 ON THE AUDUBON GOLF TRAIL
TPC of Louisiana: Dye delivers amid great expectationsBy Shane Sharp, NEW ORLEANS, La. (June 2, 2004) - If golf courses could feel pressure, the new TPC of Louisiana would be a mess of nerves. The state's upstart Audubon Golf Trail has already tapped the Pete Dye/Steve Elkington/Kelly Gibson collaboration as the marquee course on this formidable ensemble of daily fee courses stretching from Shreveport to the Crescent City. Then there's the PGA Tour - you know - that little entity in Ponte Vedra, Fla. that came up with this whole made for the Tour course concept. The HP Classic of New Orleans moves to the TPC next year after a successful run at nearby English Turn.
"It will be good for the community," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "It will be good for the tournament. The HP Classic will have a great home here starting next year, and it will allow the tournament to grow. It will be a good stage for the best players in the world to play. It will have a great impact on the state and New Orleans." As if being the poster boy for the AGT and the Tour's South Coast swing weren't enough, folks around here in the know believe that future Super Bowl procurements hinge on the TPC's ability to host A-List corporate outings at a moment's notice. Are these expectations unreasonable? Not at all.
Long before the first Tour pro tees it up on the welcoming 399-yard, par-4 opening hole (dubbed "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler"), thousands of recreational duffers will grind it out on Dye, Elkington, and Gibson's 7,500-yard bayou behemoth. In fact, they've already begun. The course held its grand opening April 20th, and player feedback - tracked closely by way of comment cards - has been overwhelmingly positive. "The shot-making value is high," Elkington said shortly after the grand opening. "It's got everything out there. I can't think of a course that has come out better in first view than this course." To truly understand what the TPC of Louisiana is, it helps to have an understanding of what is was.. A series of framed photos in the 24,000 sq. ft. antebellum clubhouse depict the site, pre golf course. What is now lush Tifsport Bermuda grass fairways and true rolling Miniverde Bermuda grass greens was once a 250-acre swath of pure Southern Louisiana swampland. "If you would have seen this piece of land when we first started, it's absolutely amazing to see what's been produced," Gibson said. "We have one of the best golf courses in the South, period. It's going to put New Orleans on the map as far as golf destinations go."
Gibson, a native of New Orleans, obviously has a rooting interest in his own work, but his assessment of the TPC's place in the Southern golf architectural cannon isn't totally misguided. The hauntingly beautiful layout will undoubtedly become the crown jewel of the Audubon Golf Trail - no small feat considering the wherewithal of some of the AGT's offerings - and it could be mentioned alongside Kiva Dunes and Dancing Rabbit as one the most sought after daily fee rounds in the Southeast. And hosting a popular PGA Tour event doesn't hurt when it comes to spreading the good word. Tipping out at just over 7,520 from the PGA Tour tees and sporting greens that only average 5,000 sq. ft., the TPC won't buckle faster than a pile of fresh crawfish under pressure from the pros. "There's already a groundswell on TOUR of the people who have heard how good this course came out," Elkington said. "It has a footprint not much different from the TPC [at Sawgrass] or Hilton Head [Harbour Town Golf Links]. When you come to a course like this, with that kind of reputation, I think ball striking is going to be a premium here." The sweet swinging Aussie should know. He and Gibson did more than just show up to smile for pictures at the grand opening. Both players made numerous site visits to test pro-level shot values and to evaluate green contours and potential pin placements. For example, the expanded putting area on the 390-yard par-4 10th is actually a Gibson suggestion that provides an added dimension to an excellent two-shotter. All of this research and development from three deep thinkers comes at a price. A trip around the TPC's cypress tree laden layout ranges from $115 to $150, depending on the season. Locals can take advantage of a new annual play pass that for $2000 allows them to play to their heart's content for a $22 cart fee. The VerdictOne thing about the PGA Tour and TPC courses, whether you're a fan of stadium oriented design or not - when they do it, they do it right. The TPC of Louisiana is an amazing specimen if you consider where it came from - a sub sea level swamp. If you don't factor in the labor involved in getting this course built, you might be underwhelmed by the monotony of terrain. The bottom line is this: if you dig Dye designs, the TPC of Louisiana is a must in your Dye-a-bolical collection. The usual lineup of Dye-isms are present and accounted for: sprawling waste areas, water hazards, and pot bunkers (65 of them). Kudos to Dye for situating his notorious pot bunkers 10 to 20 yards in front of the green edges. This atypical design treatment creates a set of playable surrounds that encourage short game creativity. Where to eatLook no further than the TPC kitchen, where Chef Dwight L. Sherman serves up some of the meanest duck and andouille sausage gumbo this side of the French Quarter. Wondering what Sherman's secret recipe is? Just ask him. "Chef," as he's known around the clubhouse, is more than happy to explain the intricacies of making a rich roux or a thick Etouffee. Stay and playThe TPC may be located in Avondale, but by all means, stay downtown in New Orleans to get the true vibe of the Crescent City. The Hilton New Orleans Riverside is perched along the banks of the mighty Mississippi and is situated just across the street from Harrah's New Orleans. The jazz clubs and blues bars of Bourbon St. are just an octave away. Fast FactThe next closest Audubon Golf Trail offering is Carter Plantation in Springfield. The David Toms/Glen Hickey designed track opened just ahead of the TPC and is well-worth the 40-minute drive. 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. |
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Not for a course with a $30 million budget designed by perhaps the
greatest
living golf course architect, and not one, but two player/consultants.
And
not for a facility backed by the financial clout and irreproachable
reputation of the PGA Tour. But there's another side of the equation the
TPC
of Louisiana is harmoniously in tune with - that of the local and
traveling
golfer.
