Congrats to French Lick Resort, which will host the Big Ten men’s and women’s golf championships beginning in 2012 for three years.
If you’re not familiar with golf at French Lick, this is another reminder that it’s a great place to tee it up. Golfweek Magazine recently ranked the Dye course No. 1 and the Ross course No. 2 among the “Best Courses You Can Play” rankings in the state of Indiana.
The historic Donald Ross course, which was restored to its original early 20th century design in 2006, is fun and whimsical, a nice departure from modern trickery, but not without peril.
The Pete Dye course, which earned Golf Digest’s designaton as America’s Best New Public Course when it opened in 2009 by Golf Digest, is challenging enough to be a PGA tour stop. It has a fine combination of majestic vistas and narrow fairways spread over rolling hilltop terrain. For a more detailed look, check out my review elsewhere on theaposition.com/herbgould.
Both courses are familiar ground for championship play. Walter Hagen won the 1924 PGA on the Ross course, which also was the site of the LPGA Championship in 1959 and 1960. And last summer, Illinois men’s golf coach Mike Small won the PGA’s Professional National Championship.
This will be the first time the Big Ten will hold its men’s and women’s tournaments at the same time and on a neutral site.
