Bayou Oaks - North

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is known for bouncing back. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (2005), City Park, including its four golf courses, lay under standing water for several weeks. Around 50% larger than New York's Central Park, two of the Park's four golf courses were ultimately lost for good. As a result of tireless grassroots efforts, the North and South Courses opened in 2008. *More can and should be read about this story by reading DJ Piehowski's feature in The Golfers Journal, Torn on the Bayou.

The two courses at Bayou Oaks will inevitably enter the conversation when researching where to play golf in New Orleans. The South Course is heralded as the Park's "championship course," while the North Course is colloquially called "the other course." There's no argument when it comes to which is the better course. 

The South course will most certainly deliver for visitors searching for a traditionally defined golf experience. For many, though, dedicating 4-6 hours to golf doesn't fit into their NOLA itinerary. The North course provides an alternative experience. It's your spunky local driving range with a few, in this case, 18 relatively straightforward, short golf holes. Course conditions leave much to be desired especially compared to its sister course across the street. It should be embraced as park golf, geared for those with a broad definition of what makes golf fun. 

The North course is where you'll find locals working on their games at the range while others chase sunlight for as long as they can track their golf ball. Regardless of conditions, it's hard to beat a laid-back twilight round for under $10. For visitors, a few clubs and a ball will do. Suitable for a few holes before drinks or a putting contest to see who pays for dinner, it's golf just minutes from downtown. 

Measuring 5,740 yards from the tips, par is 67/68, depending on the tees you're playing. The course lost one of its par 5's after a wayward shot into the neighboring equestrian center hit a rider. The back nine now consists of four par-3s (11,12,15,16).

As the sun sets, it's impossible not to notice the course is at its busiest. The lit double-decker range is packed, kids are being introduced to the game by their parents on the putting green, and non-paying golfers are hitting random wedge shots into open greens. The course presents more value to the city's residents than what often meets the eye.

Conditions are not up to par, and non-twilight rounds can be pricey, but as the lights turn off across the street at the South course, the North course is coming alive. 

Public: Course Website | Opened: 1968 | Designer: Rees Jones (2008) Greg Muirhead (2008)