When the weather was as good as it was yesterday, Tuesday10/8/24, I had a last-minute decision to go play golf. After looking at what golf courses needed to be officially reviewed I decided to go play at Cypress Lakes Country Club in Destrehan, LA. The golf course is known to many locals by its former name, Ormond Country Club, and over the past year has been doing some major work on the property, including resurfacing all their greens.
Since their major renovation of the greens, this is only the second time I have played Cypress Lakes for an official Golf Nola review and video (below). I have played the golf course a few times with friends for fun, but have still been keeping up with the overall progress since the last official review. Although they have some things they are still working on, the golf course and the property overall have come a long way. This includes a new grill/restaurant. I had the food there before and wanted to include it in this review, however, they were not open. The food is slightly overpriced, but it is pretty good, with a good atmosphere, and nice staff. Maybe next time I can add that.
I probably mention this in every review of Cypress Lakes, but I have fond memories of playing here as a kid and It is great seeing the progress that has been made. The owners really understand the conditions golfers want to play and are making great strides to make sure Cypress Lakes has consistent, quality conditions. The layout is both fun and challenging, so it is a really good golf course for golfers of all skill levels. I will continue to follow the progress and keep everyone updated.
When I arrived I could immediately see how the golf course conditions would be. The first tee, driving range, and practice green are all right by the parking lot. The practice green is what really got our attention as it looked immaculate. This gave me a good sense of what to expect on the golf course itself.
Overall 3.5 out of 5
Tee Boxes: 3 out of 5
The tee boxes were good with some areas where grass was struggling to grow. Most were level but there were one or two that had some that had a dip in the middle or what could be considered mini potholes. All in all, they were very playable and the grass height was good for the most part. I understand why they can not be cut tight right now but none were too long where it affected teeing a golf ball up. I don't use a tee on par 3s and did not have any issues finding an area I could get a good lie. The only thing I did not like with the tee boxes was how far apart the markers were placed. The USGA recommends 6 yards wide and this is a good suggestion to follow so the boxes do not get chewed up too bad. The markers were set as wide as the tee boxes and were getting chewed up pretty badly. Also by keeping them within the 6-yard recommendation, it allows the markers to be moved around more leaving other areas healthy or giving them time to heal.
Fairways: 3 out of 5
The fairways were pretty good. They are bumpy and could use some smoothing out, but I did not get what I would consider a bad lie in any fairway. The grass was consistent in height and they were firm allowing for a good amount of bounce and roll. I personally would like to see them cut lower/tighter, especially with how the greens were, but I also know most golfers would probably prefer the height they are now. A tighter-cut fairway helps maximize the spin you can put on a golf ball which helps it stop faster on the greens. Because the fairways had some fluff it reduces the amount of spin but also allows a golfer to not have to have perfect contact every time.
Greens: 4.5 out of 5
The greens are exceptional right now. They were very smooth and rolling fast. The greens were also very firm. Something I was kind of surprised to see and you will notice in the video around the 4:50 mark. Taking the speed and firmness into consideration, along with some of the hole locations, it made putting and chipping extra fun. Even more so if you were in the rough, which I'll mention below. The speed, smoothness, and firmness were also very consistent from hole to hole which makes golf more enjoyable when you don't have to guess. The firmness however made for its own challenge and you had to play short of your distance if you wanted to keep the ball on the green. For example, I hit my 52° wedge with a 120-yard carry distance and usually spins a good amount. Not enough to back it up but enough it usually is a one-hop-and-stop type of shot. If I had 120 yards to the hole I had to play for a 115-yard carry knowing the ball would bounce and then roll out a lot. I adjusted quickly and many times took one less club than I would normally, especially if hitting a 7-iron or longer club.
I was not in a single bunker the entire day but they looked pretty good. Someone told me they are a little thin and could use extra sand but I can not confirm that. What I can confirm, due to the amount of greens I missed, is the rough is a challenge. Not so thick you had trouble finding your golf ball but thick enough the ball could sit down in the grass or sit on top. Some chip shots I got a flier and the ball came off my wedge hot going a good 10 yards past the hole, or off the other side of the green, and other times the grass grabbed the club and I left the ball short of the green. I like that type of challenge on a golf course and think more courses should let their rough grow longer. Having played many courses where the rough has been light I was out of practice playing for this type of rough but I look forward to the challenge next time at Cypress Lakes.
I was overall very pleased with the golf course and look forward to getting back out there again soon. The price is right for the conditions of the golf course for now but I would expect as things keep improving the price will go up to match the quality. I definitely recommend any golfer, whether local or from out of town, to get out and play Cypress Lakes. You will not be disappointed.
Played Cypress Lakes on Sunday 10/20/24. The course is as advertised in this review. I felt the tee boxes were maybe less good than bad, the fairways are completely as mentioned, and the greens are in fantastic shape. Their $60 rate for a weekday might be a bit steep, particularly in that location, some 30 minutes from the city, but maybe they want to keep the rounds to a minimum to maintain the course? But I'll say if it were priced maybe $10 less and weren't a 45 minute drive from my house, I'd play it more often.
Again, good/fortunate timing with this report. My club will be playing out there on the 20th. I'll say since the renovations, it's been one of the more consistent courses in the region.