Golf Blog

The Southern Indiana Golf Trail

On a quiet evening back in 2019, Pete Nelson with Visit Bloomington was quietly lounging on his couch while watching Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift on Netflix. During a particularly sick drift scene, Pete received a special visit from the golf gods. They whispered of a mystical vision about a hidden golf trail into his ear. This special trail dripped with golf delights and birdie treats. The spirits told of a magical land where the putts rolled even more majestically than the rolling hills. The land that they spoke of was something called the Southern Indiana Golf Trail.

Pete had been selected by the almighty powers of golf to receive this special vision. He knew immediately that he needed to share this experience with the world. Like the wise man that Pete is, he told me of his rare encounter with the golf spirits and implored me to help him make this vision a reality.

“If you play it, they will come.”
— Golf gods to Pete on his couch

As Pete relayed his story to me, the words were music to my ears. The Southern Indiana Golf Trail was a simple, but wildly powerful golf solution. The plan called for 3 inspirational rounds of golf with an optional 4th. It was bold, brief and effective. I knew immediately that Pete’s “Tale of the Trail” was a genuine golf god encounter. The gods even left Pete with the official Southern Indiana Visionary Golf Trail Scrolls of Honor. We will refer to these scrolls using the acronym SIVGTSOH for the purposes of this post.

As an Indiana University alumnus, I was even more pleased to learn that all roads on the Southern Indiana Golf Trail led back to Bloomington, IN. It was time to officially be the old man on the course, campus and in the college bar at Indiana University.

The Vision

Thursday: Tell your wife and kids that you you have been summoned by a higher power and that you need to catch a flight into Louisville, KY. After meeting your buddies in the terminal, you fist pump and celebrate excessively. You then make the 1 hour drive over to French Lick, IN and check into the French Lick Resort. Congratulations! You have completed step one of the vision. Prepare to meet one of golf’s most visually appealing rewards in the morning.

Friday

In the morning, you will be called upon to golf the Pete Dye Course at French Lick.

There are very few golf courses in America that photograph quite as well as this stunner. For as beautiful as she is, the golf course will deliver a proportionate amount of challenge as well. Only a fool would take it back to the 8102 yard back tees. With a course rating of an even 80, the golf gods highly recommend playing it forward while at French Lick.

Our crew struggled mightily as we stumbled around one of Pete’s most visually stunning creations. However, we didn’t mind one bit. We knew that we were simply following the plan laid forth by a higher golf power.

Strong slopes and a strong challenge await at French Lick

Pete Nelson, the man who received the vision, plays from a tough lie.

On Friday afternoon, the vision calls for a 5 minute drive down the street to the Donald Ross Course at French Lick.

There could not be a better compliment to the Dye Course than the Ross course at French Lick. The playability levels go up significantly and the design features will satisfy even the most pure of the golf purists in your group. 10/10 golf hipsters agree.

The Ross course steps it up a notch when it comes to the par 3’s but the majority of the course is very score-able and a lot of fun to play.

Notably, the course features a graveyard along the 15th hole, which is not only seasonable, but a popular topic on Twitter.

After your round on the Donald Ross course, you have options waiting for you back at the French Lick Resort. Maybe you want to visit the Legendz Sports Bar & Grill. Maybe you want to test your luck at the French Lick Casino. Both of these options are officially approved under the SIVGTSOH.

Saturday

Just waking up in the morning and knowing that you are on a quest from the golf gods will undoubtedly put some pep in your step. Knowing that you are headed to Bloomington, IN on a trail set forth by deities will set your steps on fire. The itinerary calls for an early morning departure from French Lick and a 1 hour drive into Bloomington. The Sample Gates will be ready to greet you at the entrance to campus.

The Sample Gates greet me as I return to Indiana after a decade hiatus.

Upon arrival, there are a multitude of things to do in Bloomington and pretty much everything is covered under the SIVGTSOH. Here is a brief list of some SIVGTSOH approved activities.

  • Pretend you are back in college and stroll the classic Big Ten campus.

  • Take a walk past the flight of stairs on Kirkwood and remember the time that you fell down them while still holding onto your burrito.

  • Check into the Graduate Hotel.

  • Drink an AMF at The Upstairs Pub and then fall down the stairs.

  • Eat breadsticks at Kilroys and talk about the good ole days.

  • Visit Memorial Stadium and watch the football team.

  • Pig out on pizza at Mother Bears. Ordering the Big Ten at Pizza Express is also approved.

  • Visit Ballantine Hall and study advanced thermodynamics.

  • Shoot some 3 pointers at Assembly Hall. *VIPs only —>

An empty Assembly Hall beckons.

Kilroys on Kirkwood is the staple of the IU bar scene.

Memorial Stadium at Indiana University

The Graduate was my selection of choice and in accordance with SIVGTSOH it should also be yours.

On Saturday afternoon you will be summoned to the main event of the Southern Indiana Golf Trail, playing the Pfau Course at Indiana University.

Back in the 1800’s when I attended Indiana University, the university course was technically on the same piece of property, but I had to do some detective work to even recall the piece of land that I had visited scores of times as a student. The golf course has went from forgettable to one of the best college golf courses in America.

The golf course was re-imagined by the duo of Steve Smyers and Fuzzy Zoeller and there are a number of features that set the course apart from its counterparts.

  • Fantastic natural areas that provide beauty but allow for a chance recovery

  • Square and geometric shaped greens that give a nod to golden age architecture

  • Bold bunkering style

  • Difficulty - Par 71 will challenge even the finest collegiate players

The square 5th green

The square 4th green

“I would never have left the golf course if this was here when I was a student”
— Patrick Koenig

Perhaps the finest aspect of the Pfau course is the strong value that it provides. Rates are $80 on Monday through Thursday and will only set you back $95 on a fine college Saturday. This is the sort of value that wisely keeps some cash in your pocket as you head into the streets of Bloomington for your evening activities.

More than just a few golf holes at the Pfau course stand out as compelling and unique. My top 5 Pfau holes are as follows. Picking just 5 was a difficult task. When you dig into the elements of this golf course, you quickly realize that almost every hole brings some sort of heat.

  1. 4th hole - A strong tee shot is required to set up one of the best second shots on the golf course. The lesser tee shots will not be rewarded and could potentially face a blind second. The square shaped green strikes my fancy.

  2. 18th hole - The home hole is an absolute beast that requires two great shots. The trick is that the green looks way more intimidating than it actually is.

  3. 5th hole - The shortest par 4 on the golf course tempts the golfer to hit driver. The finest piece of fun on the front 9.

  4. 9th hole - A devious par 5 to finish the front nine that requires 2 well placed shots to earn a scoring opportunity.

  5. 2nd hole - The longest par 4 on the course plays just 530 yards from the back tees. If you didn’t get warm on the 615 yard opener, this brute will help you settle into the challenge.

The approach on the 2nd hole.

Sunday

Wake up with a renewed sense of vigor and zest for life. You have completed the mandatory requirements as set forth by the golf gods in accordance with the Southern Indiana Visionary Golf Trail Scrolls of Honor. At this point, the vision requires a 1 hour drive to Indianapolis and provides you with 3 options.

  • Option 1: Catch a mid morning flight home to mow the lawn and make friendly with the wife.

  • Option 2: Catch a later flight and play one of Indianapolis’ premier golf courses.

  • Option 3: Catch an early morning flight and play the #1 course in the world, Pine Valley. Note: Option 3 not always available.

Fortune smiled upon me at the completion of my Southern Indiana Golf Trail and I was able to move forward with option 3.

Here are the details to schedule your own Southern Indiana Golf Trail in accordance with SIVGTSOH today. If you have questions about the vision that Pete received from the golf gods or the SIVGTSOH, feel free to contact him directly or consult the official Bloomington golf guide.

  • Book your French Lick golf packages for the Ross and Dye courses. You can also call 888.936.9360 for assistance.

  • Book your tee time at the Pfau course.

  • Book your hotel stay at The Graduate. pjkoenig.com readers get 15% off with promo code: IUGOLF or just use the QR code below.

  • Book your excitement level at 10/10.

  • Prepare for glory.