New Orleans - Should I even think about it?

[Jason Thurman]

I'm in New Orleans for a seminar in late January. I usually fly with the clubs when I travel, but if I'm staying in the middle of the city on Canal Street, is there a reason to even think about trying to get out a day after things wrap up to play a golf course in NOLA in winter?

[Ted Cahill]

I enjoy a walking round at Audubon Park. I like courses that share their space with the neighborhood.

[Nigel Islam]

What about Metairie Country Club? Satellite photos don't seem too impressive, but Raynor's only Louisiana course, right?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Metairie Cc is a nice play. I have spent many happy rounds there. It is a below par Raynor but one of the few at all in the south. It is a nice club too with a caddie program. Easy to walk and near enough downtown to make easy in and out. New Orleans Cc is a good pedestrian course with a nice club around it. It is also close to downtown. Skip the tour courses though. I actually love the music and food so much I only play on about a third of my trips down there over the years. Shoot you are there during the early Mardi Gras weeks, eat drink and be merry. The weather is 80% chance of being great for golf, drinking, music, great food and girls to undress in public.

[Sam Morrow]

I liked Metairie, I've always wanted to take the street car to Audubon Park and play, I think that would be very cool.

[Nigel Islam]

Audabon Park is one of the earliest golf courses in the country too. Can never underestimate history! 

[Paul Jones]

Audubon Park is a fun little course (Par 63 I think).  If you are dying to play and can't get on the private courses (Metairie, NOCC) you can take a drive a play TPC Louisiana or English Turn. 

[Jason Topp]

Jason:

I have never played in New Orleans but I did drive from there to to Biloxi and it is a little over an hours' drive.  If you want a high end experience Fallen Oak is about as good as it gets.  I think you would need to stay at the Beau Rivage to get on the course.  The weather looks about the same as New Orleans.

New Orleans weather averages:

http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayNORMS.asp?AirportCode=KNEW&SafeCityName=New_Orleans&StateCode=LA&Units=none&IATA=MSY


Biloxi weather averages -

http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayNORMS.asp?AirportCode=KBIX&SafeCityName=Biloxi&StateCode=MS&Units=none&IATA=GPT

[Bill_McBride]

Pub crawl down Royal Street's more fun.  Touche Bar, Desire bar in Royal Sonesta, Carousel bar in Monteleone.

Barbequed shrimp at Pascal Manale, great Creole at the Upperline, both in the Garden District.

Free eclectic live music in the Spotted Cat and Snug Harbor on Frenchman Street in the Marigny Triangle.

If you're there Thursday night, free red beans and rice at Von's on Burgundy in the Bywater with Kermit Ruffins and his band.  Very local.

Around the corner at B.J.'s on Monday nights, King James & The Special Men.  So local it's like your living room.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrZoU5_sTvI     My daughter Jane is probably in the crowd.

Eat oysters, drink too much, fool around a lot.  I don't play golf in Italy and not in New Orleans either!

[Terry Lavin]

Best three-day city in the USA. Why sully it with golf?  Follow the McBride model, add K Paul's or Emeril's and it can't be topped.

[Sam Morrow]

You unpatriotic bastards forget the WWll Museum.

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

I've tried a number of times to play golf while in New Orleans, and have even lugged my clubs all the way from SF.  But the group is right, it's just too hard to pull yourself away from the food, fun, and frivolity in whatever part of the city you're hanging. 

And, Sam's right, the WWII museum is very cool, if you're looking for a little history side trip.

W

[Jason Thurman]

That was sort of my line of thinking. I don't know enough about New Orleans golf to bash it, but it does sound like the kind of city where a person might just spend most of their time happily surrounded by concrete.

I'll probably look into Metairie, and won't worry too much if I can't work it out.

[Adam_Messix]

The World War II museum is worth seeing and is only getting better.  

I can't believe no one has mentioned Gallatoire's on Bourbon Street, it's a New Orleans institution.  Commanders Palace is an institution too.  Emerils is really good as is Coquette on Magazine Street.    Meaux bar bistro on rampart hangs under the radar.  I like the Bon Ton which is more downtown where they have great Crab Au Gratin.  For a great lunch, stop by Katie's in Mid City.  It was featured in Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.  

If you're going during Carnival, you would enjoy that.  The weather can be iffy for golf that time of year.  When it gets chilly down there, it's a bone chilling kind of cold.  It's so damp and blows just enough that it goes right through you.  With that said, if the weather is good, Metairie and NOCC are nice courses and both are pretty tough to gain access without a member in the group.

[Jeff Shelman]

Another decent option for golf is Money Hill. It's on the other side of the lake and you'll need a car, but I enjoyed my one round there.

It's a Ron Garl design that's a good housing development course.

But I might just drink Abita Ambers and eat and eat and eat.

[Sam Morrow]

Money Hill is a very good option!

[mike_beene]

Go watch them feed the alligators at the Audobon zoo. Memorable. Ride the streetcar out there and forget the clubs.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Adam nice pickup on the eats. I am not sure an outsider would get Gallotoires during carnival. It is pay to have someone spend the night in line to get a table for you deal on the Friday before Mardi Gras. That said it is loads of fun if one is open to the ways of the  blue bloods in the city. I love it myself. There is unlimited great food. I personally love the food and dining room at Arnauds anytime but especially during Mardi Gras. There is always something happening in one of the dining rooms or bar. But one should only eat in the main dining room for it true beauty and craftsmanship. I am more of a quarter guy then than an uptown guy. I save uptpwn for other times of the year. If you have a bad or average meal there then you went to a chain or a clear tourist place with a name to go with it. ie bump gump shrimp co or something as stupid as that.If it appears to have been there a while and has a french name you will likely be a happy camper. The bar in the Fairmont really turned out well.

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

I get to NOLA frequently as my wife is a native, (Academy of the Sacred Heart girl).

I usually leave my golf clubs at home but Audubon Park could be an entertaining diversion. It's practically a par 3 executive course but the renovations of late are a huge improvement over what was once there. Of the private courses Metairie Country Club has the most architectural merit being a Raynor design which has been renovated. Have played New Orleans Country Club many times but it's not really worth a special trip. Wonderful membership and a great place to go for a party though.

Try the Maple Street Cafe uptown near Tulane, it's fabulous. Also Domilice's for Po Boys is an uptown institution. Parasol's is also good if a bit of a dive bar in the irish channel, also uptown. I f you try to go to Galatoire's, another local favorite, go around 5:00 PM so you can hopefully be seated downstairs. Upstairs is Siberia.

[Adam Clayman]

I'm headed down next month and am gratified to have used the search function to find this thread.
As far as I'm concerned, gca.com's longest lasting legacy will be the helpful local knowledge thread's like this provide.

If there are any local gca'ers in nola, please contact me. 

[archie_struthers]

 


Hello, hello  .....New Orleans ......if you are visiting , spend your time eating and drinking !   C'mon !!!!!

[Phil McDade]

Pub crawl down Royal Street's more fun.  Touche Bar, Desire bar in Royal Sonesta, Carousel bar in Monteleone.

Barbequed shrimp at Pascal Manale, great Creole at the Upperline, both in the Garden District.

Free eclectic live music in the Spotted Cat and Snug Harbor on Frenchman Street in the Marigny Triangle.

If you're there Thursday night, free red beans and rice at Von's on Burgundy in the Bywater with Kermit Ruffins and his band.  Very local.

Around the corner at B.J.'s on Monday nights, King James & The Special Men.  So local it's like your living room.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrZoU5_sTvI     My daughter Jane is probably in the crowd.

Eat oysters, drink too much, fool around a lot.  I don't play golf in Italy and not in New Orleans either!

Best piece of advice on this board in a long time!

[Adam Clayman]

Archie, I'm there a little longer than 2 or 3 days. Plus, I don't see any reason both can't be had. I've never played in the delta and would be remiss to miss. Even if the terrain isn't conducive for great golf, seeing how designers handle that obstacle should be an edumacation.

[Shane Wright]

I'm headed down next month and am gratified to have used the search function to find this thread.
As far as I'm concerned, gca.com's longest lasting legacy will be the helpful local knowledge thread's like this provide.

If there are any local gca'ers in nola, please contact me. 

Amen Adam.  These types of threads are gold. 

You will thank me later, but if you happen to be spending a Tuesday night in NOLA, you absolutely must go see the Rebirth Brass Band (Grammy award winning) at the Maple Leaf bar. It is at their "home court" and beyond fantastic. 

[Jason Thurman]

Adam, I had a very good time at Metairie. It's really an excellent course and a lot of fun to play, and I think very interesting from a GCA standpoint. It's probably the worst property I've ever seen, and yet it still produced a course that I'd enjoy a lot as a member.

I also found that I had plenty of time for golf and everything else New Orleans has to offer. It's probably my favorite city I've visited, and like you, I found that golf fit nicely into the events I surrounded it with. It's not an either/or situation to party or golf down there (though I certainly wouldn't play every day).