Five southern Indiana golf courses you should become familiar with
Though the weather can provide quite an adversary through portions of the season, the culture surrounding the game of golf continues to thrive around southern Indiana.
For those newer to the game there can be a lot to take in, particularly when figuring out which courses to play since there's a litany of options in the region.
Though there are plenty more where this came from, here are five courses that provide a good starting point when it comes to the best courses around.
Champions Pointe Golf Club, Henryville
Designed by southern Indiana legend Fuzzy Zoeller and Clyde Johnston back in 2007, this beautiful course twists and turns through a residential community around a half-hour north of Louisville. It opens with a straight-forward par four, but don’t let that fool you as the course is filled with challenges before ultimately wrapping up with an 18th hole that features a long, difficult approach shot over a water hazard.
Because of the combination of difficulty and beauty it’s been a perfect regional host in recent IHSAA state tournaments, helping to separate the best players in southern Indiana before the State Finals tee off.
Chariot Run Golf Club, Laconia
Located 20 minutes south of Corydon and 40 minutes southwest of Louisville in Harrison County, this Bill Bergin-designed course opened in 2002 isn’t just one of the best courses in Indiana, it’s regularly listed among the best in the nation in various categories. Named the golfers’ choice top course in Indiana by Golf Advisor three years in a row between 2018 and 2020, Chariot Run is truly one of the region’s crown jewel attractions.
Country Oaks Golf Club, Montgomery
Conveniently just a few miles off of I-69 to the east of Washington, Country Oaks offers a picturesque way to spend a day between the tree-lined fairways of its back nine and the beautiful ponds which litter the course throughout. The course, opened in 1997, is a sectional and regional site for the IHSAA and the testy tee shot on the 18th hole provides a perfect place for spectators to gather and watch the region’s top players do their thing.
Sultan’s Run Golf Club, Jasper
Another IHSAA sectional host, Sultan's Run is located just minutes from downtown Jasper. Designed by Tim Liddy, a Pete Dye disciple, it was built in 1992 and remodeled in 1996. This course features perhaps the most beautiful closing hole in the state.
As players approach the clubhouse on the 18th — a dogleg hole which bends to the right of the tee box — they're greeted by a beautiful waterfall emptying into a water hazard hugging the far side of the green.
The Donald Ross Course, French Lick
Though its hills can provide a considerable challenge for players who choose to walk, the beauty of The Donald Ross Course is undeniable. Built in 1917, this classic course designed by Ross himself maintains many features from its original design and is regularly placed on lists of the top public courses in the state. There's also plenty to do before and after your round, as the course is under 10 minutes southwest of the main strip in French Lick.
Though it doesn't play a part in the IHSAA state tournaments, it has played host to PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Epson Tour and Big Ten events over the course of its history.
Contact Times-Mail sports reporter Auston Matricardi via e-mail at amatricardi@tmnews.com or on Twitter at @amatricardiTM.