Since its launch in 2022, LIV Golf has invested a boatload of money in its advancement and payouts. This year, the average player payout was well above $3.9 million. Now, with the circuit set to debut in New Orleans in June 2026, Louisiana officials have backed a new, multi-million-dollar push to get City Park’s Bayou Oaks facilities ready.

The golf course is temporarily shutting its driving range from 12 January 2026 for a $2.2 million upgrade, to welcome LIV Golf to the city. As per the reports, the range is expected to reopen by the end of April 2026. However, the South and North courses at Bayou Oaks will remain accessible for play. But the South course will undergo landscaping works on the fairways. 

And who is in charge of redesigning the course? It’s the 70-year-old, two-time major champion, and 20-time PGA Tour winner, Greg Norman. With 13 LIV Golf events scheduled for 2026, the New Orleans stop will mark the fifth one in the USA. 

The upgrades to the Bayou Oaks will include putting surface improvements, conditioning the greens, minor drainage repairs on the course and restrooms, addition of new decking on bridges, and some remedial tree work, apart from the fairway landscaping.

According to the City Park, these upgrades aim to modernize the facilities, improve playing conditions, and suppress climate-dependent downtime. And all this could seriously boost golf in New Orleans.

How LIV Golf’s New Orleans Debut Could Prove to Be a Boon

Louisiana's bid to bring LIV Golf to the state didn't come cheap. Governor Jeff Landry struck a $7 million deal with the league. The deal also involved another additinal $5 million fee.

However, that investment could pay off big time, as LIV Golf will likely pour $55-$60 million to set everything up. Since LIV events have shown a trend of attracting 40,000 to 60,000 spectators, the earning potential is huge.

"This isn’t just a win for golf fans, it’s a win for all Louisianans. Bringing LIV Golf to New Orleans puts our state on the global map in a bold way, while creating jobs, sparking investment, and giving our people one more reason to be proud of the place we call home," said Governor Landry.

The Governor also expressed his love for LIV Golf, claiming, "There are no quiet signs. It’s a party." Yet, we'll have to wait a few months to see just how things take shape in New Orleans.

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi