Copper Mill Golf Course, Zachary, Louisiana - A Championship, Links-Style Golf Course a Short Drive from Baton Rouge

Copper Mill Golf Course is an 18-hole championship, links-style course located a short drive from Baton Rouge. Copper Mill was designed by golf course architects Max Maxwell and Nathan Crace, and has been described as an eclectic mix of old-world shot-making and contemporary conditioning, producing a course reminiscent of those in Scotland.

The par-72 course plays to an even 7,000 yards from the Black tees on Bermuda grass fairways and Tifdwarf greens, with a USGA rating of 73.7 and a slope rating of 133. The layout features open fields and roughs of native grasses, strategically placed bunkers and centuries-old oak trees that can tower over the course. Golfers unfamiliar with the area might forget they're in South Louisiana, until they encounter two holes that crisscross the Cypress Bayou.

A distinctive feature of Copper Mill is a layout that incorporates three par-3s, three par-4s and three par-5s on each nine, making for a bit of a change from the traditional arrangement found on most golf courses. Copper Mill is a residential course, but the design was routed through the natural setting in such a way as to allow for spacious fairways and playing areas without a feeling of being crowded by homes.

Some noteworthy holes and features include the par-3 No. 6 hole that plays to 173 yards from the Black tees and has a hidden green. The par-5 No. 14 hole plays to 525 yards from the back tees and is a double-dogleg that's been called a "subtle beast.'' Getting to the pin is hard enough, and once there golfers will find the green guarded by two sprawling sand bunkers and situated on a triangle-shaped peninsula surrounded by water. Another noteworthy hole is the par-4 No. 17, which plays to 445 yards from the back tees and is guarded on the left side of the approach by the ruins of an old mill.

Since opening in 2003 the course has been given a number of honors and awards. In 2004, Golf Digest named it one of the "Best New Affordable Public Courses in America.'' Copper Mill was also named one of the "Best Courses in the State'' in 2005, and in 2006 received a 4-Star rating for "Best Places to Play.'' And in 2007-2008, Golf Digest awarded it the prestigious Architecture Award as the "Best Course in Louisiana.''

Practice facilities at the course include a driving range and short-game practice area with chipping and putting greens. Lessons are also available from staff teaching professionals.

The course also features a spacious clubhouse known as Palmetto at Copper Mill. The clubhouse is home to the Golf Shop for equipment and apparel, and also offers upscale dining in the Palmetto Grill, lunch at the Bistro, an outdoor Courtyard and plantation-style ballroom that can accommodate up to 500 people.