Play A Water Hole Near A Diamond Lake

Reigning supreme in the Ouachitas is the elegant Diamante Golf Course at Hot Springs Village near Hot Springs, ranked fourth in the country by Golf Digest magazine among new golf courses opened in 1995. Designed by Ault & Associates, Diamante is the longest golf course in the state at 7,500 yards from the championship tees.

DeGray Lake Resort State Park, Bismarck

But Diamante is not all the golf talk in these ancient, wooded hills of the Ouachita Mountain range. From the famous resort city of Hot Springs and neighboring Hot Springs National Park to the beautiful countryside surrounding the five crystal clear “Diamond Lakes” and other parts of the region, the Ouachitas glitter with exciting golf venues. And this is only fitting in a land that also includes the Crater of Diamonds State Park and several “dig-your-own” crystal mines in and around Mount Ida.

There’s plenty more to talk about at Hot Springs, including five more regal golf courses at Hot Springs Village alone. The Ponce De Leon Course at the Village has been recognized among the top 100 courses in the country by Golf Digest. Belvedere Country Club, Hot Springs Country Club’s Arlington Course (renovated by Ben Crenshaw), and Diamondhead Country Club round out a generous offering of Hot Springs full course layouts. For nine-hole course fans, Essex Park Golf Course at Hot Springs is built around Lake Catherine with two of its holes featuring full water carries to the greens.

The scenic championship course at DeGray Lake Resort State Park near Bismarck is the perfect center for a great something-for-everyone family vacation. Glenwood Country Club at Glenwood has 18 scenic holes with two lakes to add to the challenges of the course.

Find More Gems Off The Course

Away from the greens, there’s plenty for a golfer and non-playing family members to do. Hot Springs is loaded with attractions that include Hot Springs National Park and famous Bathhouse Row, thoroughbred horse racing action at Oaklawn Park, music shows and more plus a full menu of shopping, dining and entertainment.

Around the region, there’s fishing and water sports at the five Diamond Lakes – Ouachita, Hamilton, DeGray, Greeson, Catherine – and such varied activities as keep-what-you-find mining for gems at Crater of Diamonds State Park, America’s only diamond mine open to the public, and digging your own crystals as well as fishing and floating on the the Caddo and Ouachita Rivers.