Local golfers of a certain age remember when The Bluffs was the stuff of legend.
The Arnold Palmer Signature Course in St. Francisville along Thompson Creek debuted in 1988 and drew enthusiasts from Michael Jordan to David Toms with its sandy hills, water hazards and iconic 17th hole.
A challenging design created by Palmer and architect Ed Seay helped the golf resort enjoy a national and regional reputation, landing on Golf Digest’s list of the top 100 public courses across the country and once considered the top course in the state. It might have been just 30 minutes from Baton Rouge, but its dramatic topography made it feel like another world.
The Bluffs closed abruptly in 2021, but it came as no surprise. It was the latest chapter in a thorny history that has seen ownership changes, membership ebbs and regular promises to rise from the ashes.
Now, new momentum is afoot to resuscitate The Bluffs, boosted by a major economic development win in West Feliciana Parish. The $10 billion Hut 8 data center could create the right environment for investors and public officials to bring back The Bluffs and finally get it right.
It’s a dream many St. Francisville residents—and regional golf enthusiasts—would love to see fulfilled.
“If you put on paper everything that West Feliciana has going for it, and the things that it does not have going for it, this is the one box that we just can’t check,” says Clay Pinson, a longtime homeowner in The Bluffs and former West Feliciana Parish Council member.
Read the full story about the efforts underway to resurrect the award-winning golf course.
Tee it up
