French Lick / Indiana

The take

French Lick is where Golden Age resort golf and modern maximalism shake hands across a trolley line. The Donald Ross Course began as the Hill Course in 1917, later restored under the Cook Group era, and still plays like a proper second-shot Ross test: generous enough off the tee, mean enough into the greens, and full of the uneven lies that make you question why you ever called yourself a ball-striker. The Pete Dye Course, opened in 2009, is the counterpunch: a hilltop concept course with massive views, volcano bunkers, pinched landing zones, and a back-tee rating that tells you immediately this is not a casual resort romp.

The destination works because the contrast is real. Ross gives the trip history, rhythm, and architectural credibility. Dye gives it scale, drama, and a headline round that can make a competent golfer feel like he accidentally entered sectional qualifying. Valley Links and Sand Creek are useful timing tools, not reasons to go.

Read the full take

This is not Pinehurst depth or Bandon purity. It is a compact, self-contained resort-golf pocket: two serious courses, two historic hotels, a modern casino-side tower, group cottages, shuttles, enough dining, and very little reason to leave once the group arrives. The right trip accepts that. The wrong trip tries to turn French Lick into a big-city nightlife weekend. It is not interested.

Best version

Stay on property for two or three nights. Play Ross first, then Dye when the group is fresh and emotionally stable. Use Valley Links or Sand Creek only for arrival/departure pacing, and decide early whether the trip is a West Baden splurge, French Lick Springs buddy trip, or RidgeView cottage group setup.

Skip if

Groups that need big-city nightlife
Value-only players who will resent the Dye rate
Golfers who want a deep roster of elite courses
Casual players who dislike difficult, elevated championship golf

Insider notes

Stay on property for two or three nights.
Play Ross first, then Dye when the group is fresh and emotionally stable.
Use Valley Links or Sand Creek only for arrival/departure pacing, and decide early whether the trip is a West Baden splurge, French Lick Springs buddy trip, or RidgeView cottage group setup.

The courses

4 core rounds. Scan first, then click into the course detail when you want the full read.

Full destination course detailsExpand this section for the deeper course reads, then click again to hide it.Expand

#18GD Public

4.9(233)

8670 West, IN-56, French Lick, IN 47432, USA

(812) 936-5558

Strong play

Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort

Designer: Pete Dye
Year: 2009
Par: 72
Yardage: 8,102
Difficulty: Very high
Green fees: 2026 published rate: $450 Sunday-Thursday / $500 Friday-Saturday, plus required $50 forecaddie fee per person and gratuity. Same-day replay is published at $200, subject to availability.

The Pete Dye Course is the intimidation act. Dye sketched the original concept on a napkin, then built a mountaintop golf course that feels partly like architecture and partly like a dare. From the tips, resort materials list it at 8,102 yards with an 80.0 rating and 148 slope. Translation: do not let the loudest 12-handicap in the group choose the tees. The course is visually spectacular and strategically severe. Long hitters see landing zones pinch. Shorter hitters see forced decisions. Everyone sees enough bunkers, edges, and exposed approaches to understand that this is not a comfort round.

Strengths

Huge views
Major scale
Pete Dye identity
Extreme difficulty
Real destination credibility

Weaknesses

Expensive
Demanding
Exposed
Manufactured in places
Not the best fit for weak or casual groups

Build around it, but do not make the entire trip about it.

0/5

Signature holes: 6, 8, 16, 18

4.6(233)

11160 IN-56, French Lick, IN 47432, USA

(812) 936-9300

Strong play

Donald Ross Course at French Lick

Designer: Donald Ross / restored under Lee Schmidt and Donald Ross Society guidance
Year: 1917
Par: 70
Yardage: 7,030
Difficulty: Moderate-high
Green fees: 2026 published in-season rate: $175; shoulder rates: $100 opening-April 15 and $125 October 26-closing. Replay/twilight published at $100 subject to availability.

The Ross course is the round many groups enjoy more. The fairways are not trying to embarrass you, but the approaches are a different conversation: sidehill lies, uphill lies, downhill lies, elevated greens, deep-faced bunkers, and enough contour to make flat putting surfaces feel like a rumor. It is the older, smarter, more playable half of the trip. If Dye is the headline, Ross is the reason French Lick has balance.

Strengths

Historic architecture
Better rhythm than Dye
Strong greens
Uneven-lie approach shots
Essential contrast

Weaknesses

Less dramatic visually
No driving range on site
Can still bite around greens

Do not treat this as the warm-up. It is essential.

0/5

Signature holes: 2, 8, 13, 18

Strong play

Valley Links Course

Designer: Tom Bendelow / resort conversion
Year: 1907 original routing; current nine-hole conversion
Par: 36
Yardage: 3,450
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Green fees: 2026 published in-season rate: $50 for 9 holes / $75 for 18; shoulder-season rate: $25 / $40. Cart included.

Valley Links is useful. That is the right word. It keeps the trip moving when arrival times are messy or the group needs a lighter hit.

Strengths

Easy logistics
Useful timing tool
Walkable character
Lower cost

Weaknesses

Not a headline
Limited architecture pull
Not a substitute for Dye/Ross

Use it when it makes the schedule smarter.

0/5

Signature holes: 4, 7, 9

3.5(21)

3801 Ashe Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93309, USA

(661) 833-8851

Strong play

Sand Creek

Designer: French Lick Resort short-course addition
Year: 2024
Par: Short course
Yardage: Nine-hole short course
Difficulty: Low
Green fees: 2026 published rate: $50 for 9 holes; $30 for children 18 and younger. Includes four clubs with bag, three balls, and tees.

Sand Creek gives French Lick a better modern short-course valve. Good. Use it as a group warm-up, not a reason to add a night.

Strengths

Easy
Fast
Inclusive
Low-pressure

Weaknesses

Not a championship round
New product
Limited serious-golf value

A nice add-on, not the main event.

0/5

Signature holes: 3, 6, 9

Full course library

Where to stay, eat, and stray

Lodging

Where to stay

French Lick Springs Hotel

This is the default for most golf groups. It is practical, social, and close to the casino. Your loud foursome probably belongs here more than under the West Baden dome pretending to be tasteful.

West Baden Springs Hotel

West Baden is the special hotel. It is also not always the best golf-group hotel. Pick it when the lodging matters as much as the tee sheet.

Valley Tower Hotel

Valley Tower is the modern efficiency play. If the group cares more about room function and casino proximity than grand-hotel mythology, it makes sense.

Dining

Where groups actually eat

1875: The Steakhouse

This is the obvious big dinner. Book it early and do not overthink the culinary meaning of a steakhouse on a golf trip.

Sinclair's Restaurant

Sinclair's is the better fit when the trip includes spouses, clients, or people who packed something nicer than golf polos.

Table One

Table One is not for every trip. For a premium client group or milestone trip, it is the cleanest way to make dinner feel like an actual event rather than another steakhouse receipt.

Things to do

Beyond the golf

Casino

The obvious non-golf valve. Useful, easy, and potentially expensive if your group mistakes confidence for probability.

West Baden dome

Worth seeing even if you are staying at French Lick Springs. It is the architectural flex of the property.

Spa / pools / resort downtime

Useful for couples, mixed groups, or anyone who needs recovery after the Dye course.

Planning mechanics

Logistics

Flights, driving, walking

Flights

Louisville (SDF): usually the cleanest commercial airport, roughly 75-90 minutes. Indianapolis (IND): viable, roughly 2 to 2.5 hours. Evansville (EVV): possible depending on routing. French Lick Municipal Airport (KFRH): private aviation option roughly 3 miles from the resort.

Ground transportation

Rent cars or arrange resort transport from commercial airports. Once on property, the resort shuttle and rail trolley make the stay easy, but arrival/departure still need planning.

Walking

Carts are mandatory for Dye and Ross unless arranged in advance. Forecaddies are mandatory at the Pete Dye Course at a published $50 per person plus gratuity; Ross forecaddies are available by request. Do not show up assuming this is a walking-first trip.

Weather

When the trip works best

Best window

May through October.

Spring

Good temperatures, some rain volatility.

Summer

Playable but humid.

Planning ranges

Cost and value levers

Pete Dye Course

$450-$500 in 2026 plus required forecaddie fee/gratuity - The expensive anchor.

Donald Ross Course

$100-$175 in 2026 depending season - Better everyday value and essential contrast.

Valley Links

$25-$75 in 2026 - Arrival/departure utility.

Itinerary builder

Build your itinerary

The sample on the right is an illustrative Streamsong example.

It is meant to show the depth and shape of a real plan. Build your own around your group, dates, rounds, lodging, dining, and travel timing.

Build my itinerary

Illustrative sample output

Streamsong in 3 Days: 4 Rounds, Mixed Group

3 nights at Streamsong Lodge covering all 3 courses plus a repeat of whichever lands best with the group. With a mixed-skill group and a social thread running through the trip, the sequencing matters: start approachable, build toward bold, and protect evenings for the group to decompress together.

Recommendation

Start with Red to set the right tone for mixed players, not Black. Black's scale can deflate weaker players early and that poisons the rest of the trip.

Day 1

Morning: Arrive, check in to Streamsong Lodge, and get settled without rushing. Arrival timing is unknown, so do not force a same-day round.

Afternoon: If arriving early-to-midday, use the practice facilities to shake off travel; skip forcing an afternoon round on an unknown schedule.

Evening: Make this the nicer dinner night. Gather the group, debrief the plan, and use the evening to build energy for the heavy golf days ahead.

Insider note: Day 1 is the setup day, not a golf day. Burning a round here on travel legs is the most common mistake groups make at Streamsong.

Day 2

Morning: Tee off on Streamsong Red first thing. It is the most balanced course and the right anchor for a mixed-skill group on fresh legs.

Afternoon: Afternoon round on Streamsong Blue. It is more open and wind-affected, which rewards better players while staying manageable enough for the group.

Evening: Keep dinner casual and on property. Two rounds is a full day and the group needs to recover, not power through a production.

Insider note: Red in the morning lets the group settle in before Blue asks harder questions in the afternoon wind.

Day 3

Morning: Play Streamsong Black. Use it as the bold contrast round the guide describes, not as the centerpiece, and set expectations accordingly for higher-handicap players.

Afternoon: Replay the course that resonated most with the group. Red is the likely call for mixed groups, Blue for stronger players who want another look.

Evening: Final evening on property. Keep it relaxed since departure timing is unknown and no one should be grinding through dinner logistics.

Insider note: Black is the experience round, not the best round. Frame it that way for the group before the first tee so no one is quietly disappointed by the rougher edges.

Tradeoffs

Four rounds in two full golf days is aggressive but workable at a comfortable pace. The plan keeps Day 1 golf-free to protect legs and group cohesion rather than chasing a fifth round nobody would enjoy.

Black is scheduled for Day 3 morning rather than being skipped. It adds useful contrast and a memorable moment, but it was deliberately placed after the group already has two courses under its belt rather than as an opener.

The nicer dinner was placed on Day 1 rather than a golf day. This protects energy on the days that matter and gives the group something to build toward without splitting a long golf day around a formal meal.

Book first

Book all four tee times at Streamsong before lodging fills. The property manages its own tee sheet and availability tightens fast in peak season.

Confirm Streamsong Lodge rooms for all three nights in a single block. A small group of 3-4 makes this manageable, but winter weekends can still book out early.

Arrange caddies for at least Red and Blue if the group is open to walking. First-time looks benefit significantly from local knowledge on both courses.

Watchouts

Two rounds on Day 2 is the heaviest ask of the trip. If anyone in the mixed group is a high-handicapper or infrequent player, build in flexibility to skip the afternoon Blue round rather than grinding through it.

Streamsong is genuinely remote and there is no nightlife option off property. Groups expecting energy beyond the lodge bar will be disappointed, and that expectation gap kills trip morale faster than a bad round.

Black's scale and difficulty can frustrate less experienced players, especially after already playing 36 holes the day before. If the group's weakest player struggled on Day 2, consider swapping Black for a Red replay.

LodgingExpand

Stay on property unless the budget truly forces you out. French Lick is built as a resort trip, and off-property savings usually weaken the exact thing the destination does well: convenience, course access, shuttles, casino access, and the old-hotel atmosphere.

Historic resort hotel

French Lick Springs Hotel

0/5

Best for: buddies trips, casino access, easiest default

Cost: Dynamic resort rates; golf packages often matter more than room-only pricing.

4.6(7,850)(888) 976-3617

8670 IN-56, French Lick, IN 47432, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

This is the default for most golf groups. It is practical, social, and close to the casino. Your loud foursome probably belongs here more than under the West Baden dome pretending to be tasteful.

Pros

best group flow, casino access, bowling/kids activities, easiest shuttle/dining logistics, classic resort feel

Cons

busier, more family/convention energy, less special than West Baden, not ultra-luxury

Luxury historic hotel

West Baden Springs Hotel

0/5

Best for: couples, premium trips, history/luxury angle

Cost: Dynamic resort rates; expect a premium over French Lick Springs in many periods.

4.8(3,799)(855) 286-5859

8538 W Baden Ave, West Baden Springs, IN 47469, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

West Baden is the special hotel. It is also not always the best golf-group hotel. Pick it when the lodging matters as much as the tee sheet.

Pros

spectacular 200-foot atrium, quieter luxury, better for couples/non-golfers, true destination-hotel feel

Cons

pricier, more formal, less natural buddies-trip energy, older landmark layout means fewer modern group-hotel conveniences

Modern casino-side hotel

Valley Tower Hotel

0/5

Best for: groups wanting newer rooms and casino convenience

Cost: Dynamic resort rates; compare against French Lick Springs before booking.

4.0(8)(866) 966-8653

8670 IN-56, French Lick, IN 47432, USA

Valley Tower is the modern efficiency play. If the group cares more about room function and casino proximity than grand-hotel mythology, it makes sense.

Pros

modern rooms, direct access to French Lick Springs amenities, Event Center, casino, and Valley Links

Cons

less historic character, more annex than grand hotel, weaker sense of place

Group cottages / resort homes

RidgeView Cottages

0/5

Best for: larger buddies trips, bachelor parties, private group space

Cost: Premium group-lodging pricing; call for current rates and configurations.

4.9(430)084396 70106

The Ridgeview Cottages Birmou Danda, Chakrata, Chhatau, Uttarakhand 248123, India

Google Maps

For a real buddies group, RidgeView may be the smartest lodging product on property. It gives you the resort without forcing every conversation into a hotel hallway.

Pros

best group space on property, private/secluded feel, full common-area logic, good for 8-16 person groups

Cons

about a mile from the main resort hub, shuttle dependency, less walk-out-to-everything convenience

Off-property hotel

Best Western Plus French Lick

0/5

Best for: value control and golf-first travelers

Cost: Variable by season; typically meaningfully below resort rates.

4.5(1,002)(812) 936-0520

613 Arnold F Habig Blvd, French Lick, IN 47432, USA

Use this only if the numbers matter more than the resort. That can be perfectly rational. Just do not pretend it is the same trip.

Pros

lower cost, clean practical base, keeps more budget available for golf

Cons

no resort charging/shuttle flow, no priority resort-golf feel, weaker trip identity

DiningExpand

French Lick dining is better when you stop forcing every meal to be a formal resort meal. One steakhouse night, one Ross clubhouse meal, one off-resort local dinner, and one casual casino/sports-bar night is the right mix.

Steakhouse / planned dinner

1875: The Steakhouse

0/5

Best for: main group dinner

4.2(288)(844) 264-8790

8670 W IN-56, French Lick, IN 47432, USA

Monday: 5:00 – 9:00 PM

This is the obvious big dinner. Book it early and do not overthink the culinary meaning of a steakhouse on a golf trip.

Pros

classic resort steakhouse, easy special-occasion fit, no extra driving

Cons

needs reservations, can feel formal after a long golf day

Details

West Baden fine dining

Sinclair's Restaurant

0/5

Best for: couples or polished dinner

4.5(1,291)(816) 224-3811

1402 NW Hwy 7, Blue Springs, MO 64014, USA

Monday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Sinclair's is the better fit when the trip includes spouses, clients, or people who packed something nicer than golf polos.

Pros

more elevated, good for West Baden guests, better quiet-dinner fit

Cons

0/5

Best for: casual group meal, late-ish resort option, West Baden stays

Sprudel's is useful because it is simple. After Dye has taken everyone's lunch money, pizza can be a strategic decision.

Pros

easy pizza, casual energy, Prohibition-era cocktail angle, useful after a long day

Cons

not a destination dinner

Details

casual resort / sports bar

Power Plant Bar & Grill

0/5

Best for: fallback meal, drinks, easy casino-side dinner

4.7(432)(323) 471-1550

776 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA

Monday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM