Golf with Ray Navis

The Big Easy Is Coming Back

New Orleans has an important place in the American Conscience. It has always been a place of celebration: Mardi Gras, Jazz Music, Creole Cooking, Night Clubs and Super Bowls. The great hurricane a couple of years ago made me even more curious for my first visit. We stayed at the Hotel Monteleone a classic elegant property in the heart of the famous French Quarter. Great golf is just minutes away at the Tournament Players Club [TPC] of Louisiana where the PGA Tour stops each April for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Tourists traveling to New Orleans will find this part of the city almost entirely as it was. The French Quarter, St Charles Place, and The Garden District were spared by Katrina. It is the citizens who lived in other local neighborhoods who have suffered the most. We visitors have it easy and in this city which depends on tourism they are very happy to have us back.

Hotel Monteleone is over 100 years old, but has been stylishly upgraded throughout the years and even features a garden rooftop pool. The hotel has a rich literary legacy and is one of only three hotels in the US to have been designated a literary landmark. Many famous authors have stayed here including Truman Capote who claimed to have been born at The Monteleone. The Monteleone is ideally situated on Royal Street within walking distance of Jackson Square, Canal Street and of course Bourbon Street.

TPC of Louisiana

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans evolved from the New Orleans Open which has long been a regular stop on the PGA Tour. Who could forget David Frost holing out a miracle bunker shot to defeat Greg Norman in one of the Sharks memorable catastrophes?

TPC of Louisiana was designed by Pete Dye with help from former PGA Champion Steve Elkington and local PGA Tour player Kelly Gibson. Dye was called in to do what he does best. Take a small piece of flat property and turn it into a good test for pros and amateurs alike.

The finishing holes are sure to catch your attention as well as the players trying to win here. Number 17 is a par three which can play anywhere from 170 to 217 yards. Water guards the entire left side as well as a long bunker. Bailing out to the right will keep you dry but probably lead to a bogey due to severe moguls and the undulating green.

The 18th is a long par five which can be stretched to 604 yards. Water all the way down the right-hand side as well as a series of pot-bunkers if you try to get too close in two. The long hitter who tries for the green in two and winds up in one of these devilish sand traps may well lose the event right there. Hotel Monteleone has a close connection with the TPC of Louisiana and offers several golf packages.For more information Hotel Monteleone Online

Brennan’s and Antoine’s

New Orleans is famous for its fine dining. There are scores of great restaurants to pick from, but Brennan’s and Antoine’s are perhaps the most famous. Brennan’s is just a couple of blocks up Royal Street and a must do if you enjoy fine dining.

Brennan’s opened in 1946 and has hosted countless celebrities and dignitaries throughout the years. The original location was the secret hideout for pirate Jean Lafitte and is where he made a pact with Andrew Jackson to defend the town against the British at The Battle of New Orleans. Brennan’s is French Creole cooking at its best and the service was excellent as well.

The Chefs are celebrities here and deservedly so. Reservations are a must and I would strongly advice buying their recipe book titled “Breakfast at Brennan’s which my wife has been using ever since our visit. Antoine’s Restaurant is just a couple of blocks further from the Hotel Monteleone and also rich in history. It opened in 1840 and is the oldest family run restaurant in the US. Antoine’s is a much larger restaurant and distinct for its numerous private dining rooms each with its own unique decorations and history.

The Rex Room is very colorful and ornate with costumes of Mardi Gras Kings and Queens enclosed in glass walls. Owner F. Rick Blount gave me a guided tour of the various rooms which numbered 14 in all. Antoine’s has also hosted countless celebrities.The food was once again excellent and very popular with locals who were coming in for Holiday Parties. For More information visit Antoines Online For more information about Brennans visit Brennans Online

The Hotel Monteleone is about a 30 minute ride in from the airport and I would strongly recommend taking a taxi to the French Quarter area. Driving in New Orleans is best left to the professionals. Continental Airlines offers the best service to New Orleans form LAX with two non-stops daily. I also found their service to be very good, which is more than I can say for some of the other domestic carriers. For more information visit Continental Online