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Hardest Golf Courses in Louisiana

The 25 most challenging golf courses in Louisiana, ranked by maximum slope rating.

The hardest golf course in Louisiana on Stymie is Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, designed by Tom Fazio (opened in 2002). It carries a maximum slope rating of 150, stretching 7,002 yards from the back tees, placing it well above the USGA's neutral 113 and into the territory where bogey golfers should expect to lose 8-12 strokes versus their handicap. These 25 courses below are ranked by maximum slope rating, the single best proxy for "how punishing this course is" for the average golfer.

Across the full Stymie directory, the average maximum slope in Louisiana is 131 — above the typical US state benchmark around 125. 15 courses in Louisiana carry a slope of 140 or higher; a slope of 140+ is considered very difficult and demands accurate driving, distance control on iron shots, and patience around the greens.

If you're testing yourself or planning a buddy trip built around difficulty, start at the top of this list and play from a tee one set forward of your normal handicap range. Course difficulty is not the same as course quality — many of the hardest courses below also rank among the most enjoyable in the state, but the slope rating tells you to bring your A-game.

Ranked

Peak slope

150

Avg max slope

131

Slope 140+

Hardest Easiest Longest Oldest Newest

#	Course	City	Par	Slope
1	Squire Creek Country Club 7,002 yds · Par 72 · Tom Fazio · 2002Choudrant	Choudrant	72	150
2	Country Club of Louisiana 6,961 yds · Par 72 · Jack Nicklaus · 1986 · PrivateBaton Rouge	Baton Rouge	72	150
3	Laurel Country Club 6,968 yds · Par 72Laurel	Laurel	72	147
4	Southern Trace Country Club 7,061 yds · Par 72 · Arthur Hills · 1989Shreveport	Shreveport	72	145
5	East Ridge Country Club 6,673 yds · Par 71 · Press Maxwell · 1957Shreveport	Shreveport	71	144
6	Copper Mill Golf Course 6,776 yds · Par 72Zachary	Zachary	72	144
7	Grand Bear Golf Course 7,204 yds · Par 72Biloxi	Biloxi	72	142
8	Golf Club at StoneBridge 6,851 yds · Par 72 · Fred Couples · 1999 · Semi_privateBossier City	Bossier City	72	142
9	English Turn 7,089 yds · Par 72 · Jack Nicklaus · 1988New Orleans	New Orleans	72	142
10	University Club 7,751 yds · Par 72 · Jim Lipe · 1998 · PrivateBaton Rouge	Baton Rouge	72	142
11	Santa Maria Golf Course 7,153 yds · Par 72 · Robert Trent Jones · 1987Baton Rouge	Baton Rouge	72	142
12	Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club 6,961 yds · Par 72Youngsville	Youngsville	72	141
13	Lake Charles Country Club 6,582 yds · Par 72 · Ralph Plummer · 1956 · PrivateLake Charles	Lake Charles	72	141
14	Oak Harbor Golf Club 6,805 yds · Par 72 · Par Excellence · 1994Slidell	Slidell	72	141
15	Carter Plantation 7,033 yds · Par 72 · David Toms · 2003Springfield	Springfield	72	140
16	Ormond Country Club 6,536 yds · Par 72 · Dick Biddle · 1978 · PrivateDestrehan	Destrehan	72	139
17	Baton Rouge Country Club 6,992 yds · Par 72 · Bert Stamps · 1950 · PrivateBaton Rouge	Baton Rouge	72	139
18	New Orleans Country Club 6,637 yds · Par 71 · George Turpie · 1914New Orleans	New Orleans	71	139
19	Cypress Lakes Country Club 6,507 yds · Par 72Destrehan	Destrehan	72	139
20	Black Bear Golf Club 7,171 yds · Par 72Delhi	Delhi	72	138
21	Tchefuncta Country Club 6,393 yds · Par 74 · Jack Daray · 1925 · PrivateCovington	Covington	74	138
22	The Bridges Golf Club 6,841 yds · Par 72Bay St. Louis	Bay St. Louis	72	137
23	The Country Club at Golden Nugget 6,940 yds · Par 72Lake Charles	Lake Charles	72	137
24	Chateau Golf & Country Club 6,495 yds · Par 72 · Frank Burandt · 1975Kenner	Kenner	72	136
25	Metairie Country Club 6,780 yds · Par 72 · Jack Daray · 1922Metairie	Metairie	72	136

Frequently asked questions

What is the hardest golf course in Louisiana?

Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, Louisiana is the hardest ranked course with a maximum slope rating of 150. Slope rating measures the difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch player — 113 is average, 140+ is very difficult, and 155 is the maximum.

How many golf courses in Louisiana have a slope rating of 140 or higher?

15 golf courses have a max slope rating of 140 or higher in Louisiana based on the scorecards in the Stymie directory. A slope of 140 or above is considered very challenging for bogey golfers.

How does Louisiana's average difficulty compare to the rest of the US?

The average maximum slope rating across golf courses in Louisiana is 131, versus a US average around 125. A higher state average indicates courses that are, on the whole, tougher for mid-to-high handicap golfers.

What makes a golf course hard?

Course difficulty is driven primarily by slope rating (how much harder it plays for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer), course rating (how a scratch golfer would score), total yardage, hazards (water, bunkers, forced carries), green speed, and rough length. Slope rating is the single best proxy for "how tough this course is."