A Buddies Road Trip PART 2: Compelling courses by world-renowned architects just south of the Michigan border
By Jason Manshum
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series that started in November on some of Indiana’s best golf properties.
Pete Dye. Donald Ross. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Names that would arguably be on the Mount Rushmore of golf course architects, are offered as world-renowned, publicly accessible opportunities just south of the border – in Indiana.
In November we shared the joys of two college courses: Pfau Course at Indiana University and the Warren Course at Notre Dame. Now let’s look at the rest of our 10-man road trip to Sultan’s Run in Jasper, plus the Donald Ross and Pete Dye courses at French Lick.
Sultan’s Run
Our Sultan’s Run round proved a stark contract to the natural minimalism of Pfau yet provided an equally pleasing palette. Sultan’s Run, nestled in quaint Jasper, may perhaps be the most pristinely groomed course I’ve played all year. Insanely well-groomed. This is a testament to ownership as I’ve heard the layout went through some rough times (pun intended) with its care and maintenance under previous owners.
Right from the entrance and drive in, Sultan’s Run is a scenic stroll through woods and around water. Sultan’s Run creator is Pete Dye disciple Tim Liddy. His layout utilizes the heat and drought-resistant zoysia fairways we played at the Pfau Course.
Liddy did a masterclass in using the land to its full potential. Elevation changes galore dot the holes, making club selection crucial. Bunkers naturally grace the fairways and greensides. Water comes into play on numerous holes yet isn’t overwhelming. This is perhaps most exemplified on the signature 18th hole. Dubbed Supreme Sultan, this four-par is a slight dogleg right. You must carry wetland off the tee to a tree-lined fairway. Once you succeed off the tee, the real fun comes with the approach. The green is backed by side-to-side water with a stunning waterfall feature. Beyond the waterfall is the clubhouse and banquet center, providing a TOUR-worthy feel finish for the recreational golfer.
Speaking of Supreme Sultan, the land was formerly home to Supreme Sultan, a legendary horse that sired a record number of World Champion American Saddlebred horses on the property. Hence the name of the course, with tee boxes engraved with unique stone marks, memorializing the name of one of these World Champions.
The Donald Ross Course at French Lick
Some things age well: fine wine, George Clooney, The Donald Ross Course at French Lick. Built in 1917, this Ross gem hosted the PGA Championship won by Walter Hagen in 1924. After a major restoration in 2005, the course remains championship worthy to this day, hosting the Epson Tour and the Big Ten as well.
Stepping onto the property gives you a sense of nostalgia. It provides the canvas to romanticize the game back when it was played with hickories and rubber core golf balls. The clubhouse is small, but with a grand porch and rockers overlooking this masterpiece. Inside is filled with historical artifacts.
Stepping onto the first tee, you quickly realize that while the course may be more than 100 years old, it still has a bite for the modern-day player. Classic designs like this stand up over time to the evolving nature of the golfer and athlete, as well as equipment technology.
Few trees line the holes. It’s much more open than other Ross courses I’ve played. The trouble instead lurks around the greens. Roughly 80 deep, gnarly faced bunkers protect the greens in key places. But the sharpest test comes when you have the flatstick in hand. If you’ve played a Ross course, you know to stay below the hole due to the severe back-to-front slope he so favored. If you’re above the hole, best of luck to you. But don’t think you can just run it up links style. Many of these greens are slightly elevated, turning away short shots. In addition, there are several square and rectangular shaped greens at the Ross Course.
To play this course is a time-capsule experience. It’s everything a classic course should be. It’s no wonder the course has been rated the No. 2 public course in Indiana by GolfWeek each year since 2011.
The Pete Dye Course at French Lick
As a young boy, I dreamt of becoming a golf course architect. I would draw and color detailed routings onto an artist’s pad. What I could not envision – then or now – is sketching an entire 18-hole routing on a napkin. Let alone one that would become nationally acclaimed, ranking as the top public course in the state by GolfWeek, and hosting a Champions TOUR PGA Championship and the ongoing Senior LPGA Championship. But that’s exactly what Hoosier native and Hall of Fame architect Pete Dye did in French Lick.
The story goes, when Dye first walked the property, he concluded there was no way to build a course there – the slopes were too severe and terrain too rugged. He clearly changed his mind, and the result is a championship course that sits on one of Indiana’s highest elevation points. From a few points, I swear I could see The Mitten State, although the reality is they are 40-mile panoramic views of the southern Indiana countryside.
Dye gets – rightfully – attention for his courses like TPC Sawgrass, Harbour Town, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, and the Straits Course at Whistling Straits, but The Pete Dye Course should get just as much. The course may be the most visually stunning inland course I’ve played. It’s intimidating off the tee with landing areas that look tiny next to hazards. But in truth, this is mostly the mind-trick Dye is famous for. It’s much more open and forgiving than it initially looks.
His famous “volcano” bunkers don’t have to come into play. However, you must navigate a lot of bunkers overall and constant elevation changes. Being at such a high elevation, wind is almost certain to be a factor. With a routing that changes direction every few holes, the wind will be coming from all four ways at some point during your round.
Upon conclusion of a round I would sum up as simply saying fun, we were each gifted a bottle of bourbon with the course logo etched in the back. A great 19th hole experience.
Final Thoughts
World renowned architects. Compelling golf course designs. Challenging, yet fun. Visually stunning. Affordable. You can get all this just south of our Michigan border. This is a journey I highly recommend – with buddies, a spouse, or any other golf enthusiast. Just don’t ask me which of these courses is my favorite. That would be like asking who my favorite child is (if I had more than one)!
