Golf Guide: French Lick - IN

To a certain segment of American society, the town of French Lick, Indiana will forever be known as the home to legendary basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird. But contemporary visitors to this town in southern Indiana need not be fans of the Hick from French Lick to appreciate the charms of the region, particularly if travelers favor the charms of fairways and greens.

Although numerous courses in the area make the French Lick area a golf destination unto itself, the endeavor that elevated the region in the minds of golf cognoscenti is French Lick Resort. Overlooking the Hoosier National Forest, this stunning 3,000-acre resort is the product of a $500 million investment, one that not only restored the property to the prominence it enjoyed in the early 20th century but also dramatically updated it and improved it.

Some people might wonder how an organization goes about improving on a Donald Ross course (or whether it should dare to do so). The answer is by restoring the course to Ross' original design, then having Indiana native Pete Dye build a monster of a new course on a hilltop nearby. Dye's course has quickly earned a reputation for delivering plenty of bite to go along with its bark. French Lick Resort is not the only property in the world to feature courses by these two Hall of Fame architects. And the resort's two world-class hotels are worth touring, even if guests find French Lick Resort too pricey for their budgets. But if it's good enough for Larry Legend