who built several courses on which he'd never get to play due to the color of his skin. As a black man, he wasn't able to play on the private Metairie Country Club course he built, or the City Park courses he designed. His namesake course is part of a development called Pontchartrain Park. The area also has some athletic fields and is across the street from Southern University at New Orleans.
The course was underwater for some time during Hurricane Katrina and was completely redone, reopening in 2011. The layout has remained basically the same as the original, with the exception of a few holes, but the course is now much more sustainable agronomically. The layout is pretty flat, with the front nine ringing the outside of the course and the back nine winding it's way through the inside. The feature hole is probably the par 5 15th hole. In the original design the water really wasn't as much a factor on this hole; now your second shot is a risk/reward stroke. A good drive will leave you with a hybrid/long iron into a green that has just enough water in front of it to bring some doubt in. You can opt to play safe out to the right or go for it in two.
The rates are usually good - they are still working on a permanent clubhouse to replace the trailer on property. The practice facilities are meager right now, a good driving range but not much in the way of a short game area. But the people you'll encounter there are very friendly. When I was a student at the University of New Orleans which is right down the road, I'd often stop off for a round after school and just pair up with whomever was teeing off.
This isn't a course you're going to gush over. It's bare bones golf. It's not real long, even from the tips, and it's not a difficult layout. But it's as nice of bare bones golf as you'd want.