Golfweek's Best Public Golf Courses in Louisiana: Why The Country Club at the Golden Nugget Rank is up from No. 2 in the state to No. 1

Golfweek has recognized The Country Club at the Golden Nugget as the No. 1 public-access golf course in Louisiana, moving it up from the No. 2 spot in 2025.

For golfers looking for an unforgettable round without the need for a private club membership, this award-winning course delivers championship-caliber design, spectacular waterfront scenery, and one of the most memorable finishing stretches in the state.

How Golfweek Ranks the Best Golf Courses

Golfweek's annual rankings are determined by its experienced course-ratings panel, whose members evaluate golf courses throughout the country using 10 scoring criteria. Each course receives individual scores from 1 to 10, along with an overall rating. Those ratings are then averaged to determine Golfweek's annual Best Courses rankings.

The Best Public-Access Courses list includes courses where golfers can book tee times through daily public play, resort stays, or affiliated hotel packages—making these premier golf experiences accessible without a traditional club membership.

Why The Country Club at the Golden Nugget Earned the Top Spot

Located along the scenic Calcasieu River in Lake Charles, The Country Club at the Golden Nugget was carefully designed to showcase Louisiana's natural beauty while providing a championship golf experience unlike any other in the state.

The course takes advantage of unique site characteristics, including:

• Extensive river frontage

• Mature Loblolly pine forests

• Natural sandy ridges

• Expansive water views

• Dramatic waste bunkers

Much of the property was once part of the Calcasieu River's riverbed. Years of dredging and natural sediment deposits created the foundation for what would become one of the nation's highest-rated new golf courses.

During construction, designers imported massive amounts of soil to elevate playing surfaces above flood levels while enhancing the property's natural landforms. The result is a layout that seamlessly blends waterfront golf with elevated interior holes.

Award-Winning Course Design

The course's routing centers around a pine-covered sandy hill, creating remarkable variety throughout the round.

Golfers encounter:

• Four holes playing into the elevated terrain

• Four holes descending from higher ground

• Strategic waste bunkers

• Water hazards that naturally connect the inland and riverfront holes

Course architect Todd Eckenrode explained that the expansive waste bunkers were designed with both function and aesthetics in mind.

"The waste bunker concept was functional in one sense, creating low areas outside of turf that could tolerate periodic flooding. It would have been easy to make these areas water or swampland, but that would have made the course just like every other course in the lowlands."

The sweeping bunkers not only improve drainage but also give the course a distinctive links-style appearance rarely found in Louisiana.

Stunning Riverfront Golf in Louisiana

As players return to the river side of the property, the course opens to panoramic views of Indian Bay and the Calcasieu River.

The combination of waterfront scenery, strategically placed hazards, and ever-changing wind conditions creates a dynamic golf experience that rewards thoughtful shot-making.

According to Eckenrode:

"One of our primary goals when designing the course was to create a memorable golf experience unlike any other in Louisiana."

One of Louisiana's Best Finishing Stretches

Golfweek's raters highlighted the final five holes as one of the course's defining features.

The closing stretch includes:

• Two scenic par 3s

• A drivable par 4

• A demanding long par 4

• A risk-and-reward closing par 5

Running alongside Indian Bay and the Calcasieu River, each hole presents strategic decisions while showcasing spectacular Louisiana landscapes.

Eckenrode noted that the horseshoe shape of Indian Bay allows golfers to choose just how aggressive they want to be, while changing wind directions add another layer of challenge.

He also described one of the course's most memorable qualities:

"One minute you may catch a glimpse of a massive tanker pulled by two tugboats. The next, it's the sound of a line as a kayak fisherman works the nearby inner banks. It's an amazing setting—and pure Louisiana."

Championship Playing Conditions

The nearly 7,000-yard championship layout features premium playing surfaces throughout the course, including:

• MiniVerde bermudagrass greens

• Celebration bermudagrass tees

• Celebration bermudagrass fairways

• Well-maintained roughs

• Native Spartina and Muhly grasses surrounding expansive waste bunkers

These conditions provide a consistently high-quality playing experience for golfers of every skill level.

Golfweek's latest rankings reinforce what many golfers already know: The Country Club at the Golden Nugget offers one of the premier public golf experiences in the South.

From its striking riverfront setting and innovative course design to its unforgettable closing holes, the course continues to set the standard for public-access golf in Louisiana.

Whether you're planning a golf getaway or searching for your next memorable round, Louisiana's top-ranked public course deserves a spot on your bucket list.