Southern Trace Country Club Course Review
Introduction
Southern Trace Country Club is located in southern part of Shreveport, La. Ranked consistently in the top 15 golf courses in the state, it was designed by Arthur Hills and was built in 1988.
Spreading out over 7,015, with a slope of 139 and a rating of 74.4, it will definitely test your skills.
Conditions at Southern Trace
The conditions at Southern Trace Country Club overall were good. The fairways were in good shape for the most part. The green rolled very well but had Poa Annua growing on them on several greens. They recently had a bunker restoration project and several bunkers had been filled in to become grass bunkers.
There were several areas that would have needed to be considered ground under repair, but none of these were really in play. The only other negative was that Poa Annua was growing around several of the greens. This meant that you would very likely be resting up against a clump of it, making it very difficult to get your club on the ball cleanly.
Pro Shop and Practice Area
The pro shop was nice but fairly basic. It has everything you would need. Everyone that we had interaction that day was very friendly and willing to help. This was very appreciated.
The range is double sided. The day we played we had to go to the far end of the range. The range itself was quite ugly really, but the grass was in good shape.
There is a large putting green as well as a chipping green with two bunkers. The practice area overall was sufficient. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t see myself hitting at that range every day.
The Front 9 at Southern Trace
Hole 1 starts off with an easy par 5 to get you going. Stay left of the bunkers on the right hand side. It’s pretty straight forward from here. if you are going for it in two, then short or just right is fine. If laying up, there isn’t any trouble to worry about. Just hit it to your desired number you want left.
Hole 2 is a nice par 4 that bends to the left. You can take a little less off the tee to stay short of the bunkers. Bombers can possibly go over the traps but would likely leave themselves with a full shot into the green. Just right is the best miss option.
Hole 3 is a fun par 4 that has a forced carry over water on the approach. You don’t have to use driver off the tee here. A long iron or hybrid off the tee will be all you need. This is one of the tougher approaches on the course. Anything short will be in the water and anything long will be long gone done the hill behind the green. The best miss is right.
Hole 4 is a slightly downhill par 3. You will want to miss to the right here but left isn’t too bad. Just don’t be short or in the bunker.
Hole 5 is a par 4, turning slightly to the right. Keep your tee shot just right of the bunker and it should roll to the left a bit. Anything too far right will have tree issues on your approach. The green runs from left to right, at an angle going back. The best miss is left or deep left. Be very careful as there is a bunker behind the green.
Hole 6 is an average par 3. The best misses are deep right or just in front of the green. Balls left will kick hard left. The bunker front right isn’t overly penal.
Hole 7 is decent in length, but placement is important. With trees encroaching on the right hand side of the fairway near the green, it’s important to put your tee shot in the correct spot on the fairway based on your ball flight. You really want to hit this green. It’s fairly sloped downwards behind the green, which will make for a tough up and down. Just short is fine.
Hole 8 is a fun par 5. A good drive will let you go for it in two. The fairway moves over a creek to the left before bending back to the right. Any bailout to the left on a shot at the green in two is fine. Any a lay up will need to be well short of the bunkers, and an approach from here will need to miss short if anything.
Hole 9 is another narrow par 4. You will need to hit the fairway here to have a good look at the green. The best miss is just long.
The Back 9 at Southern Trace
Hole 10 starts the back of with a par 4. You will need to keep your drive out of the trees on the left. While the bunker isn’t the best, it is better than the trees. The best misses are just short or to the right of the green.
Hole 11 is a short par 4. A fairway wood or hybrid is all you need of the tee depending on the angle you want into the green. You will need to hit this green. Anything left, right or long will likely find the water.
Hole 12 is a dog leg par that turns to the left. You will need to hit an aggressive drive here and will likely be the toughest tee shot of the day. Hopefully you found the fairway and have a good look at the green. With an elevated green, you don’t want to miss left here as it could bounce into the water. Short or just right will be your best misses.
Hole 13 is the longest par 3 on the course at 226 yards. This is a fairly large green, so you will need to hit it. Short and left of the bunkers is the only decent miss. Long will be really tough.
Hole 14 is a par 5 that will likely take 3 shots to get to the green. A good drive keeping it out of the left bunker, followed by a good lay up over the creek will give you a good approach. Short is the best miss, and long is not ideal but better than left and bouncing into the creek.
Hole 15 is a par 4 that will need you to hit a good tee shot. Watch out for the trees that squeeze the fairway and they do not block your approach. This is one of the tougher greens to hit on the course in my opinion. Just short or the front bunker are not bad misses.
Hole 16 is a par 3 with water to the left. Your best missed would be to the right, and the front right bunker isn’t that penal unless its a front pin location.
Hole 17 is a nice par 4. While it isn’t overly long, it will be important to have a clean look at the green which has water surrounding it on two sides. However there are no bunkers on this hole, so short right and right are better misses.
Hole 18 is a par 5 and was my favorite hole of the day. A good drive here will put you in position to take on the green in two. While over the green isn’t ideal it is better than in the water. Just short right is the perfect miss. If you have to lay up, aim just right of the first bunker in the line of bunkers near the green. You don’t need to take these on with a lay up. On your approach from here, you can attack the green. Just right of the green is ok, but no as good as being just in front.
Conclusion
Overall, Southern Trace was very good and we enjoyed the layout. It has some challenging holes and some that were a bit easier. You never could really relax. Even the shorter holes had to have good tee shots, or the approach is nerve racking.
If your visiting the local casinos in the area, Southern Trace would be a good place to catch a quick round.
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