Our first foursome trip in a few years, and no small amount of excitement, which isn’t the first thing you think of when planning a trip to Indiana; however, as we quickly learned, our perception of Indiana wasn’t all Indianapolis and racing. The southern side is beautiful, with rolling countryside and quaint towns. In the heart of southern Indiana, you’ll find French Lick Resort and some excellent golf courses, one of which is a historic Donald Ross design, but for me, my hero of golf course designers is Pete Dye!
I’ve never played a course designed by Pete Dye that I’ve not loved, played well on, or waxed lyrical about after the event, and so it’s with a small degree of bias I get to do the same on his French Lick course.
The Man Himself, Pete Dye!
For those who don’t know Pete Dye, the first thing to understand is that he is regarded as one of the most creative geniuses in imaginative course designs. His go-to elements include small, well-contoured greens, Par 4’s that encourage you to hit the driver, bunkers plenty, and no minor intimidation. For me, the one thing he asks of golfers is accuracy, be it off the tee, fairway, or on approach, and when you aren’t, some penalty befalls you.
His first course was in Indianapolis (now called Maple Creek Golf & Country Club), and in the years that followed, another 200 or so have fallen to his whims! His last course, as he has sadly passed, is White Oak in Florida, which won Best New Private Golf Course 2022 – good luck playing it. It’s by invitation only, and I’m patiently waiting for the owner’s invitation!
Course Overview
To French Lick, the easy bit, the overview… literally! The course is built on top of a mountain (by Indiana’s standards!), and one tee box claims to be the second-highest point in Indiana! The views from many holes are breathtakingly beautiful and certainly panoramic (the ‘pano’ feature on your phone will get a lot of use). From the clubhouse, the course views show the contours, along with volcano bunkers (don’t go in them!) and seemingly narrow fairways. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more stunning, non-coastal course.
The pro shop is small but well-equipped, and all the staff are accommodating and friendly.
The Golf Experience
Thirty-six holes of Pete Dye golf, here we come! The first thing we are NOT doing is contemplating the tips. Well, we did, and then we decided that we weren’t gods or worthy at over 8100 yards and a slope rating of 151. A quick consult with our forecaddie (a must-have, non-optional ‘item’), who advised us that not only was it the most critical decision of the day, but it would also be the only decision that decided whether you had fun or quit the game – White it is, 6100 yards and 134 slope.
Slopes – so many slopes, aim right to end up left, aim left to be on the right, miss and be in the rough or worse, a ravine, leave it short of a green front and watch it come back towards you, so much fun but when you get it right you can’t help but smile. The fairways are as close to perfect as you could ask for, and the rough is, well, rough – if/ when you end up in the long ‘grass,’ don’t bother looking because if you find it, it’ll be unplayable.
The benefit of your forecaddie isn’t the reading of the greens (although you’ll need him for that; most seem subtle, but the double breaks and speed will get you), it’s not their raking the bunkers (you’ll be in a few), it’s the, where do I aim off the tee, sometimes the fairway looks narrow, sometimes there’s a speed slot, or a driveable par 4, if you land in the right spot, or a bunker that you think is not in play but is, or not, as the case may be. The course has a natural flow to it. The holes turn left and right at regular intervals, with the wind assisting and hurting regularly. The course will lean in your favor if you play with a draw (my natural swing, which may explain why I’m a Dye fan!). However, there are a few where fading (I wish I could) helps.
Notable Holes
It’s hard to pick a signature hole; each has a character of its own, and I suspect the ones you choose to like will be down to how you played them, a bit of a love/ hate thing. For me, the driveable par 4 was up there, but it was the most hated by one in our group!
The Par 3’s – 4, 8, 13 and 16
The par 5’s – 3, 7, 14 and 18
My top 3 holes, 1 of each, if I must make the call,
Par 3 – 16th, the easiest decision and most memorable of the Par 3’s, water on the right, a trap just off center on the left of the green. The green is heavily sloped from back to front, so being long is tough(300 yards if you play the tips – insane!)
Par 4 – 11th, a driveable par 4, has impressive views and the highest elevation point on the course. The hole isn’t the hardest, but for beauty and fun, it’s in! (I also liked 6, under the mansion and old glory visible on the right, with a speed slot off the tees; although it drags your left and into the light rough, it still gives a sense of satisfaction to do so).
Par 5 – 14th, a ravine on the left, a fairway that slopes to the left, a cart path close to the fairway on the right, and rough and mounds if you are right of that. The second shot is one of many options. I’d suggest the right-hand cul-de-sac vs. open fairway, which leaves a nice wedge into the elevated green, albeit a blind shot – I could play this hole all day, every day. I think it’s my favorite of the 18.
(but the 18th would be a close 2nd, not least because it’s the last hole, and there’s a stiff drinking waiting for you to drown some sorrows, celebrate some wins, and realize you survived what must be one of the most challenging golf courses in America!)
The Final Score
Whatever your thoughts at the end of eighteen, I think most will agree – this is not your run-of-the-mill golf course. It’s scenic, joyous, and worthy of the green fee. Even if it’s not a typical bucket list course, you won’t be disappointed to have played it, and I suspect you’ll tell stories about it for quite a few years. It’s a majestic course and definitely in my top 10!