FRENCH LICK, Indiana — French Lick Resort’s newest golf course is ready to get swinging this week.
The Sand Creek Course at French Lick Resort opened on May 1, providing guests a completely new way to enjoy the game. Sand Creek is a short course featuring nine holes ranging between 40 and 90 yards, and golfers can expect to complete a round in approximately 75 minutes.
Four clubs with a bag and three golf balls will be provided with the greens fee, and guests may use their own clubs if they wish.
Located adjacent to the Valley Links course and driving range, Sand Creek Course takes its name from the stream that winds through it. This brings French Lick Resort to a total of 54 holes of golf resort-wide, complementing the 18-hole championship Pete Dye and Donald Ross courses and the 9-hole Valley Links.
The Sand Creek Course will be open year-round (weather permitting) and more special touches are in the works. A food truck will be on site to keep guests fueled up all day. Eventually, the course will be lit for play after dark, piped-in music will play on the course, and there will be designated family-friendly hours.
The beauty of Sand Creek is it’s friendly for everyone, from the serious golfer to those wanting to try golf for the first time.
“It will be a straight-forward design that will be friendly for even the beginner, and above all, a fun venue for everyone,” said Dave Harner, French Lick Resort’s Director of Golf. “It adds to our already world-class experience in providing an alternative to the championship courses, with still a bit of challenge.
“Beginners, families, corporate groups, whether they all play golf or not, they’ll be able to play this course. It’s a lot of fun, and I think when people get out there and play, they’ll get hooked on the game.”
Russ Apple, the head superintendent at French Lick’s Pete Dye Course, has spearheaded the construction and the resort’s entire golf team assisted in designing the new Sand Creek layout, which borrows features from the resort’s two championship courses.
“It’s going to have a few miniature versions of the Dye volcano bunkers, and some of the Ross greens contours. The rock formation that we use around the lakes at Dye we’re using around the water retention area here,” Harner said. “You’ll see a few things that are common to both golf courses.”
French Lick Resort has logged record numbers of rounds at Pete Dye, Donald Ross and Valley Links the last few years, and as Resort CEO Chuck Franz explains, the addition of a short course feeds a current demand while also reviving a piece of French Lick’s past. A short course existed at the resort in the early 1900s and now, decades later, what’s old is new again.
“We’re always wanting to play into our history with different attractions and projects across property. With the increased interest and demand for golf here at the resort, we looked at ways to integrate another 9 holes and advance to 54 holes of golf resort-wide,” Franz said. “The more people you can get on course enjoying golf here at French Lick, that’s a great thing.”
