ShareThisNEW ORLEANS -- When people hear the name Audubon, they usually think of birds.John James Audubon spent much of his life studying and painting our feathered friends.But thanks to the 7-year-old Audubon Golf Trail in Louisiana, the name Audubon is now recognized for birdies.The state that Audubon called home for the last 30 years of his life is best known for its great food and great music, but now there is another reason to visit this state.The Audubon Golf Trail offers a selection of 13 golf courses ranging from a short par-62 track with a dozen par 3's to a classy Pete Dye design that's host to the annual Zurich Classic on the PGA Tour.Louisiana's idea wasn't original. Alabama gave Louisiana a blueprint for the project nine years earlier with its Robert Trent Jones Trail.Weekend golfers are always looking for a change of scenery, and what better place to find one than in Louisiana.It's not uncommon to find an alligator keeping watch over your ball near a water hazard. If that happens, just take a free drop about 100 yards away. (People down here say a gator can outrun a dog in a 40-yard dash.) Don't let that scare you and your buddies off.Your chances of getting snake-bit on some country courses in West Texas are much better than being lunch for some Louisiana swamp gator. And the gumbo down here is a heck of a lot better.Also, don't let any hangover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita keep you from planning a golf trip to this state.Seven of the 13 courses on the tour weren't affected by the hurricanes in 2006.The three closed by Katrina and the three closed by Rita are all back better than ever.One big plus for the Audubon tour is you don't need a single-digit handicap to enjoy playing the courses.Even though all of them had to pass a course evaluation to be included on the tour, the average Joe (or Jo) will have a chance to par a few holes and with a little luck, even find a birdie or two along the way.The five courses that I recently played were challenging, but not so tough and demanding that you angrily storm off the 18th green promising to sell all your clubs on eBay.Most offer a choice of five tees to allow the short knockers a chance to play to their skill level.The Audubon Golf Trail is a perfect vacation getaway for your weekend foursome -- or four couples if the other halves want to come along.Our group started at Oak Wing in Alexandria, went to The Wetlands in Lafayette the next day, then on south to Atchafalaya the next day and then ended with a 36-hole day at TPC Louisiana and Audubon Park in New Orleans.You can plan your trip any way you want it, but if possible, make it to New Orleans.TPC Louisiana offers you a chance to play on a course that the PGA pros play, and Audubon is just a really cool place in historic spot in the Big Easy.And while there, you enjoy the music and food that his city has to offer.The only diet you need to be on when you visit New Orleans is that famous "see food" one.For more information, visit www.audubongolf.com.E-mail Nick Gholson at gholsonn(at)timesrecordnews.com
Check out Louisiana's Audubon Golf Trail
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