French Lick Casino Golf
Golf at The Pete Dye Course at French Lick, a day of golf at The Donald Ross Course at French Lick, unlimited practice facility usage, cart rental and complimentary shuttle service from the hotels to the courses. Package includes a one-night stay at any of our three hotels and the following: Round of golf at The Pete Dye Course at French Lick. French Lick, known as the Home of Larry Bird, is a popular golf destination for traveling golfers with more than 7 golf courses and 2 resort courses - from golf course designers like - Donald Ross and Pete Dye.
French Lick and Jasper are a Southern Indiana golfer’s paradise! Few things get the blood pumping like the mention of Donald Ross, Pete Dye and Tom Benedelow in the same sentence. Nowhere else in the world can a golfer play courses designed by each of these noted and prolific designers at one resort destination. During your time in southern Indiana, we are recommending the Donald Ross Golf Course at French Lick, Sultan’s Run Golf Club, and Buffalo Trace Municipal Golf Course. Challenging and rich in history, these courses offer the perfect French Lick golf trip for any enthusiast.
Visit Indiana Golf has mapped out road trips around the state of Indiana for you to enjoy the game of golf, eat delicious food, and make unforgettable memories! Known as Indiana’s Fairway Drives, each trip is a perfect getaway for golfers of any skill level who are looking for a new adventure. Click here to see all 9 of Indiana’s Fairway Drives.
Travel is permitted, and golfing is great for mental and physical health, but it is still best to practice social distancing as we continue to fight COVID-19. Not every single Indiana business is choosing to be open right now, so call ahead or check their social media accounts before visiting. Please take precautions, plan ahead, and follow CDC and local guidelines.
Donald Ross Golf Course at French Lick
Considered one of Donald Ross’ most challenging designs, the Donald Ross Golf Course at French Lick is also one of the most classic and iconic courses. The course went through a restoration in 2007 where 80 of Ross’ trademark bunkers with flat bottoms and deep, gnarly faces were restored along with expanded, square, or rectangular-shaped greens that severely undulate. Thirty-five of these bunkers are original to the course that Ross constructed back in 1917. The course is a par 70 and plays to 7,000 yards. The Donald Ross Golf Course was the site of the 1924 PGA Championship won by the legendary Walter Hagen and has hosted other golf greats and celebrities such as Gene Sarazen, Chick Evans, and Bing Crosby.
Experience the ultimate in golf at The Pete Dye Course at French Lick, voted No. 1 course in Indiana on GolfWeek’s Best You Can Play for 11 years in a row. The Donald Ross Course at French Lick has been named Indiana’s No. 2 Course in GolfWeek’s Best You Can Play rankings every year since 2011.
Sultan’s Run Golf Course
Nestled in the heart of beautiful Southern Indiana and stretching over 224 acres of rolling hills is another popular golf spot, Sultan’s Run Golf Club. Located just 30 minutes outside of French Lick, this course is a must during your trip. On the 18-hole course, the zoysia tee, fairways, and greens offer a world-class playing surface. The roughs are a Bermuda and fescue blend, while the green surfaces are made of bentgrass. The course’s namesake is Supreme Sultan, a show horse of history and a legend of his time. It was over these same Southern Indiana rolling hills that Supreme Sultan claimed title to a record number of World Championship American Saddlebred horse shows.
Buffalo Trace Golf Course
The third golf stop we recommend making during your trip is Buffalo Trace Municipal Golf Course. This challenging, 18-hole course is also located in Jasper, Indiana. Buffalo Trace has been an important part of the Jasper community since 1970, playing 5,985 yards with a par 71 and featuring beautiful zoysia fairways.
French Lick Casino
In addition to world-class golf, a French Lick golf trip also provides a perfect getaway. Whether you’re relaxing at the spa or sipping on a glass of wine and enjoying the beautiful Southern Indiana scenery, there are so many different ways to enjoy the French Lick West Baden area. Play to win at the French Lick Casino, a 51,000 square-foot, single-level gaming venue, located on the grounds of the resort. Whether you are shooting for 21 at blackjack, taking a spin on the roulette wheel, or going on a roll at the craps table, you are sure to experience a great deal of Southern Indiana hospitality.
French Lick Wine & Spirits
We also recommend stopping into French Lick Wine & Spirits during your stay. This family-owned business began making and selling wine in 1995 and has been growing ever since. The winery and distillery are located in the town of West Baden Springs, not far from the West Baden Springs Resort. French Lick Wine & Spirits feature over 30 different wines to sample, ranging from dry to sweet, sparkling, and fortified. Go and enjoy the tasting bar, or simply grab a cold beer or glass of wine and just relax.
33 Brick Street
Just as Southern Indiana is home to world-class golf, it is also home to delicious eats. While you’re in town, we recommend stopping in at 33 Brick Street to grab a bite. 33 Brick Street provides a unique restaurant experience that includes a showcase of sports memorabilia, including personal awards owned by Larry Bird. A wide range of beer chilled to 22 degrees, plus a large selection of local and craft beers are available on tap. You can’t go wrong with any choice from the menu, but the burgers are to die for!
Schnitz Pub – Jasper
Another popular spot for grab some grub is Schnitz Pub in Jasper. Sporting a unique atmosphere and an outdoor dining patio that overlooks Jasper Parklands, this local favorite can’t be missed. Try the famous “Rosie’s Pizza,” created from Rosie and Ed Rees’s original 1950s recipe and inspired by the very first slice they ever tasted.
French Lick Resort
French Lick Casino Restaurant
There’s a lot to do on a French Lick golf trip, so consider making your road trip a multi-day getaway! Plan your Fairway Drive Road Trip to French Lick and stay at either French Lick Springs Hotel or West Baden Springs Hotel, both located at the French Lick Resort.
If you’re interested in other golf courses in Indiana, check out Visit Indiana Golf on social media. To see all of Indiana’s Fairway Drives, click here.
Legends, Donald Ross and Pete Dye were the leading architects of two completely different areas. They are artists whose courses could not be more different in design. Now nestled among the hills of the Hoosier National Forest they are together creating an interesting contrast of eras and 36 holes of spectacular golf at one of America’s most iconic resorts.
Before it became famous for golf French Lick was famous for its’ sulfur hot springs and a casino visited by celebrities like boxer Joe Lewis, composer Ervin Berlin, and gangster Al Capone. It’s also well known as the hometown of basketball legend Larry Bird.
Live Like A Robber Barron For the Golden Age
The French Lick Springs Hotel was founded by local doctor William Bowles in 1845. Five years later another doctor John Lane built a second hotel a mile away called the Mile Lick Inn. He later changed the name of the hotel, and the town, to West Baden Springs after the famous mineral springs in Wiesbaden, Germany.
In 1901 outgoing mayor of Indianapolis, Tom Taggart, and a small group of investors, bought the property and started a large expansion. Meanwhile, up the road, Lee W. Sinclair transformed West Baden into an opulent world-class resort. While the new rail connection brought a steady stream of guests from Chicago and other Midwest cities.
In the early 1900s golf had captured the public’s attention and in 1907 Tom Bendelow was hired to design the resorts Spring Valley course, now reimagined as a nine-hole par 3. A decade later they hired Donald Ross to design the Hills course. The course won instant acclaim and The PGA Championship was held there in September of 1924. Walter Hagen defeated former champion, Jim Barnes, in the final round.
The stock market crash of 1929 saw the West Baden Hotel fail and it was sold a few years later to the Society of Jesus for one dollar. While The French Lick Hotel remained in business through a series of corporate owners its glory days were long behind it.
Abandoned and in a state of ruin Indiana Landmarks, the largest nonprofit preservation group in the nation, partnered with philanthropists Bill and Gayle Cook to make a positive impact on the hotel and the depressed region around it. Their investment not only saved West Baden Springs Hotel, but also restored French Lick Springs Hotel to its former glory.
The refurbished French Lick Springs Hotel and its new casino officially opened in November 2006, and the large part of the restoration of West Baden Springs Hotel started the next day and was completed $600 million later. Dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World” by journalists when it opened the 200-foot span of its dome is as impressive as that of any of the wonder in Europe.
The Dye Course
French Lick Casino Golf Packages
I’d seen that Pete Dye course sitting high on a hill above the surrounding valley on television during the 2015 senior PGA championship. I thought to myself that looks tough, so tough in fact as to be unplayable. With panoramic 40 mile views from several tees, “volcano bunkers” tight fairways, and rugged terrain it’s certainly no pushover from the 8,100-yard championship tees. Yet while Pete’s diabolical nature can certainly be seen on some holes what I found as I made my way into the fog for my morning round from around 6,700 yards was a fun and challenging golf course in pristine condition. The best I have seen anywhere in the world this year!
Like many people, there are Dye courses I love and Dye course I hate. This falls into the first category for the superior views and conditioning as much for the design. The course starts strong with a downhill dogleg followed by a challenging tee shot on the second with bunkers everywhere. It doesn’t let up, disaster lurks on every hole, in the form of deep bunkers, heavy rough or steep drop-offs if you miss the clearly defined landing areas. Likewise, around the greens, a narrow miss of the generous greens will result in the ball kicking away sharply leaving a very difficult up and down. On the front, I also loved the par 3. 8th hole with its eight pot bunkers guarding the right side of the green and the lovely curves or the gentle dogleg right on the par 4, 9th hole.
On the back nine, I call out the 11th (go to the back tee) for spectacular views across the valley on this sharply downhill and drivable par 4. The 18th a long, dogleg rolling left and banked like a racetrack with more bunkers than some entire courses was a great finishing photo op.
The Donald Ross Course
The Donald Ross course was restored to the architects’ original vision in 2007 with a five-million-dollar makeover. It features all
French Lick Casino Golf Course
the traits you’d expect of a Ross classic. Little earth was moved it its construction as Ross always preferring to use the natural contours of the land. Distance between greens and tees is minimal. Over 80 of Ross’s trademark flat bunkers with gnarly faces were returned to the layout. There are also flat greens, two-tiered greens, bowl greens, square greens, and turtleback greens all signatures of a Ross design.
The Ross course is very easy on the eye with its gentle contours and far more forgiving than the Dye, but don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. The par 70 can be stretched to 7,000 yards but as with all Ross courses it is understanding the subtlety of design that will yield results not mere strength.
Playing both the Dye and the Ross in one day will surely lead to some interesting conversations over dinner about the finer points of golf architecture and the way in which each of these legends approached their craft. Just don’t expect too much agreement among friends!
At a Glance:
- 36 holes of championship golf from Dye and Ross
- 9-hole, walking par three course
- Great tee gifts
- Excellent range @ The Dye
- Two classic AAA Four-Diamond nationally historic hotels,
- Spa
- Vegas-style casino (rated No. 4 Best Casino outside of Las Vegas by Yahoo Travel, 2016)
- Multiple bars and dining options
- Scenic train rides
- Learn More At https://www.frenchlick.com/
About Andrew Wood
Andrew Wood is a golf writer, magazine publisher, and CEO of Legendary Marketing a Tampa area ad agency. Author of over 40 books including; The Golf Marketing Bible, The Hotel and Resort Marketing Bible, Fame – How to Build an Iconic Personal Brand and Life Well Lived.
He is considered the world’s leading expert in golf, resort and real estate marketing and has spoken to thousands of audiences worldwide. You can contact him at directly at 352-266-2099 https://legendarymarketing.com/ or [email protected]