LINKS & TEE’S ON LAKE STREET IN ADDISON. Don’t forget to get your L & T gifts cards today. Need a holiday gift for your favorite golfer. The Monday-Friday Unlimited Dome Pass for $800 (3-hour daily maximum). The Everyday Unlimited Dome Pass is only $1,000 (3-hour daily maximum). The Platinum 300 Dome Card, $100 for 300 minutes. Resident discount pass $40 now ($50 dollar value). (630)-233-7275 or visit addisonparks.org.
BY: RORY SPEARS ASSISTANT EDITOR & SR. WRITER
THE WEST BADEN HOTEL AT FRENCH LICK RESORT, THE PETE DYE STATUE GREETS GOLFERS AT THE PETE DYE GOLF COURSE ON THE HILL OVER THE HOTEL. FRENCHLICK.COM GOLF-CASINO-SPA AND MORE.
The Gog Blog began it’s fall trip with a stop at the French Lick Resort, in French Lick Indiana. It was the practice day for the USGA Men’s State team Title.
When it was over on the Pete Dye Course the team from Texas captured a record fourth team championship. Their four under par score of 428, was good enough to defeat Florida by three shots. The Dye Course was set up at a par of 72, and at a yardage of 6,891 yards.
Texas was represented by Zach Atkinson, Colby Harwell and Aaron Hickman. They had a three shot lead headed into the final round, that lead became seven before Florida rallied to tie the score. But Texas dug down and pulled away at the end. Team Texas won the James R. Hand Trophy for the first time since 2007.
THE FIRST HOLE (L) ON THE PETE DYE COURSE
The Men’s State Team Championship is 54 holes of stroke play, with the lowest two of three scores counting for the day. The team with lowest score after three rounds is the champion. The championship is conducted by the USGA biennially. The Women’s championship will be held in 2015.
Team Iowa was third, with Missouri in fourth place. Louisiana and Puerto Rico tied for fifth place, with Illinois one shot back in seventh place. The team representing Illinois was Kyle Nathan of Glenview, Todd Mitchell of Bloomington, and Blake Johnson of Winnetka.
With the USGA Championship in the books, the French Lick Resort can now focus on it’s next championship, the 2015 Sr. PGA Championship. Colin Montgomerie is the defending champion.
Colin Montgomerie’s press conference after winning the 2014 Sr. PGA Championship at Harbor Shores GC in Michigan.
The 2015 Sr. PGA Championship will be played from May 19th through the 24th on the Dye Course and will again this year be presented by Kitchen-Aid.
The first Sr. PGA Championship was held in 1937, some of the past champions include Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin and Tom Watson.
The idea for the Dye Course started in 2005 with the Chairman of Board for the ownership group of the resort Steve Ferguson. Ferguson recalls after hours of searching, he met Pete Dye. “Pete had so much passion for this project,that the only logical thing for us to do was to have him build it.”
In 2006 the construction began and in April of 2009 the courses opened as America’s Best New Golf Course in several publications. One year later the PGA of America signed up to bring the PGA Professional national championship to the golf course, that was won by University of Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small.
The golf course was built on the highest part of the property, on a clear day visibility is some 30 miles from a few of the golf holes. For information on the Sr. PGA Championship, visit SRPGA.com and for hospitality during the championship call PGA Hospitality at (812)-226-0555.
HOLES WITH A VIEW, ON THE PETE DYE GOLF COURSE AT THE FRENCH LICK RESORT
The West Baden Hotel and the French Lick Springs Resort Hotel, are both historic landmarks. They are open year round and have a great winter series coming over the next few months.
It’s time for the C’s. Concerts, Casino, Cuisine, and Clang-Clang goes the trolley. In May the “C” will stand for championship golf.
But long before that you can go to French Lick and enjoy the bringing of the New Year as some New year’s packages still remain. January 9th Easton Corbin stats the 2015 concert series, America on February 6th, The Oak Ridge Boys on March 13th,and Air Supply on April 11th. If your looking for Casino action, the Martin Luther King Day slots tournament starts at 3 PM on Monday January 19th.
The resort has more golf than just the Dye Championship golf course. Golfers should try the 9-hole classic Tom Bendelow Valley Links Course, home to the resorts golf academy.
The Donald Ross Course is the second 18 hole course at the resort.
The resort has a second 18 hole golf course, the Donald Ross Course. The course played host to the 1924 PGA Championship, and more recently was the site of the Big Ten Ladies NCAA Championship.
It’s a fun golf course that captures the features of golf architecture that was the style of time, from almost 100 years ago.
While it appears that the agreement with the resort and golf course is going to end, about 40 minutes away is one of the states better public golf courses, Sultans Run in nearby Jasper.
The 18th green with waterfall at Sultans Run in Jasper.
So if your in the mood for a winter getaway, or if your already planning that golf getaway for the 2015 season. It’s not early to pencil in the French Lick Resort in French Lick Indiana.
Not a bad drive from the Chicago area, French Lick is one hour north of Louisville Kentucky, and just over one hour south of Indianapolis. Please allow for the time change into the Eastern time zone.
Call French Lick Resort at (888)-936-9360, or online at Frenchlick.com. Home of the LPGA Legends Hall of Fame.