French Lick Resort 2016
We are introduced to Pete Dye. He unleashes his fury in the form of weather that would have destroyed weaker groups of golfers and relegated them to drinking the day away. We still managed to do both.
Pete Dye Course
Travel: A boring, pain-in-the-ass, long drive, but at least it was driveable for us. For reference, the resort is about 2.5 hours from Indianapolis, and 1.25 hours from Louisville.
Lodging: French Lick Springs Hotel ($211). A big, historic building with nice but small rooms as you’d generally expect from an older hotel. But maybe it just felt small cramming three of us in one room. Saved money though.
Dining: We had dinner and beers at the Power Plant, the more casual option in the hotel. It served its purpose just fine.
Top 100 Public ranking: #17 Golf Digest (2019), no objections.
Beer Strokes rating:
Donald Ross Course
Travel: Right down the road from the main hotel and Dye course.
Lodging: The main hotels were both full for our second night, yet the folks at the resort were kind enough to still honor the unlimited golf package at both courses even though we moved offsite to the Best Western French Lick ($150)
Dining: We couldn’t leave French Lick without visiting Larry Bird’s restaurant 33 Brick Street. It was fine!
Highlights: This day saw the birth of Rule #4, the Shit Ball. This rule has become a classic and its frequency of implementation is probably second only to the Beer Strokes rule (obviously). Honestly this is what I remember most about this round. The course was rather forgettable, and this could easily have been due to us underappreciating classic golf architecture.
Lowlights: The fact that nothing really stands out in my memory about this course aside from instituting a new rule despite playing 36 holes there says it all.
Top 100 ranking: I think this was #99 or something when we played it, and at the time we all agreed it had no place in the top 100. It has lost its standing appropriately since then.
Results
Cost Breakdown
Travel: Gas $$
Lodging: $211 at French Lick Springs Hotel for night one, $150 for the Best Western night two, divided among the three of us.
Golf: We did the unlimited golf package, which was a great deal. $350 for 36 holes at the Dye course, plus $30+tip per person per round for forecaddie. $120 for 36 holes with cart at the Ross course.
Total: $650 per person. A really affordable option for a Spring Friday-Sunday mini-trip.