New Orleans isn't exactly known for its hills. Most of the city is a bowl, sitting precariously below sea level, which makes the topography of English Turn Golf & Country Club feel like a bit of a miracle. Or, more accurately, a massive engineering feat. When Jack Nicklaus showed up in the late 1980s to carve a championship course out of the Louisiana swamp, he didn't just clear some trees. He moved a mountain of earth.
He built a fortress.
If you’ve lived in the Big Easy long enough, you know the name English Turn carries a certain weight. It’s that private enclave on the West Bank where the grass is a little greener and the air feels just a bit more exclusive. It’s a gated community, yeah, but it’s mostly defined by that sprawling, water-heavy golf course that hosted the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic for fifteen years.
Honestly, the history of the place is as deep as the canals that surround it. The name itself comes from a 1699 encounter where Bienville outsmarted the British, tricking them into turning their ships around by claiming he had a massive fleet just upriver. Today, the "turn" is less about naval warfare and more about whether you can survive the back nine without losing three balls in the drink.
The Nicklaus Signature: Why English Turn Golf & Country Club is Brutal
Let’s talk about the golf. Because if you’re heading to English Turn Golf & Country Club, you’re either there to live in a mansion or you’re there to get your ego checked by a par 5. Jack Nicklaus is famous for his "Signature" designs, which usually means they are visually stunning and strategically punishing. English Turn is his love letter to the sand trap and the water hazard.
Water is everywhere. It’s basically a character in the story of your round. On fifteen of the eighteen holes, you’re looking at significant water hazards. If you have a slice, God help you. The most famous—or infamous—spot is the 15th hole. It’s an island green. Not a "sorta" island green where there’s a little bridge and some grass. It’s a 160-yard shot into a target surrounded by the abyss.
I’ve seen grown men, scratch golfers, crumble on that tee box.
It’s not just the water, though. Nicklaus loves his mounding. The fairways aren't flat; they roll and pitch, mimicking the dunes you might find in Scotland, but with the humid, heavy air of the Mississippi Delta. The greens are huge, tiered, and fast. If you land on the wrong level, you’re looking at a three-putt before you’ve even put your glove back on.
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But here’s the thing: it’s fair. It’s a championship-caliber track that rewards smart play. If you try to hero-ball your way through the par 4s, the course will eat you alive.
Living the West Bank Life
The club isn't just a place to lose golf balls. It’s a lifestyle hub. When you drive through those gates, the noise of New Orleans—the sirens, the construction, the general chaos of the city—just kinda fades out.
The clubhouse is massive. We’re talking 43,000 square feet of glass, wood, and "old world" luxury. It looks like something out of a movie set. Inside, you’ve got the Garden Room, which overlooks the 18th hole. It’s a great spot for a wedding or a high-end corporate lunch, but for the members, it’s just where they grab a drink after a round.
People think English Turn is just for retirees. They're wrong.
Actually, the community has seen a massive shift lately. You see more young families now. There’s a fitness center, a swimming pool that gets packed in the brutal Louisiana summers, and tennis courts that actually get used. It’s a self-contained ecosystem. You’ve got the park areas, the jogging trails, and that sense of security that, frankly, is hard to find in other parts of the metro area.
Membership Reality Check
Is it expensive? Well, it’s a country club. So, yeah.
But it’s not as stuffy as you might imagine. In the past, English Turn Golf & Country Club had a reputation for being "old money" and untouchable. While it still leans toward the affluent side of the scale, they’ve opened up different membership tiers. You’ve got full golf memberships, social memberships for people who just want the pool and the dining, and even "young professional" brackets to get the under-40 crowd in the door.
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One of the coolest things they do is their junior golf program. They’re actually trying to grow the game, which is refreshing. They have a massive practice facility—putting greens, chipping areas, and a double-ended driving range—where you’ll often see kids learning the ropes next to guys who have been members since the Reagan administration.
The PGA Tour Legacy
For a long time, English Turn was the face of New Orleans golf to the rest of the world. From 1989 to 2004, the Zurich Classic (then known as the Freeport-McMoRan Classic or the Compaq Classic) was held right here.
Legends played these fairways.
Davis Love III won here. So did Vijay Singh. You can still see the plaques and the history lining the walls of the locker rooms. There’s a specific kind of pride that comes with playing a course where the pros struggled. When the tournament moved to TPC Louisiana in Avondale, some people thought English Turn might lose its luster.
It didn't.
If anything, it became more of a "hidden gem" for serious golfers. Without the pressure of a massive TV audience every year, the club was able to focus on the member experience and keeping the course in pristine condition. The bunkers are consistently raked, the edges are crisp, and the turf quality is usually head and shoulders above anything else you'll find on the West Bank.
Weddings and the "Instagram" Factor
You can't talk about English Turn without mentioning the events. It is a wedding machine. The grand ballroom and the atrium are basically designed for photos.
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I’ve been to a few ceremonies there. The way the sun hits the water behind the ceremony site as the light fades? It’s hard to beat. Even if you aren't a golfer, you probably know someone who got married here. The catering is surprisingly good—it’s not your standard "rubber chicken" wedding food. They lean into the Creole roots of the area, so expect some decent shrimp and grits or blackened redfish.
What Most People Get Wrong
There's a misconception that you have to live inside the gates to play here. That's not entirely true, though it depends on the current club policy. While it is a private club, they do occasionally host "open" tournaments and charity events.
Also, people think it’s a hike to get there. It’s not. It’s about 15-20 minutes from the Central Business District (CBD). You cross the Crescent City Connection, head down General de Gaulle, and you're there. It feels like a different world, but you can still see the New Orleans skyline from parts of the course. It’s a weird, beautiful contrast: the rugged, swampy nature of the course vs. the steel and glass of the city in the distance.
Practical Tips for Your First Visit
If you’re lucky enough to get a tee time or an invite to the club, don't just show up and wing it.
- Dress the part. No jeans. No cargo shorts. They take the dress code seriously. Tuck your shirt in.
- Bring extra balls. I’m not joking. Even if you're a 5-handicap, the wind coming off the river can do funky things to your ball flight.
- Check the wind. Because the course is so open, the wind is a massive factor. A 150-yard shot can play like 180 or 120 depending on the gust.
- Spend time on the range. The practice facility is one of the best in the state. Use it.
- Watch for gators. It’s Louisiana. They live in the lagoons. They usually won't bother you if you don't bother them, but maybe don't go wading in to find that Pro V1 you just shanked.
The Future of the Club
What’s next? English Turn Golf & Country Club is leaning heavily into the "lifestyle" aspect. They’re renovating common areas and trying to stay competitive with the newer developments popping up across the lake. The golf course remains the crown jewel, but the "Country Club" part of the name is becoming just as important.
It’s about community now. It’s about having a place where you can take the kids to the pool on a Saturday, have a high-end dinner on a Friday, and maybe sneak in 18 holes before work on a Tuesday.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're interested in English Turn, don't just stare at the gates.
- Inquire about a "Member for a Day" experience. Sometimes the membership office offers prospective members a chance to play a round and tour the facilities to see if the vibe fits.
- Look into the Social Membership. If you live in the city and just want a weekend escape with a pool and gym, this is often way more affordable than a full golf membership.
- Book a tour of the event spaces. If you’re planning a wedding or a big corporate blowout, call the events coordinator. The views alone make it worth the site visit.
- Practice your long irons. Seriously. If you’re going to play the Nicklaus course, you need to be able to hit high, soft-landing long shots to stay dry.
English Turn isn't just a relic of the PGA Tour's past. It’s a living, breathing part of the New Orleans landscape that manages to feel both historic and modern at the same time. Whether you're there for the golf, the real estate, or just a really good plate of jambalaya at a wedding, it’s a place that leaves an impression. Just watch out for the water on 15. It gets everyone eventually.