French Lick Resort - The Donald Ross Course

WOW...had not played here since redoing the course years back....an outstanding course, but doubt I go back. This course is WAY above my skill set!! This course will definitely test your shot making skills and is very hilly, crazy for Indiana! Truly impressive.....

Had researched French Lick for 5 years and finally committed. Boy am I glad I committed! Awesome layout. Do need to play it a 2nd time if you don't have a caddie. Immaculate conditions. Have already told a bunch of my golfing buddies to come here.

This course is not for the faint of heart. The course appears short from a scorecard perspective, I would say it plays 400-500 yards longer on average, if you are into the wind, good luck. The greens are some of the wildest greens I have ever played. If they mowed the collars down and really had the greens rolling higher than 10, lots of balls would be back in the fairways. These are probably the longest par 3's I have ever played, making it a par 70 adds to the difficulty. I just love classic Donald Ross designs and it is hard finding affordable and kept Ross courses in America that are public. I wish they brought the spring rates back and the food at the restaurant is good. Can't wait to be back. The last 2 times I played here we did 36 with a stop at IU's course. I do not recommend that 36 combo in a day

Terrific Ross course that held 1924 pga championship. If you like hilly courses and some wild greens this one is for you.

Staff was relatively friendly. Lack of a driving range probably adds to the pace of play issue. There is a net, though, at the bottom of the parking lot. But nobody used it apparently and there are penal rough areas with thigh high grass which means a lot of time spent hunting for balls. On a cart-path only day like Saturday it all led to a 5+ hour round. This isn’t my cup of tea. Gave up after 15.

Excuse my blasphemy, but the design didn’t wow me. I got the feeling they crammed a few holes in here beyond what the property should house. Lots of adjacent fairways bounded by that ridiculous rough.

I’d only play this on a dry day and/or if I’m first off.

Due to the price point and the resort, this place will continue to be busy. My group would’ve preferred to use the delightful practice area at Valley Links.

Was told that the food here is great.

A very classic golf course in the heart of Indiana. Greens are insane with the undulation. Unfortunately/fortunately the greens were aerated two days before we played so it probably saved a few three and four putts but would like to play it again when they are rolling better. We played it at 6700-6800 yards but it plays 300-400 yards further. The par threes are tough... One was playing around 240 into the wind. Can't remember the last time I had to hit driver on a par three. Has a very classic old timey feel to it. 9 is a quirky hole where the entrance to the course crosses the fairway. My partner and I both shot in the 70s under our handicaps so it was a good day. Dinner at the Hagan restaurant in the clubhouse was also great. Known for their ribs. Only complaints would be slow pace of play, greens being aerated, and no driving range on the property. Definitely a must play!

I recently returned from a French Lick golf weekend. I’m sad to report that the Ross Course has gone down hill under the leadership of head PGA pro Rob Koontz. What used to be a first class golf course and experience is now a 5 hour round with deteriorating course conditions and a rude management team.

I suspect there are players who visit the French Lick Resort and have to choose between playing either the Dye course or the Ross course. And I suspect many of these players select the Ross because of two factors: first, Pete Dye’s reputation for building hard golf courses scares the faint of heart, with his proliferation of bunkers and other hazards. And secondly, because of the price tag. The Ross comes in more than $200 less expensive than the Dye.

Little do these folks know they are about to get punched in the face. Dye may have been diabolical. Ross is an absolute savage.

At first blush, the course looks serene. It is a par 70. The cross bunkers aren’t intimidating. And the greens are of ample size. But, about those greens…

Ross confounds players with these complexes. It is a hackneyed phrase when describing Golden Age courses, but pronounced slope from back to front makes leaving approach shots below the hole of paramount importance. Sometimes even being short of the green is better than being on the floor in the wrong spot. That said, many holes feature shaved banks that will allow underclubbed irons to roll well back down into the fairway. The course demands imagination and creativity. Additionally, subtle slope around the cups seem to repel putts in every direction. Frustration can really mount if you come here planning to shoot a number.

The Ross course plays 3-4 shots harder than the Dye and you should anticipate playing an additional 300 yards from what the scorecard says.

I cannot recall ever playing a tougher collection of par 3s. They are meant to be difficult. Embrace the challenge. Two played well over 210 yards uphill, and today they were into the fan. You should add an additional 10-20 yards for all of the par 3s except No. 16, which was merely a wedge but a back left pin funneled approaches back to the front of the green.

And speaking of funneling, I would pay good money if somehow a Tour event could be reprised here. Though the 1924 PGA Championship was staged here, it just doesn’t have the pedigree for a modern golf tournament, but I would relish the opportunity to witness Tour pros cry about how “unfair” the eighth green is. While milling around before teeing off I heard several older gentlemen bantering with each other about how many times they have 4-putted the eighth green over the years. After playing it, now I understand. The pin today was back left and cut merely three paces off the fringe. The green is 32 yards deep. Approaches worked their way back to the front of the green, setting up 85- to 90-foot putts up the menacing incline. Four-putts are the norm and I have no doubt there are plenty of 10s carded there.

Having said all that, I loved it. French Lick benefits greatly from having two polar opposite courses, from an architectural and strategic standpoint. You will do yourself a disservice if you play just one and not the other.

from what I saw the course is great, a perfect hilly Donald Ross, it is a little shaggier and less maintained than the Pete Dye Course up the hill but it is a lot of fun and an outstanding value especially after playing Pete Dye

Short review: Play it and play it in season. You want the greens pure and fast so you can really enjoy the Donald Ross slopes. I can't recommend this course enough, it's the most pure JOY I've had in a long time on a course.

Full Review:

Truthfully, I had never heard of this course. When I thought of French Lick, I thought of Larry Bird and Pete Dye. So when I happened to be in Louisville with a chance to swing over, I was sure I'd be playing the PD course. However, my playing partner balked at the $350 price tag and I've always wanted to play a Ross course, so we made the decision to play the Donald Ross course. It was a great decision.

No range, so don't expect to warm up. (I'm not a big warm up guy, so didn't matter to me.) Clubhouse is nice and employees were all great. But we're here to golf.

First tee is right next to practice green. It's an awesome sight. I don't remember exactly, but I believe you can see 6 or 7 holes from this spot. We took a few minutes and took it all in, excited as heck.

Basically, EVERY hole is fun. Because the greens are so contoured and the bunkers and mounding is so good, even short holes presented great challenges. There are holes where above the hole = bogey or worse. There are holes where you can play past the hole 30 feet and roll it back. There are holes where if you miss short, you are rolling back 30 yards. The green compounds are definitely the highlight, but the course design is fun as well.

The Par 3's are honestly a bit crazy. 3 of them are 200-240 yards from the normal men's tees. That's very difficult given the green severity, but they are all gorgeous.

I left fully believing that if this was an ultra exclusive private course, it would be top 100 in the nation, no problem. Maybe top 50. It's that good.

That said, play it in good shape, I wouldn't play here early or late season or around an aeration. Why? The greens are so important that bumpy or shaggy greens would be heartbreaking.

This course has my highest recommend. If I had to give it a slogan...it's simple. The Joy of Golf.

First time player here. Good golf course and we enjoyed our round although I thought a couple greens were tricked up a little too much for my tastes. The golf course was a challenge, conditions weren't great but good enough that we had a good time, the views were pretty awesome. I was a little surprised by the young clerk in the pro shop who had terrible customer service skills and even though he wasn't busy seemed to have better things to do than answer my questions. Overall a good course but I enjoyed Sultan's Run better than this course and the customer service was second to none!

Play the Ross Course at French Lick! The green complexes are probably as much fun as any I've ever played. Be prepared for lots of elevation change. I wouldn't want to walk it. (Really peppy golf carts get you around quite nicely.) I loved the golf course. You should play it any time you're at French Lick Resort. One more thing... I saw a review in which someone complained about the greens. There's nothing to complaiin about now. They aren't easy to play, but they're smooth, fast and true.

Designed so many years ago by a golf legend but it stands the test of time. As up-to-date as the Dye course but you can sense the classic design elements of bunkering and green sloping. What you don't find is a course that has lost its ability to challenge and test the golfer. Length isn't the only way to make a course. More designers need to follow some of the classic elements you'll find here.

The French Lick courses have a strong reputation. This course could not have missed the lofty expectations any more than it did. It looks nice from the clubhouse, but when you get on the course you'll find conditions that are not worthy of the lofty price tag. Many of the fairways/rough and even a couple greens have large dead//mud patches, and it's not just from where water would lay. It screams of poor maintenance. For the price they charge, and the amount of play they get it's nothing short of a complete joke to maintain it like that.

Then there is the pace of play. Sure, it was a Saturday afternoon, but we were 2-3 groups deep on the last 10-12 tees. Made for a 5-hour death march. While the cart girl came around for them to make more money with $7 beers, there was never a ranger to do anything about the pace of play. The layout of the course allowed us to see who was holding things up, and nothing was ever done about it. At a resort course like this, that is inexcusable.

The course itself is what you'd expect from Ross, with domed/sloped greens that were almost carnival-like if you miss in the wrong spot. Lots of rolling hills and elevation change, and very long par 3's. Very thick rough awaited if you sprayed your shots as well. So it has some interesting potential. But right now, in this shape and with this management there are far better places/resorts to go to (such as Chariot Run).

Another great course at French Lick Resort! This Donald Ross course is the perfect compliment to the Pete Dye course. Another firm test of golf with undulating greens. Make sure you miss in the right spots or else you are going to be in for a long day, like me... The course was in great shape and the staff could not have been better. We had lunch and dinner at the clubhouse on different days and both meals were great. So much history on this course as they recently reached their centennial anniversary. Highly recommend playing this course! If you put the ball in the right position, there are birdies to be had. I left plenty out there!

The Donald Ross course at French Lick resort has been one of my favorites in in recent and distant memory. We were fortunate to play the course as part of the Golf Advisor Getaway to French Lick Resort.

The layout is classic Ross and is in fantastic condition. Having lived in Florida for a while now, this design reminded me of some of my favorite New England tracks.

There is plenty of width off the tee, but there are some occasions where the blind shots appeared to result in a fairway hit, but only to reveal you’re on the wrong side of the rough line. This is absolutely fine in my book, precision is rewarded in many cases with an extra 25-30 yds of roll into position ‘A’. The greens were huge and were slow in the early morning (compared to the Dye), but as the some dried the dew, they started rolling at the intended pace.

This is a Par 70 and only has two Par 5s, which a very demanding. The Par 3s are super tough, 3/4 were in the 175-205 range from the white tees, a true test. The 4s were a great assortment of long and short with many elevated tee shots and more elevated greens.

This was not only a course I enjoyed playing once, but am positive this is a course would continue to reveal its nuance the more and more you play it. In fact, if it wasn’t so far from my home, I’d be in line for a membership.

Fun holes, great variety. Biggest thing is knowing which side of fairway you can afford to miss on. One side will be lost ball in tall weeds, other side is playable. Different every hole.

Also par 3s are too long, I moved up 1-2 boxes on par 3s and they were much more playable. Par 3 greens are not built for 200-230 shots.

Must play if you are a Ross fan. Staff is fantastic

This is the 26th Ross designed course that I have played, and it is one of the very best. The course was in great condition. The first 3 par 3 holes are tough - playing one to two clubs more than the distance. Run up alleys were cut tight and a short shot may roll back quite a bit. This course is 100 years old and still kicking butt. Don't miss a chance to play it.

Played 36 (thought about 54, but the heat was a little much after 36) in about 6-7 hours. Swallow your pride and play from the right tees. Played from the bronze and it was testing. Very few even lies, tons of elevation changes in the greens (you hit the wrong side and it's a two putt at best), and semi-blind shots abound here. But this is an old school golf course which I couldn't say enough great things about. Only a couple forced carries, but most of the fairways have a hill in them which you need to clear in order to have a <200 yard approach into. The par 3s are tough. 3 of the 4 are 210-230. And from the tips, depending on where the flag is on one of them, you might be hitting it 240. The 670 par 5 on the back is fun, too.. For $120 with free replays, this is a great way to spend a day. If you've got the extra cash, I'd get a forecaddie as having one would have helped a lot on a few shots the first time round. Facilities are great, the guys who were there could not have been nicer-- if you're around her,e go play it.