The Bayou Oaks golf center in New Orleans City Park will close its driving range for three months to make improvements for the upcoming LIV Golf tournament, which is planning a New Orleans stop in June as part of its international tour.
The $2.2 million project will include surface regrading, irrigation and drainage work, a new practice area and putting green and other upgrades, according to a City Park press release.
The driving range will close on Jan. 12 and is scheduled to reopen by the end of April.
The Bayou Oaks South and North courses will remain open for play, although the South Course will undergo work on fairways, putting greens and landscaping.
The project, funded by the state, is part of a $7 million deal that Gov. Jeff Landry struck to bring the Saudi-backed tournament to Louisiana. The deal also includes a $5 million fee to LIV from a state incentive fund for major events, according to the Louisiana Illuminator.
State officials have said that tournament organizers are spending as much as $60 million for the event, which runs from June 26 to June 28. New Orleans is one of five U.S. stops, according to the LIV website, which lists 13 events in 2026. Others include locations in Spain, Singapore and South Africa.
The LIV Golf tournament in City Park means that New Orleans will be hosting two professional golf events in 2026. The city is the long-time home of the Zurich Classic, which is held at TPC Louisiana in Avondale and will take place April 20 to April 26.
That tournament, which has been played in the New Orleans area for decades, was held in City Park in the early 20th century when it was known as the Greater New Orleans Invitational.
LIV, launched in 2022, has emerged as a rival to the PGA, attracting some of the pro tour’s players with giant incentive packages. It is financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has provided an estimated $5 billion in funding, according to Reuters. The fund is led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Landry has promoted the LIV tournament as a way to generate tourism during slow summer months.
