WESTLAKE — The city-owned National Golf Club of Louisiana is looking for ways to increase foot traffic and enhance the quality of the course — and Mayor Hal McMillin is optimistic 2025 is going to be a great year for the facility.

The idea for the golf course was the vision of former Mayor Dudley Dixon, whose council approved the purchase of 864 acres for $3.1 million in 1997 by a 3-2 vote.

“I happen to be on the Westlake City Council at that point in time and I was one of the three people who voted ‘yes,’ ” McMillin said.

The club officially opened in 2009.

“Seeing Dudley’s vision and my vision come to fruition is something I’m very, very proud of,” McMillin said.

McMillin, who is in his second year as mayor, said it’s been a “learning curve” as he and his team have had hits and misses with their promotional ideas and expansion plans.

“We’ve been trying a few things — some of them worked, some of them didn’t,” he said. “Last year we got hit by poa annua real hard and we’re trying to do everything we can to fight it this year. It’s coming back a bit but we’ve got a bigger and better plan.”

Poa annua is considered a nightmare for golf courses primarily because it produces numerous seed heads during spring, creating an uneven and bumpy putting surface; it also has a shallow root system and it can aggressively spread, often out-competing other desired grasses on the course.

Something else The National is struggling with is increasing its revenue.

“I’ll tell you right now that The Max is losing money and the golf course is losing money,” McMillin said. “The Max is getting turned around, though, because Wednesday night bingo is a packed house, trivia night on Thursdays is doing real well, Friday music has been added, and Saturday and Sunday brunches are doing well.”

Golfers can also call The Max when they’re nearing the 18th hole to place a food order to be ready for them when they’re done.

Now the focus is turning around the course.

“I know the golf course is never really going to be a money-maker, but I’m trying to get it somewhat close to being revenue-neutral,” he said.

McMillin said Jamie Perkins, his new hire as general manager of the facility, will be a “difference maker.”

“He gets there early in the morning, he leads by example, and he’s helped us formulate a team there that’s really good,” McMillin said. “I really don’t want to compete with Mallard and Frasch, I want to compete with L’Auberge and Golden Nugget. I want to bring it up to that level.”

Austin Stewart, director of golf operations at the National Golf Club of Louisiana, said one thing that continues to help the facility achieve that goal is its solid reputation.

“We were the only course open during COVID so people trust us and people know we’re their core course,” Stewart said.

Course care

Perkins said grass is being planted and drainage is being worked on for the creation of a driving range. In the meantime, nets will be hung for hitting practice.

The club is also trimming trees, creating a putting green and alleviating some of the harder curves to maneuver on the course paths.

“All of the stuff I’m talking about is going to take time,” Perkins said. “But in the end it will be worth it. Give us about eight months or so and we’re going to shine.”

The traveling beverage cart has been upgraded.

Also on the docket is a starter shack for golfers waiting outside for their tee times to begin.

“The city of Westlake doesn’t have a lot of reserves in the bank,” McMillin said. “We’re in the black, but we’re not well in the black.”

Ponds need to be redone and bridges over them rebuilt, he said. The tee boxes and greens are going to get some face-lifts, too.

“We want new restrooms on the back side, we want to fix some turns, but we need capital money to do that.”

Promotional advertising around the course will bring in some revenue as will a renewed focus on bringing more tournaments to the area.

The next one — the Mardi Gras Challenge — is set for March 1. There is a 9 a.m. shotgun start and it’s a two-man format. There will be a six-hole scramble, six-hole alternate shot and six-hole best ball.

Population growth in the city is also helping.

“Westlake is growing because we’ve got new homes, the water park is coming, we have a golf-cart friendly town, people want to come here,” he said. “We’re doing things to make Westlake the diamond of Southwest Louisiana.”

And with more people, that means more dollars in Westlake’s economy.

Local-first

McMillin said the goal since the club’s inception was to create a local-first mentality at the course.  That hasn’t changed.

The club has partnered with the Westlake Recreation District to create discount prices for Westlake residents. Golfers with an updated Westlake Rec Card are offered a full range of golf lessons, clinics and summer camps.

For female golfers, Stewart will be leading 30-minute lessons on Tuesdays this summer that will be followed by a round of nine holes of golf.

A mini-golf concept called PopStroke, which combines traditional mini-golf with technology and custom courses, is also being considered for the back of the facility.

Annual passes and corporate passes are also available.

“I want to do the best we can do. I want to leave a legacy here,” McMillin said. “We want to make a difference and make it bigger and better.”