If you don’t know much about Lake Charles, La., you’re in the majority. It’s definitely a destination that flies under the radar. You might remember it in the news when Hurricane Laura struck in 2020. Or maybe you know it as an oil refinery town. But lately, this city of around 81,000 residents is changing its reputation, becoming more of a tourist destination with its lakes, beaches, trails, seafood, and gaming.
Lake Charles’ latest tourism slogan is “as much joy as you can pack in,” and as far as I can tell, this Gulf Coast town just east of the Texas border is delivering with all kinds of fun things to do. Among those activities, of course, is golf, and it’s not only high quality, but very affordable. One of the best parts is that between the months of October and June, this is a good destination weather-wise with plenty of warm days in December, January, and February. (Late October, early November, March, April and May are best). Plus, besides gaming opportunities at the casino hotel resorts, which now include sports books, the food is outstanding, especially if you like seafood or Cajun cuisine.
Living in Houston, which is just a little more than two hours away, I’ve been to Lake Charles many times over the past two or three decades and watched the transformation take place. It really started with the opening of the L’auberge Casino Resort and the Contraband Bayou Golf Club in 2005. The course was designed by Tom Fazio and Beau Welling, a little-known architect at the time. Welling, of course, has gone on to do some pretty great courses, most notably perhaps, the new West Course at the PGA Frisco north of Dallas and as the senior consultant for TGR (Tiger Woods) Design, which created Bluejack National Golf Club, north of Houston.
Named after the nearby bayou that was used to move contraband, Contraband Bayou is one of four golf courses I got to play on a recent visit there. It included a stay all four days at the L’auberge Casino Resort, some fabulous restaurants, a craft brewery, and even a lesson in blackjack. (The lesson I learned is that I shouldn’t gamble, which was also verified by the three sports bets I lost.)
Where to Golf
In all, there are a half dozen or so courses open to the public, and two of them are really good values. The most affordable is a Lake Charles municipal that was designed by Jeffrey Blume. Mallard Golf Club, which actually moved from its old location to its current site in 2021, is a real gem of a course. The 7,200-yard, par 72 course plays fast and firm, almost links-like, and is a blast with its wetlands, fast Tif-Eagle greens and pot bunkers. The most you’ll pay there is $52 on the weekends, and that includes the cart. The challenge is, of course, the ever-present Gulf Coast winds, which means ball flight and controlling spin is everything. Top that off with a terrific clubhouse that includes a bar, restaurant, and well-stocked golf shop, and you’ve got a great experience.
The other really good value is The National Golf Club of Louisiana. Located in the suburb of Westlake (nothing is very far there), it’s an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Course, a beautiful layout designed by Dave Bennett that opened in 2009. Measuring more than 7,000 yards from the tips, the course winds through tall pines, ponds, and streams. It also has a new, large two-story clubhouse with an expansive golf shop and “The Max,” a 120-seat casual dining spot, where you can enjoy authentic Cajun cuisine and watch sports.
Which brings us back to Lake Charles’ two casino courses, which are right next to each other. Contraband Bayou is a par 71 that’s nearly 7,100 yards long, with eight lakes, saltwater marshes, and Fazio’s signature deep bunkers, both in the fairways and around the greens. The best part, though, is the fairways are wide, so players of all levels should be able to get off the tee successfully. The approaches are the tough part. There are lots of cool holes, including a picturesque par-3 on the back nine, and a finishing stretch that includes the no. 1 handicap hole, the 450-yard, par-4 16th, where you’ll have to avoid a large lake on the left.
And finally, the newest in the group is The Country Club at Golden Nugget, which played host to the 2022 Lake Charles Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. Designed by Todd Eckenrode, this flat, beautiful layout is situated near the Calcasieu River and bridge.
This is the most expensive course to play in Lake Charles ($159 rack rate), but if you stay at the Golden Nugget, you do get a discount, and there’s a good twilight rate as well. As you might expect, conditioning is superb, especially on the MiniVerde greens. With four sets of tees, the course is very playable with a really nice mix of long and short par 4s and par 3s. Fairways are very wide, so it’s not difficult off the tee. But you’ll have to avoid the water features, which can be found on about half the holes.
After Golf
As for the rest of the experience, I didn’t have a bad meal on the trip. The rooms at L’auberge Casino Resort were large and luxurious, and the resort itself featured about a dozen restaurants, including Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, whose specialty is its “Original Charbroiled Oysters.”
But the most impressive dining was no doubt at family-owned and operated Pat’s of Henderson, one of the finest restaurants in all of Louisiana. I could have stopped with the crab cakes, which seemed like they were made of 95-percent crab meat. But the rest of the menu featured terrific seafood like redfish, snapper, gumbo, grilled shrimp, crawfish and shrimp étouffée.
Anyone going to Lake Charles needs to plan a dinner at Pat’s of Henderson.
And I’m always on the lookout for a local brewery, and Lake Charles didn’t disappoint. Crying Eagle Brewing Co. is more than just a brewery. Besides a wide variety of brews — including IPA’s, stouts, and excellent lagers — it offers specialty cocktails as well as southern comfort food.
If you don’t live close to the Louisiana coast, you’re probably still wondering why you should consider Lake Charles. My answer is simple: This really is a hidden gem and a terrific value with very mild weather from late fall to early spring. The combination of food and golf alone is worth the trip, but add in the casino gaming and entertainment, and you can put together a really enjoyable vacation.
