Cypress Bend Resort Is The Crown Jewel Of The Audubon Golf Trail

I first came to Cypress Bend a few years ago for a business meeting. It was mid-January, cold, windy, and pouring with rain. Rivers ran down the 18th fairway towards the lake and I could hardly imagine in my wildest dreams the pristine setting I was greeted with seeing the course again in its’ summer glory.

It should have been no surprise. Take a piece of 600-acre property with over one-hundred-feet of elevation change, towering hardwood forests, and a massive lake and you’ve got a great canvas for an exceptional golf course. Add in just the right mix of holes that dogleg both right and left. Mix birdie opportunities with bogey holes and test every club in your bag and you’ve got Cypress Bend Resort the jewel of the Audubon Golf Trail. A trail featuring 17 of Louisiana’s best courses named for naturalist/artist John James Audubon who, enchanted by the natural beauty of Louisiana, painted a number of his famous bird studies here. All the courses on the trail are members of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf Courses, a program dedicated to protecting the environment and preserving the natural heritage of the game of golf.

**The short par 3, 17th is the most photographed hole on the course and a great birdie opportunity**

Built in 1996 and designed by Dave Bennett he used the natural contours of the land rather than moving a massive amount of dirt. This gives the course a soft natural feel and means your experience all kind of different lies for your approach shots.

Situated directly on the banks of the pristine Toledo Bend Lake, the 186,000-acre lake was voted the best Bass fishing in the country on two recent occasions. The lake separates Louisiana from Texas and wildlife abounds both tame and otherwise. You’ll likely encounter deer, box turtles, rabbit, cranes, heron, and hawks. Be on the lookout for the occasional bear, bobcat, and alligator as well as snakes. Balls hit in the wetlands are best written off without a search.

The course is an explosion of colors with crepe myrtles, blooming agapanthus, casual black-eyed Susan’s, hydrangeas, azaleas, fluffy monkey grass, and lilies on the shallow lake edge. Among the thick hardwoods, you’ll hear birds singing, woodpeckers pecking, and golf balls ricocheting from tree to tree. The course’s strength are some great long par fours, for the par fives all offer birdie opportunities although the 7th is a challenging dogleg left along the water to a green some 50 feet above you. The 14th and 16th are standout par four holes on the back nine both demand approach shots over the lake. It’s definitely one of those courses where you will play better the second time around once you are confident of the exact lines for your tee shot and where not to miss it with your approach so as to leave yourself an easy chip to the undulating greens.

***The patio overlooking the 18th green is a prime spot to relax and enjoy the view while recounting the day’s highlights***

The country inn style hotel offers traditional hotel rooms and golf suites with additional amenities to make it feel like home and perfect for families or golf groups. An English style pub bar offers a wide choice of brews and the perfect place to recap the days play. As is the beautifully manicured patio outside.

In addition to great golf, the resort offers challenging mountain bike, hiking and nature trails. An indoor/outdoor pool, tennis, a fitness room. Fishing excursions include a Guided Fishing Trip with a boat, tackle, and lures. If you’re bringing your own boat, the resort is fisherman-friendly and there are a number of parking spaces available with plug-ins for your boats.