Tamahka Trails at Tamahka Trails at Paragon Casino

Tamahka Trails at Paragon Casino sits in central Louisiana near Marksville, designed by Steve Smyers and opened in the early 2000s as part of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe's gaming and resort development. Smyers, a Florida-based architect known for naturalistic designs that emphasize strategic variety and ground-game options, brought his design philosophy to the rolling terrain of this region, creating a course that contrasts with the flatter layouts common across much of Louisiana's coastal plain.

The routing takes advantage of the property's natural elevation changes and wooded corridors, with holes carved through stands of pine and hardwood. Smyers typically favors wide fairways that reward thoughtful angles of approach rather than pure length, and his designs often feature firm, fast conditions when maintenance practices allow. The course serves both resort guests visiting the casino complex and local members, functioning as a regional amenity in an area with limited high-end golf options.

The setting provides a relatively secluded golf experience despite the proximity to the casino resort, with the natural landscape defining the character of play. As with many Smyers designs, green complexes likely offer the primary strategic interest, with contours and surrounds that demand precision on approaches. The course represents one of the few modern architect-designed facilities in this part of Louisiana, offering a playing experience distinct from the state's better-known courses closer to New Orleans and Baton Rouge.