Brian Walers Photography
Brian Walers Photography
Brian Walers Photography
courtesy of French Lick Resort
courtesy of French Lick Resort
courtesy of French Lick Resort
Brian Walers Photography
French Lick Resort: Donald Ross Course
French Lick Resort: Donald Ross Course
1917 Country Club Drive
French Lick, IN 47432-7912
United States
Telephone
Overview
If the 2009 Pete Dye course at this historic resort in southern Indiana (ranked No. 118 on America's Second 100 Greatest Courses) is an acrobat swinging trapezes through circles of flame along the site's elevated bluffs, the 1917 Donald Ross course is more of a street-level tilt-a-whirl with holes that rise, fall and roll repeatedly over a gorgous meadow property. Each nine crests over ridges and ride into hollows, rising toward well-bunkered greens that flank slightly crowned putting surfaces. This is an Old World/New World contrast, with both the Dye and Ross courses achieving what they set out to do architecturally, but in rather different ways. Depending on their mood and appreciation for allowing land movements rather than bulldozers to dictate design and direction, golfers at French Lick often prefer the nuance and nature of the Ross course.
About
Awards
ranking history:
100 Greatest Public: Ranked from 2011-'20.
Highest ranking: 83rd, 2015-'16.
Best in State: Ranked fifth, 2019-'20. Ranked sixth, 2013-'18, 2023-'24. Ranked seventh, 2011-'12, 2021-'22. Ranked eighth, 2025-'26.
Previous ranking: 6th.
2025-'26 ranking: 8th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“A typical Ross design. Tough as nails greens. Almost every hole, you were hitting your approach shots to an uphill sloping green."
Read More2026
Review
“Many classic Ross features on dramatically hilly land. Quite severly sloping greens are deliberately kept somewhat slow to allow for playability. Unfortunately the course had received a lot of rain before my evaluation but the staff indicated that the turf is usually somwhat soft and slow even without the recent weather. Greens were rolling about 7 on the stimp and this eliminated the possibility of using the slopes and sideboards to allow for options around the greens. The course seems to be very original and appears not to have been altered much."
Read More2026
Review
“A classic design by a famous designer, but shows it's age, especially when compared to the sister course at the French Lick Resort. Lots of elevation changes within a single hole. Many holes tee off from a high point and then head lower and finish with an uphill approach shot. Many holes have a very similar feel. Deep native areas surround most holes that results almost certainly in a lost ball. Need to hit it straight to score here. Conditions were a little soft in both the fairways and greens which made it feel longer than it was. A fun course to play if you're in the area."
Read More2025
Review
“The Donald Ross course at French Lick presented great views, challenging greens and so much fun. The holes that stood out to me were the long and challenging par 3's - namely the 4th, 6th and 13th holes which were 240, 249 and 252 yards and each had a challenging green to navigate once you made it on the surface. Additionally, the green on the par 4 8th hole, which was large and broke significantly from back to front. Finally, the green on the par 4 17th was interesting as it lower on the left side of the green and higher on the right side of the green, which made it important to get your approach onto the correct side of the green. The French Lick region had received quite a bit of rain leading up to my evaluation and the course played very soft. The golf course would play much better if it had been firm and fast and this impacted my conditioning score."
Read More2025
Review
“Typical Ross, where fairways are open and wide, and green complexes are difficult. Elevation/Hills not dealt with in the most shot value kind of way---but an overall pleasant place to work around the layout."
Read More2025
Review
“Course is an Ok public course. Layout feels like you are playing the same hole over and over. Conditioning was not good. Bunkers were fluffy and unkept. Fairways were just regular grass mowed shorter. The greens were reflective of Donald Ross Greens, but were slow. A bit disappointed in the experience."
Read More2023
Review
“A unique test of golf with awesome green complexes. Unfortunately the conditioning did not match the uniqueness of the course with very soft conditions and slow bumpy greens."
Read More2023
Review
“It is a Donald Ross course but one that is very repetitive with most holes starting on one hill and the green on another. Public access."
Read More2023
Review
“Many very similar medium length, straight down hill tee shots to uphill greens. Traditional layout with a Yale feel to it."
Read More2022
Review
“Many very similar medium length, straight down hill tee shots to uphill greens. Traditional layout with a Yale feel to it."
Read More2022
