Design, beauty make golf course a destination

When you surround a professionally designed golf course with the rich wildlife and incredible beauty of the Atchafalaya Basin, you get a one-tank destination sure to please any golfer. The Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild offers this and a whole lot more.

Selected as the top-ranked course in Louisiana by Golfweek, on the magazine’s list of “2009 Best Courses You Can Play,” Atchafalaya at Idlewild has the distinction of having back-to-back recognition as the top course.

“We’re very excited about the recognition, especially from Golfweek magazine,” said Rudy Sparks, chairman of the Atchafalaya Golf Commission. “To be No. 1 two years in a row says a lot about the facility. We’re very pleased.”

Designed by Robert von Hagge, the 7,533-yard Atchafalaya Golf Course contains five lakes and 10 native wetland areas – encompassing nearly 40 acres of the 175-acre layout.

More than a half million yards of native soil were used to develop dramatic elevations, creating breathtaking vistas.

Von Hagge is well known for his innovative courses including Doral, LaCosta and TPC at the Woodlands. The 18-hole course features five sets of tees, each named after wildlife native to the basin, large fairways and generous pin placements.

“It is as close as you can get to Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin while enjoying a spectacular round of golf,” explained Carrie Gautreaux Stansbury, executive director of the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The prestigious Audubon Golf Trail selected the Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild to be a member facility in January 2006. The trail highlights 12 of the best courses in the state.

“Our unique combination of pristine course and natural preservation is sure to make The Atchafalaya one of Louisiana’s most memorable rounds of golf,” Stansbury added.

The Atchafalaya at Idlewild is located at 400 Cotten Road in Patterson – the heart of St. Mary Parish.

For more information, call (985) 395-GOLF(4653).