The Donald Ross Course at French Lick is a timeless, classic par 70 design with impeccable conditions. It doesn’t have a driving range, but that’s the only thing this golf course is missing. I used the extra time before the round, which allowed me to enjoy an incredible Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit at the bar. The BEC is that good, and you can thank me later. It’s also worth noting that their pro shop is outstanding with fantastic brands such as William Murray, Straight Down, Sunday Swagger, Good Good, and more!
Course Overview
Nestled amidst fog-lifting rolling hills of Southern Indiana lies a golfing treat that aficionados can’t afford to miss. It hosted the PGA Championship 100 years ago (1924) and is still a gem today. I prefer traditional course layouts that don’t need gimmicky bunkers or greens to make it a challenge. The Ross is full of challenges, but they are in front of you to navigate. In my opinion, the back-to-front sloping greens and memorable par 3s make this an unforgettable course. For my liking, it is the most enjoyable course at French Lick Resort. It has six sets of tees to find your perfect challenge. I found it unique that the Black tees had a 139 slope yet only 5,950 yards! Please don’t play the 6517-yard bronze tees unless you have a single-digit index or better, as its slope is 146.
The advice from the starter and pro in the golf shop was to leave your putt below the hole. OK, not a problem, right….that is until you have that downhill putt…yikes! The course flows with the land’s natural contours, seamlessly moving from hole to hole. Each hole has very well-manicured fairways, with a rough that’s tough, moving into three feet tall fescue. There are creatively placed deep bunkers in the fairway and along the greens.
Notable Holes
As you peruse the valley, the first hole gives you a peak of multiple holes at once. It’s a wide-open descending tee shot. Then it transcends to a daunting uphill approach (I live in flat Florida, so a mound is a hill, and these inclines seem like mountains to me). Fortunately, I was left with only a slight downhill putt after my approach, which was intimidating. I lagged it close, making a par.
The first par-3 #4 sets the tone for the day. It’s a 166-yard uphill shot that plays 185 from the silver tees. A bunker placed 30 yards in front of the green will catch shots that hit just in front of the green as your ball rolls 30 yards into the rough or bunker. If this happens, you almost can’t see the green from this bunker as it’s so uphill. I advise going long as there is a backstop behind the green. There’s only one problem…the scary downhill putt.
The second par-3 # 6 is an 184-yard par-3 straight uphill over a ravine. Anything short will not make it to the green. It’s a dual-shelf green, with a strong ridge in the middle going from back to front…surprised?
The very short par-4 #8 is the most memorable hole on the course. We sent a buddy to drive up and share the best plan of attack for our tee shot. We decided on a 185-yard iron to the top right of the fairway. I hit it perfectly, leaving 153 yards to the pin, so I grabbed an eight iron. My buddy, Paul, said to add two clubs due to the wind (it didn’t seem that strong), but your approach is over another ravine, and you must get it to the green. He said, “Trust the 6-iron”, which I did, and thankfully, he was right as I hit my shot to 5 feet! The only problem is I missed the putt!
The long, demanding par-3 #13 had everyone in our group shaking in their shoes. It played 208 yards from the silver tees. I stepped up and crushed a three iron to 15 feet! #13 was too much for the group to follow, as all three shanked it into the woods and ended up with a max score. In case you’re wondering, I also missed the birdie putt here.
The 17th hole is one of my favorites, and I will explain it in a moment. After 36 holes on the Dye course the day prior and 16 holes today, I have yet to make a birdie (the only one in our group). I had at least five very makeable birdie putts, and leaving French Lick without a birdie seemed inevitable. I hit a lousy drive that duck hooked to the left, almost in the other fairway. The approach is to a large square-shaped green at least five stories uphill. I found my ball in the rough 170 yards away and hoped to chop it out near the green. I flushed it and, to my amazement, was left with a 5-foot downhill putt. I could feel the pressure of this being my last chance to have a birdie in French Lick. My buddies were ready to laugh at me as I missed another opportunity. Ugh, the pressure, but fortunately enough, this one found the bottom of the cup, and that’s why #17 was one of my favorite holes on the course.
The Final Score
The 19th hole at French Lick was incredible. My buffalo chicken wrap with fresh mozzarella and spinach was a 10/10. Everyone was gushing over the food. The staff was super friendly, and the drinks made us well on our way to a fun afternoon.
The Donald Ross Course was the kind of course you would love to play every weekend with impeccable greens, tee boxes, and fairways. It has eighteen challenging holes within Indiana’s rolling hills in a peaceful layout. Remember that an incredible Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit will set you up for a fantastic day!