COURSE REVIEW

Golfing and gaming on the Audubon Golf Trail

By Shane Sharp,
Contributing Writer

MARKSVILLE, La. (June 1, 2004) - The thing about bunkers, Steve Smyers theorizes, is that you can get out of them, no matter how severe. The recovery shot is one of the most exciting elements of the game, the Lakeland, Fla. based golf course architect says, and his designs reflect this belief.

You want to buy this notion, you really do. After all, Smyers is one of the industry's true craftsmen. And his work at Tamahka Trails Golf Club in Central Louisiana is first rate, make no mistake. But staring at the Mick Jagger like lip of a fairway bunker some 150 yards from the green has a way of making one curse its maker, if only temporarily.

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"Look at it this way, you have a chance to recover from that situation without a penalty stroke," Smyers says via cell phone from Florida. "If it were a water hazard, you'd be playing off a penalty with no chance to recover. Even if you have to hit it sideways or backwards out of the bunker, you can still save par."

Saving par in this dire situation would certainly be possible, if not probable, for Smyers. Still a scratch golfer, he played on the 1973 national championship team at the University of Florida along with Andy Bean and Gary Koch. After an eventful architecture apprenticeship with Ron Garl (another Gator), Smyers hung his own sign and went about making golf courses the right way - one at a time.

"I've always liked to work project to project because I have a hands on approach to what I do," Smyers says. "We like to use the natural contours of the land to create strategy. Some people call it minimalism but there are a couple ways to define that term."

Whether defined as moving little dirt, or moving enough dirt so it appears the course is a natural part of the surrounding environment, Tamahka Trails fits the minimalist description. Smyers says he routed the course to take advantage of the property's subtle, but fascinating ridge lines. Holes were plotted from green to tee, and the prevailing winds of the Central Louisiana plains were factored into every shot.

"Every hole changes direction from the previous hole," Smyers says. "When you get the wind blowing, you get it from every direction."

As for those bunkers - they are deep, and they are legion. But Smyers is quick to point out that they are quite avoidable with a good dose of course management.

"Tamahka is very forgiving off the tee and if you end up in a bunker then you probably deserved to be there," he says. "And the thing is, players will challenge a bunker off the tee more than they will a water hazard. That's what makes the game of golf fun, challenging the hazards and not shying away from them."

In keeping with this philosophy, the only water to be found at Tamahka Trails is that which existed pre-golf course. A few small creeks criss cross the 7019-yard layout at non-critical junctures, and shot values are rarely affected. Golfers leery of forced carries off the tee or knee knocking approach shots over gator-infested bayous will appreciate Tamahka Trail's M.O.

"You should be able to play golf on the ground," Smyers says. "If you can read the ground, we want you to use it to help you. One of the keys to playing good golf is understanding how the ball reacts when it hits the ground. You also see this in the greens at Tamahka Trails. We built a lot of low profile greens that could receive a variety of approach shots."

If you can't set out for Tamahka without a couple signature holes to ponder, try the 433-yard, par-4 7th or the 241-yard par-3 17th. The former is the most formidable display of Smyers' flashed up bunker style on the entire course; the later is a wonderful one shotter with a two-tiered green fronted by a couple of gaping sand traps.

The Verdict

High profile, big budget projects like Old Memorial (Tampa, Fla.) and Southern Dunes (Haines City, Fla.) helped make Steve Smyers one of the most sought after names in golf course design. Lower profile, smaller budget projects like Tamahka Trails are proof positive that Smyers brings his "A" design game, purse strings and publicity aside.

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None of the mid to high handicappers I played with complained about the severe bunkering after the round. I say after, because only then can you consider the fairness of the course taken in its entirety, and not by the sum of its parts. One caveat: some of the traps had been washed out by a torrential down pour the night before and were played as ground under repair. This is an ongoing issue at Tamahka, considering the state receives over 55 inches of rain a year.

Pay special attention to Smyers' green complexes (at Tamahka Trails, and in general). They are some of the best in the business and are as natural as the Louisiana summer is long. Tamahka is the central-most course on the state's Audubon Golf Trail. If it doesn't make it on to your itinerary naturally, it's worth the deviation.

Where to eat

Culinary options in Marksville are limited, so stick to the Paragon Casino and Resort. Marceline's is a Cajun Bistro that serves up hearty (and spicy) breakfasts, lunches and dinners. For a 'Nawlens Oyster Bar experience, check out Big Daddy E's. Roxy's Diner is a throwback to the greasy spoons of the '50s, replete with milkshakes, burgers and the works.

Stay and play

Golfing and gaming have become fast friends along the South Coast. "Play by day and play by night," they like to say around here, and Tamahka Trails and the Paragon Resort and Casino facilitate the mantra. The Vegas-style casino stocks over 2,000 slot machines 46 gaming tables and a poker room with a variety of action. After a long day of rolling puts and a long night of rolling the bones, recharge in one of the resort's 350-plus guest suites.

Fast fact

As a University of Florida alum, Smyers felt right at home with the official Tamahka Trails mascot - an innocuous looking gator sporting a slight smirk. "We saw a few when we were out there but they went underground when they saw us," Smyers says. Smyers would not comment on how the gators at Tamahka receive Florida State alumni.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.