TPC Louisiana

I was really happy with the course. They had massive rain storms during the week we played, but the course was still in great condition (though it was cart path only). There are certainly some challenging holes, but still very playable to matures. The only disappointment we had was we didn't see a gator! We were hoping to see one (from a distance only) but were unlucky.

My review would be best if given in 2 separate parts - My first review would be what the course was like compared to many courses; the other would be to compare it to other courses at the price point and also compared to other PGA Tour courses.

This is a very good course. The layout isn't so much a challenge but getting the ball from point a to point b and into the hole readily is quite the challenge. You have to know where to miss and where you just have to hit greens. And then while the greens are true (though not as quick yesterday as normal - I suppose all the rain we've been getting has them slower than normal because cutting is going to be problematic), they have a lot of very subtle movement to them that will trick you. If you play this course compared to most public or even many private courses, you'll find it to be enjoyable.

My big issue is that this course is a PGA Tour course. While I have not played any other PGA Tour Courses (I've played a Champions Tour course and and LPGA Tour Course, both of which were in better condition than this TPC), I'd venture a guess that many of them have superior conditioning. Torpedo grass infiltration is problematic. The greens are among the best around and the overall course is fine, but it's the details that seem lacking. I volunteer annually for the Zurich Classic golf tournament so I'm always here for those days. The course always looks pretty good, but again, some small things could be rectified. I know many of the other facilities on Tour are private courses. It's much easier to keep up private courses because their funding is different and the number of rounds played can be limited. But this course is cost prohibitive and I'd doubt gets more than a couple hundred rounds per week most weeks. Just seems like with little play it could be better maintained annually.

That said, back to the good - it's a tour course. You can watch a game at Fenway, but you're not likely to play on it. You can watch a game in the Superdome, but you're not likely to play there either. This course hosts some of the best golfers in the world every year, and you can play it all year long. That's something very cool and makes the experience worthwhile!

And if anyone reads my review and wonders about the cost of the round, since I volunteer annually for the Zurich Classic, I get a free round of golf there, so I played on my free round pass. Normal prices are about $125 for out of town guests and start around $75 for locals. Afternoon rates are better for both.

First time in New Orleans and really wanted to experience some great golf. So we chose TPC Louisiana since they hold the Zurich Classic here and wanted to be challenged. VERY disappointing. First off, we come to the course and there is no one there to meet us. We wait a short bit, but no welcoming at all. Range was great. Weather was hot and I totally understand slow time of year and skeleton staff. First hole was nice however we get to green and it looks like cups haven't been changed in days. Rounded edges and just plain unacceptable for the price of $116 for the round. Traps were less than acceptable as well, I get they have had rain but again for the money we should have better conditions. Greens were good and rolled true. A little slow for my liking. I probably won't be back.

TPC Louisiana carries the distinction of being one of the more affordable PGA Tour venues on the current schedule. And with the Zurich Classic field continuing to improve since the move to team format, the course should grow in prestige among golf travelers. I had the chance to play the course just days before it closed for tournament prep, so naturally the course conditions were aces.

TPC is certainly the alpha experience for public golf in NOLA. The property is nothing but golf and native areas, so it's secluded and beautiful at every turn. The Pete Dye design is about what you'd expect from him: very tactical around the smallish greens, though pretty forgiving off the tee. Water is in play a lot, as seems to be commonplace on the bayou. I like Dye designs that finish with a risk-reward par 5 moreso than his tournament courses with a daunting par 4 -- at least it's better for amateurs. The 18th is a great finishing hole, even though I dunked my approach shot. I certainly donated my share of balls to the water.

The facilities are really great here, including a nice restaurant for lunch and a full locker room in case you need a shower on a humid day. I love the driving range and practice facilities, and it's also walkable.

We had a group of 4 older people in front of our threesome that never let us through and no ranger came out to push them along or allow us through. It took 3 hours to play the front and we jumped them on 10 to play the back 9 in an hour and a half. Other than that, the course was in good shape, the greens were true, albeit a little slow for this level of course, and typical Pete Dye layout. I would enjoy playing it again some day.

We played TPC during a weekend trip to NOLA. The course was well maintained and in great condition. Many sand traps came into play, at least for me, but water was less prevalent. We got to see some alligators on hole 17. The marshal/staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The food at the clubhouse was very good. We would play here again!

One thing about this relatively exposed layout south of New Orleans across the Mississippi River is that if the wind blows there is nothing to buffer it. And today the fan was on. The good thing was the wind was helping on the holes where it was advantageous, particularly on Nos. 9, 17 and 18. Those of you who have played here may have read that statement and said, "17?" While it is true that it was not downwind like 9 and 18, it was off the right, so you could hang it out and let the wind blow it back and take the water left of the green out of play. Course played a bit soft due to the recent weather, and greens weren't slow, but were a bit hairier than I remembered, I suppose because of the time of year. I really like this Dye layout. He doesn't try to slap you around like Sawgrass or Kiawah. Being long off the tee, while always an advantage, is not a key to scoring well here. In fact, throttling back can often leave you with no more than a mid-iron in, while avoiding all trouble a hole presents. Good iron play will carry the day. Beware, however, that missing these greens can require some deft up and downs off tight lies. And being wet today increased the degree of difficulty in that regard. The green undulations aren't crazy here, so putting shouldn't inflate your score. The bunkers are for the most part smaller than normal. Pete's signature coffin bunkers are plentiful here. Watch out for the gators, as they are numerous, particularly along the hazard bordering the 18th fairway. Good value play, especially this time of year, as the TPC logo doesn't inflate the greens fee here as much as other courses within the network.

Great course. Would definitely play again

That day the greenkeeper were overdressing the greens, we Gas Thema in front of us for many holes. Why do they start their work on hole one and not on hole 18 and than backwards.

Never the less we had a wonderful day on a beautiful course.

Could not have picked a better course to play. great practice facilities. Greens were in great shape. The course makes you hit fairways but if missed it's usually in a bunker that you can hit out off. Played 6,600 yards. Will play the longer tee box on the next visit.

Summer golf in Louisiana is normally one of two things - hot or wet. Sometimes it's both. This day, it was very hot and sticky, and the rain that had fallen pretty much every day prior to the week of this event.

This round at TPC Louisiana came courtesy of the ForeKids Foundation which is a charitable organization that helps to put on the Zurich Classic PGA Tour event held at the course annually in April. I volunteer for that event and normally we get a free round of golf - this year the foundation also put on this tournament for us as well, as an extra thank you due to some trying weather and volunteers going above and beyond this year.

The TPC course is a Pete Dye design, with some typical Dye features - railroad ties, some target golf. It was carved out of some Louisiana swampland, about 15-20 minutes from downtown New Orleans.

On the day we played, the course was in good shape. Aerating had taken place several weeks back so the greens were getting back up to speed, but hadn't made it to the speed they normally play. My one complaint on the day was the rough. When the tour comes to town in April, the grass is just coming out of it's winter dormancy, so the rough is thin. During the summer months, the rough gets very thick. Couple that with a good bit of rain, and the rough was nearly unplayable, causing slow play in 2 ways - poor shots and trying to find balls that just simply missed the fairway. We lost at least 2 balls that just weren't hit on the fairway, but into the rough. Once the ball settled to the ground, the rough was so thick as to make it impossible to find.

The course itself has 5-6 different tees so there isn't any way the course should be too long for you. The front and back nine are on the same area so everything is even. Overall the course is nice. Is it outstanding? Remarkable? Memorable? Not so much, but it's a great golf course. The cost on a normal round is a bit steep, though they run a lot of specials. In the summer, though, they run lots of deals to get people out there. Because it's a bit of a hike from some parts of the city, it needs a discounted rate more often to get people out there.