Webb Park Golf Course

Detailed description of Webb Park Golf Course

Webb Park Golf Course is a Public, 18 hole golf course located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Webb Park Golf Course first opened for play in 1924. The course was renovated in 2005 by Baxter Spann.

The fairways are lined with large, mature oaks. The greens are small by modern standards requiring accurate shots to the green.

Par for the course is 72. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,324 yards. From the forward tees, the course measures 5,135 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 13, a par-5 that plays to 582 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 15, a par-3 that plays to 133 yards from the back tees.

Watch out for # 4, a 554-yard par-5 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole at Webb Park Golf Course is # 15, the 133 yard par-3.

History:

Webb Park Golf Course, originally the Westdale Golf Club, opened in 1924. Unlike Baton Rouge Golf and Country Club, founded in 1916, which was closed to Jews and African-Americans, Westdale enjoyed a number of Standard Oil Company executives and Jews among its founders, but, of course, it still remained closed to the black community.

Westdale Country Club closed in July 1936 because of financial difficulties during the Great Depression. In fall 1936, LSU purchased the 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, swimming pool and tennis courts for $25,000.

LSU maintained racial segregation at the golf course for 20 years before offering it to the city of Baton Rouge for $700,000. On March 4, 1957, the was placed under BREC control and was renamed the Jesse L. Webb Jr. Memorial Park.

Both the Webb Park and City Park golf courses opened to African-American golfers on May 27, 1964, one day after BREC received a federal court order forcing desegregation of the park system. On that day, seven black golfers played the course. On April 2, 1966, the pools at Webb Park and Howell Park were bombed during the integration struggle. 

The Webb Park pool was permanently closed in 2012 and was filled in the following year.