A fabulous example of flora and fauna in this part of the country around a meticulously designed course with all of the amenities one could ask for.

Truly a one of a kind experience to play disc golf through cypress trees and lagoons, and if you stay on the fairway you'll stay totally dry with an amazing drainage system that keeps this course one of the driest in the area after a heavy rain. It's a treat to play in a place that's so reflective of the natural environment. Where else do you get casual relief from massive cypress roots that'll swallow your errant disc whole?

John Houck designed course with 2.5 par 5s, 6.5 par 4s and 10 par 3s. With three (5800', 7500', and 8500') tee pads for every hole and Houck's signature two-alley fairways, PDF is a course that rewards lefties and righties from beginner to pro.

The course is in a large parish parks and rec preserve, with ample parking, practice basket, bathrooms, and picnic options.

Water comes into play on two holes (we'll get to them), and generally fairways that are wide and clear despite having plenty of trees though them. A few holes really demand max distance while hitting a clear line and utilizing your airspace intelligently. Maybe it's a bit on the score-able side but nothing comes easy.

This rough is some of the roughest rough I've ever roughed. There are brambles everywhere, it's thick as hell, and the drainage off the fairway is not comparable to on the fairways. If you're lucky to find your disc you'll likely emerge wet and bloody. And definitely keep your eyes out for snakes, watch where you step and watch where you reach, including under the aforementioned cypress roots. There's also spider webs galore, and mosquitos aplenty depending on the season. And don't touch the leprous (edit, not lupus+, thanks Monocacy!) armadillos around every green.

17 and 18 both bring water into play. Which is great but do bring alligator danger. 17 is a tunnel tee shot with swamp on the left and right...if the water levels are low you can probably get your disc but if it is wet, watch out! And don't even think about going in to get your disc in the pond you have to cross on 18 lest you end up on the nightly news.

Both 17 and 18 are stylistically quite different from the rest of the course and while nice holes with worthy shotmaking of their own right, they feel a little tacked on at the end to make 18. They're both more wide open than anything you've been playing in thus far...makes you wonder if there's a more creative way to work through the available property.

There's not really any elevation to speak of, though they do their part on a couple of holes.

Generally it's open sunup to sundown but check the hours on the local fb groups because downed trees due to storm, staffing shortages, etc. lead to irregular hours.

Truly a one-of-a-kind course in a one-of-a-kind landscape that has a few understandable drawbacks given the environment and a strange bit of course design at the end.

I'm always grateful to play here but better with a group than solo, just to have extra help looking for discs.

Highlight holes:
Hole 2 is a par 4 with plenty of airspace space to work a drive left or right, the key here is to get a landing zone that sets you up for a full power 2nd shot into the green. Don't want to be hemmed up against a cypress tree.

Hole 9 is all about the drive through the tunnel getting you as far straight as possible, with a little right fade into a line of guardian trees if you can. If you're into those trees you should have lines for a RHBH to the green on the left.

Hole 15 is a par 5 that can be an easy birdie as long as you can throw three straight shots in a row...Eagle-able if you can throw straight and far. But the fairway is about 30' wide for the middle section and slightly elevated with treacherous rough on either side that will absolutely force you to pitch out.

Parc des Familles has three concrete tee boxes on almost every hole (blue and white tees share boxes on a couple), a range of distances, DiscCatcher Pro 28 baskets, very well maintained fairways and reasonable bug control for a swamp in South Louisiana.

This course winds through a typical, but drained, Louisiana swamp. The cypress trees that decorate the first 14 1/2 holes give this course a unique feel. The crazy amount of sand that must have been brought in keeps the fairways playable when the location should have made them a muddy mess. Drainage has been controlled extremely well. I played after a rain, and the course did not hold water - a feat in itself for that kind of land in this part of the world.

Navigation is straightforward, there is very good signage at all of the tees and additional navigational signs. From an equipment standpoint, this course is state of the art.

There's no denying the skill it takes to make a presentable course out of a blank canvas of South Louisiana swamp. The designer had little to work with and still created an excellent and challenging course, the best in the New Orleans area, which isn't blessed with any top flight courses despite the herculean efforts of its local club.

I cannot gush over this course as others have. After playing this course twice, shortly before writing this review, few holes stand out from the others. The last 4 are the most distinctive, because they stand out from the group of holes that have only varying distances as their primary distinguishing features.

There is no meaningful elevation on this couse. There are only two holes with any elevation at all, but it's only a couple of feet, and has nearly zero affect on play.

The first 14 or so holes all seemingly play through the same stand of cypress trees. Some bend to the left, some to the right, and some are dead straight. There are at least two, maybe three, dead straight, par 3 ace runs about 250 feet in length.

The rough is mostly briar/bramble and other thick, nasty underbrush. A kick off a cypress trunk can put your disc in a place you may simply refuse to search through. I concede that there is nothing unfair about the gaps between the cypress trees and the challenge provided by this course is one of skill. It's just not a very fun course to play IMO. I actually enjoyed the variety of Pelican Park a bit more than I did playing this course.

There are benches and trash cans on this course, but no other amenities. Bring in your water, you'll need plenty in the summer. It will be hot and humid and you won't get back to your car until after the end of the round.

Finally, the ending two holes on this course include a basket out in the middle of a field and a throw through the same field to lay up and throw over a short water carry. Neither hole seems at home on this course and both are a kind of let down right at the end of your round.

It's difficult not to compare this course to Selah given their shared designer. It's just not in the same league as Lakeside. Even Creekside is a better course. From my perspective, its real problem is its lack of variety. The first 14 holes almost feel like the same hole over and over again. There are differences, but it's hard to shake that feel until you get to the last few holes, where the quality actually dips.

I've been wanting to play this course since it opened. But now that I've played it, I think Lake Claiborne's spot at the top of Louisiana's courses is safe for now.

The course is gorgeous. It is clear that a lot of time, money and care have gone into this course. It is a pro level course cut through a swamp. It has all the bell and whistles with multiple tee pads and great signage. The Cypress trees in the fairways are Louisiana through and through. When we were there the fairways were getting a fresh cut.

There is no getting around the cons of this course. I played it in late May and maybe it is better in the winter months but I have never...ever seen bugs like this. We all wore deep woods off but the bugs were on us from start to finish. In addition to the bugs, as other have said, the rough is pretty rough. On one hole that I had to go in for a shot some red bugs stung me in the leg that felt like needles and I had to jump over a snake (could have been a cotton mouth) to get back to the fairway.

I am conflicted giving this review but I have to be honest. I hate to say it but even though it is a very nice course, I just can't handle bugs to that level. In Texas the summer and fall months have tons of mosquitos but generally when you wear deet they leave you alone. Just be ready for them it you play it. It was an accomplishment to shoot a few over par with the constant buzzing, slapping and annoyance.