French Lick Casino Golf Course
- French Lick Casino Golf Course Scorecard
- See Full List On Golfweek.usatoday.com
- French Lick Casino Golf Courses
Response from FLResort, Guest Relations Manager at The Donald Ross Course at French Lick Responded Oct 29, 2020 Good day jetfan2017 - Thank you for your kind review and rating. Hotels near French Lick Casino; Hotels near Big Splash Adventure Indoor Waterpark & Resort; Hotels near French Lick West Baden Museum; Hotels near Bear Hollow Wood Carvers; Hotels near Stables At French Lick; Near Airports. Hotels near (SDF) Standiford Field; All things to do in French Lick; Outdoor Activities in French Lick. Golf Courses in. Response from FLResort, Guest Relations Manager at The Donald Ross Course at French Lick Responded Oct 29, 2020 Good day jetfan2017 - Thank you for your kind review and rating.
Welcome to Golfweek’s Best Casino Courses in the United States, first published in the November/December print issue of Golfweek.
The top 10 on this list held steady since 2018, but there was plenty of movement in the rest of the rankings as 33 courses changed position, including three that moved onto the list.
Kalispel Golf and Country Club in Spokane, Washington, formerly Spokane Country Club, jumped onto the list at No. 30. The Champions course at Thornberry Creek in Oneida, Wisconsin, also moved into the top 50 at No. 40, and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone, Maryland, made it onto the list at No. 44.
Worth noting, the names of the courses at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz., have changed. The North course is now the O’odham course (No. 34), and the South course was renamed Piipaash (No. 46). Also, Sevillano Links in Corning, Calif., was renamed The Links at Rolling Hills (No. 42).
The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region.
We hope you enjoy poring over these rankings, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on this list. Each course is listed with its 2020 ranking, its location, architect(s), the year it opened and an average ranking from all the Golfweek Raters who reviewed it.
Golfweek’s Best: Top 50 Casino Courses
| Rank | Course | Location | Designer(s) | Year Opened | Avg. Rating |
| 1 | Shadow Creek | North Las Vegas, Nev. | Tom Fazio | 1990 | 8.09 |
| 2 | Fallen Oak | Saucier, Miss. | Tom Fazio | 2006 | 7.25 |
| 3 | The Greenbrier (Old White TPC) | White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. | Charles Blair Macdonald, Seth Raynor, Lester George | 1914 | 6.86 |
| 4 | French Lick (Pete Dye Course) | French Lick, Ind. | Pete Dye | 2009 | 6.75 |
| 5 | We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro) | Fort McDowell, Ariz. | Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw | 2006 | 6.67 |
| 6 | Salish Cliffs | Shelton, Wash. | Gene Bates | 2011 | 6.55 |
| 7 | Wilderness at Fortune Bay | Tower, Minn. | Jeff Brauer | 2004 | 6.54 |
| 8 | Barona Creek | Lakeside, Calif. | Gary Roger Baird, Todd Eckenrode | 2001 | 6.50 |
| 9 | Nemacolin Woodlands (Mystic Rock) | Farmington, Pa. | Pete Dye | 1995 | 6.44 |
| 10 | Spirit Hollow | Burlington, Iowa | Rick Jacobson | 2000 | 6.41 |
| 11 | The Preserve GC | Vancleave, Miss. | Jerry Pate | 2006 | 6.34 |
| 12 | Turning Stone Resort (Atunyote) | Verona, N.Y. | Tom Fazio | 2004 | 6.21 |
| 13 | French Lick (Donald Ross Course) | French Lick, Ind. | Donald Ross | 1917 | 6.19 |
| 14 | Ak-Chin Southern Dunes | Maricopa, Ariz. | Brian Curley, Lee Schmidt | 2002 | 6.17 |
| 15 | Edgewood Tahoe GC | Stateline, Nev. | George Fazio | 1968 | 6.17 |
| 16 | We-Ko-Pa (Cholla) | Fort McDowell, Ariz. | Scott Miller | 2001 | 6.15 |
| 17 | Firekeeper | Mayetta, Kan. | Jeff Brauer, Notah Begay III | 2011 | 6.13 |
| 18 | Meadows at Mystic Lake | Prior Lake, Minn. | Garrett Gill, Paul Miller | 2005 | 6.12 |
| 19 | Yocha Dehe at Cache Creek Casino | Brooks, Calif. | Brad Bell | 2008 | 6.10 |
| 20 | Sweetgrass GC | Harris, Mich. | Paul Albanese | 2008 | 6.07 |
| 21 | Circling Raven | Worley, Idaho | Gene Bates | 2003 | 6.05 |
| 22 | Sandia Golf Club | Albuquerque, N.M. | Scott Miller | 2005 | 5.95 |
| 23 | Tatanka GC | Niobrara, Neb. | Paul Albanese | 2015 | 5.94 |
| 24 | Lake of Isles (North) | North Stonington, Conn. | Rees Jones | 2005 | 5.93 |
| 25 | The Greenbrier (Greenbrier) | White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. | Seth Raynor, George O’Neil, Jack Nicklaus | 1924 | 5.92 |
| 26 | Sewailo GC | Tucson, Ariz. | Notah Begay III, Ty Butler | 2013 | 5.89 |
| 27 | Belterra GC | Florence, Ind. | Tom Fazio | 2001 | 5.82 |
| 28 | Journey at Pechanga | Temecula, Calif. | Steve Forrest, Arthur Hills | 2008 | 5.81 |
| 29 | Turning Stone (Shenendoah) | Verona, N.Y. | Rick Smith | 2000 | 5.81 |
| 30 | Kalispel G&CC | Spokane, Wash. | Jim Barnes | 1910 | 5.79 |
| 31 | Seneca Hickory Stick Golf | Lewiston, N.Y. | Robert Trent Jones Jr. | 2010 | 5.78 |
| 32 | Riverside (Blue Top Ridge) | Riverside, Iowa | Rees Jones | 2007 | 5.78 |
| 33 | Dancing Rabbit GC (Azaleas) | Philadelphia, Miss. | Tom Fazio, Jerry Pate | 1997 | 5.75 |
| 34 | Talking Stick (O’odham, formerly North) | Scottsdale, Ariz. | Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw | 1998 | 5.73 |
| 35 | Dancing Rabbit GC (Oaks) | Philadelphia, Miss. | Tom Fazio, Jerry Pate | 1999 | 5.72 |
| 36 | Apache Stronghold | San Carlos, Ariz. | Tom Doak | 1999 | 5.71 |
| 37 | Eagle Falls | Indio, Calif. | Clive Clark | 2008 | 5.70 |
| 38 | Turning Stone (Kaluhyat) | Verona, N.Y. | Robert Trent Jones Jr. | 2003 | 5.70 |
| 39 | Sequoyah National GC | Whittier, N.C. | Robert Trent Jones Jr., Notah Begay III | 2009 | 5.65 |
| 40 | Thornberry Creek at Oneida (Champions) | Oneida, Wis. | Rick Jacobson | 2004 | 5.63 |
| 41 | Inn of the Mountain Gods | Mescalero, N.M. | Ted Robinson | 1976 | 5.59 |
| 42 | The Links at Rolling Hills | Corning, Calif. | Mike Stark | 2007 | 5.53 |
| 43 | Shell Landing GC | Gautier, Miss. | Davis Love III | 2002 | 5.50 |
| 44 | Rocky Gap Casino Resort | Flintstone, Md. | Jack Nicklaus | 1998 | 5.50 |
| 45 | Whirlwind GC (Cattail) | Chandler, Ariz. | Gary Panks | 2002 | 5.48 |
| 46 | Talking Stick (Piipaash, formerly South) | Scottsdale, Ariz. | Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw | 1998 | 5.44 |
| 47 | Whirlwind GC (Devil’s Claw) | Chandler, Ariz. | Gary Panks | 2000 | 5.42 |
| 48 | Mohegan Sun GC | Baltic, Conn. | Geoffrey Cornish, Robert McNeil | 1960 | 5.30 |
| 49 | Cherokee Hills | Tulsa, Okla. | Tripp Davis, Perry Maxwell | 1924 | 5.16 |
| 50 | Windance CC | Gulfport, Miss. | Mark McCumber | 1986 | 5.13 |
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
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
French Lick Casino Golf Course Scorecard
The Donald Ross course was restored to the architects’ original vision in 2007 with a five-million-dollar makeover. It features all
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!
See Full List On Golfweek.usatoday.com
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.
French Lick Casino Golf Courses
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]