The Bluffs on Thompson Creek is a Signature Arnold Palmer-designed course that makes use of some diverse landscapes. Palmer was given complete freedom to route the golf course as he desired, and eight different routings were staked out and considered before the best 18 holes were discovered and finalized. Once the most dramatic holes were determined, only then was the surrounding residential community planned.
The course is set amid the Felicianna countryside, and begins and ends atop the high bluffs along Thompson Creek. The 18-hole, par-72 course plays to 7,154 yards from the longest tees with a USGA rating of 74.6 and a slope rating of 143 on Bermuda grass, making for a challenging round. Along the way, the course plays through thick forests of hardwood trees and pines, into hollows, over hills, off bluffs, and even to a green located adjacent to a white-sand beach, making for a highly scenic venue.
The course opened in 1988 and is said to exude an atmosphere of great maturity, thanks to its natural contours and the large old trees that line its fairways. The views are also said to be dramatic, with elevation changes as great as 50 feet on a single shot, which is unusual in Southern Louisiana. The greens tend to be large and multi-tiered, which adds to the course difficulty and makes three-putts fairly common.
Since opening, the course has received a number of awards, honors and raves. Golf Digest ranked it as the #2 course in the state in 2007, and listed it at #80 in the country among all golf courses in the same year. The magazine also had this to say: "If any Louisiana course comes close to the ambiance and appeal of a laid-back resort like North Carolina's Pinehurst, it's The Bluffs on Thompson Creek. Architecturally, there's nothing quite like it anywhere else in America, which makes it worth the journey.''
Golfweek ranked The Bluffs even higher, naming it the #1 course in the state for "Best Places You Can Play'' in 2006, as well as ranking it at #61 among "America's Best Residential Golf Courses.'' GOLF Magazine ranked it higher still, 34th among the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the U.S.'' The Bluffs has also hosted a number of championships, including the Louisiansa State Championships, the Southeastern Conference Golf Championship, United States Senior Challenge, and several other prestigious events since its opening in 1988.
Practice facilities at The Bluffs include a driving range and putting green. The Bluffs also has a distinctive, plantation-style clubhouse, which specializes in banquets and large gatherings. The Clubhouse at The Bluffs overlooks the stunning 9th hole and has a Grill that serves casual luncheon fare and cocktails, while the Dining Room features more elegant evening fare with Louisiana cuisine with a French influence, including fresh seafood and prime steak specialties.
In addition to golf, the resort also features swimming and tennis.
