French Lick Resort Ranked Among Golf Digest Top 75 Resorts

For Immediate Release
April 13, 2009

French Lick Resort Ranked Among Golf Digest Top 75 Resorts

Southern Indiana resort destination makes its debut among America’s best resorts

FRENCH LICK, IN —With the opening of the Pete Dye Course earlier this spring, French Lick Resort has quickly become one of America's most talked about golf resort destinations. The latest accolade comes from Golf Digest magazine, which ranked the historic resort #29 on its list of Top 75 Resorts.

This historic and elite golf destination, located in Southern Indiana, is making its debut on the Magazine’s premier resort list in 2009. French Lick Resort now joins other top historic resort destinations on the list such as Pinehurst, Sea Island, Greenbrier, Broadmoor, The Homestead, Pine Needles and Mid Pines, and Pebble Beach to name a few.

The publication’s biennial review of America’s top resorts appears in the latest October 2009 issue. Golf Digest utilized over 800 members of its Course Ranking Panel and asked each to submit ballots on more than 400 highly regarded resorts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

“We are very excited and honored to be listed among the top resort destinations in the country by Golf Digest”, said Dave Harner-Director of Golf Operations for French Lick Resort. “To be listed among these great resort destinations is a testament to the vision of our ownership, who saw the potential with our world-class lodging, restoring our historic Donald Ross course, and bringing in a second “Hall of Fame” architect Pete Dye to create one of the best golfing combinations anywhere.”

French Lick Resort, set among 3,000 acres of scenic and rolling land near the Hoosier National Forest, invested $500 million bringing this world-class resort destination back to the national acclaim it was once known for in the early 20th century. It was the largest privately funded restoration-project in Indiana history and one of the largest such projects nationwide.

The massive restoration project included restoring the beautiful French Lick Springs Hotel and the spectacular West Baden Springs Hotel located a mile apart. The West Baden Springs property, with its massive dome, re-opened in 2007 as a hotel for the first time since 1932.

Following the hotel renovations, the owners embarked on a $4.6 million restoration project on the historic Donald Ross course that has brought the “Hall of Fame” architects classic design back to its original plans. The Ross course (originally named the “Hill Course”) brings a rich history to the French Lick Resort, as the course was site of the 1924 PGA Championship won by the legendary Walter Hagen.

Adding to the history of the resort, the owners then brought in its second “Hall of Fame” architect Pete Dye to design a masterpiece on a spectacular site. The new Pete Dye course is located on a dramatic site that Pete claims is arguably the best inland site he has ever worked on. The course was carefully carved on a dramatic hilltop offering a variety of elevation changes, rugged and dramatic terrain, narrow fairways and challenging bunkers. There are spectacular views from every hole, some that stretch for over 40 miles.

This new course is already gaining recognition among professional players. In 2010, the PGA of America will play its PGA Professional National Championship on the new Pete Dye course. This is expected to be the first of several high profile professional events to be hosted at the historic resort destination.

French Lick Resort is now the only resort in the world that combines the classic history of Donald Ross and the modern day design of the legendary Pete Dye. This combination of two “Hall of Fame” golf course architects, along with two world-class hotels and amenities, is a spectacular opportunity for golfers to experience one of the truly elite golf resort destinations in the country.

For more information or to book a stay, please visit www.frenchlick.com or call our reservation specialists at 888.936.9360.

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French Lick Resort is a $500 million historic restoration and casino development project that includes the West Baden Springs Hotel, French Lick Springs Hotel and the new French Lick Casino. This premier resort and casino destination in Southern Indiana features 689 guest rooms and suites; a 42,000-square-foot, single-level casino; 45 holes of golf, including the fully restored 1917-designed Donald Ross Course at French Lick and the new, 18-hole Pete Dye Course at French Lick two full-service spas with a combined 36 treatment rooms totaling 42,000 square feet; meeting and event space totaling 115,000 square feet and an array of dining and entertainment options.