Town of French Lick - Pete Dye Golf Course

PETE DYE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE

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	Part I In the Beginning: In 2005 when the Cook Group purchased the French Lick Resort and started down the path to restore the historic property as well as re-open the West Baden Springs Hotel, it was agreed that Golf would play an important role in the overall success of the Resorts. To establish French Lick Resort as not only a Resort and Casino destination, and a Historic property, but as a world-class Golf destination, an expansion of the existing Golf operation would be a must. Members of the Cook Group, lead by Chairman of the Board Steve Ferguson, began to weigh their options. It was agreed that a second championship golf course would need to be built to begin to position the Resort as a Golf destination. The likely site for this new course would be the area between the West Baden Springs Hotel and the French Lick Riding Stables on the Mt. Airie property. Research began and numerous architectural firms were consulted. Among the candidates were: Fuzzy Zoeller and architect Clyde Johnson, Rick Smith, Arnold Palmer Design, The Jack Nicklaus Corporation, and Schmidt-Curley, the team already on-site restoring the Donald Ross Course at French Lick, the resort's other championship golf course, and arguably the world's top architect, Pete Dye, possessor of 6 of the current top-20 courses in the U.S. Property visits began as part of the selection process. Pete Dye came to the property in late 2005 and walked the severe terrain of the Mt. Airie property and gave Steve Ferguson some alarming news. Dye told Ferguson that there was no way to build a golf course on that property due to the severity of the slopes and rugged terrain. Less than 24 hours later, Dye had scheduled a second visit. On that visit Dye came equipped with a topographical map of the area. Dye again walked the property, accompanied by Mr. Ferguson, French Lick Director of Golf Dave Harner, and Superintendents John Parker and John Deel. The following day, Dye spoke to Dave Harner by phone and told him he intended to "build the course whether they want me to or not". Considering the passion that Mr. Dye showed for this project, it would have been difficult not to award him the contract for the project he has since called the biggest job he ever had. Additional pre-construction visits and finally, a drawing of the course, on a paper napkin, at the Villager Restaurant over breakfast, in the winter of 2005, the start of perhaps one of the Greatest Modern Courses in the World. Ground breaking was April 2005.