Michigan golfers have reason to race toward Indy golf scene

By Jason Scott Deegan, Senior Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS -- Michigan golfers are always looking for ways to extend their golf season.

The six months from May to October just aren't enough for the state with the most public courses in the country. That's how fanatical the players are.

Some drag out their wet weather gear in April and their gloves and hats in November to keep their clubs from gathering dust in the garage, but there's an easier way - visit Indianapolis, one of the Midwest's greatest cities and a budding golf destination.

In the five-hour drive from Detroit to Indy (or it's even shorter from Chicago and most of Ohio), the weather stays golfer-friendly longer and courses won't break your budget. Now, what golfer doesn't dream of a winter trip to Florida or Myrtle Beach? But if kids and cash keep those options just a dream, a long golf weekend in Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis, is the perfect substitute.

Must Plays

It's hard to say what course is truly the best in the Indianapolis area, but Prairie View, located in the well-to-do community of Carmel, 20 minutes north of Indy, most often gets the nod.

The state's lone Robert Trent Jones Jr. course rolls through 206 acres of open meadow and incorporates the White River into its 7,073-yard layout. When Prairie View opened in 1997, it set the bar for all Indiana courses. Natural wetlands and five lakes contribute to its impressive 138 slope.

Golfers always want to play in the footsteps of greatness, right? Well, Michael Jordan made more than a few stops to Prairie View during his Chicago Bulls' days.

Two of the most unique courses in the state - The Fort Golf Club and the Brickyard Crossing - were both redesigned by the legendary Pete Dye.

Playing the Fort will feel like you've been somehow transported to northern Michigan. Instead of occupying the usual flat corn fields associated with the Hoosier state, this reconfiguration of an old army course at Fort Benjamin Harrison is a marvel, rolling up and down ridges and rugged terrain.

Dye, who lives at the nearby Crooked Stick Golf Club, did a masterful job on the redesign in 1996, transforming the 229 acres into a wooded playground. The stretch of holes No. 4-6 might be the best in the state. The 479-yard fourth hole demands a bomb off the tee for a shot at par. The 166-yard fifth plummets some 75 feet to a green that slopes severely from left to right. No. 6, a 511-yard par-5, plays all uphill and requires a harrowing 210-yard carry off the tee over a gorge to the fairway.

Dye also reconfigured the Brickyard Crossing course, near the Indianapolis airport. He ripped up the old 27-hole Speedway Golf Course and built a championship 18-hole track. As good as the golf course is, you'll be bragging to your friends about your tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a sacred temple for racing fans. Four holes roam through the gigantic structure and its 2.5-mile oval that hosts the Indy 500, the Brickyard 400 and the U.S. Grand Prix.

If the $90 price tag doesn't break your bank, be sure to stop into the Speedway's official gift shop for a souvenir.

Solid Seconds

The Purgatory, the area's newest course (opening in 2001 in Noblesville), might be a glimpse into courses of the future. At 7,754 yards, it is possibly the longest non-mountain course in the world.

Golfers, as a breed, are gluttons for punishment, and what better way to spend a day than in "Purgatory," that place somewhere between Heaven and Hell. The Heaven is the beauty of the course with its 133 bunkers and long, whispy grasses. The Hell is the score you'll probably post trying to play the Purgatory for the first time. Even if you choose a shorter set of the six tee options, the course, designed by Ron Kern on 218 acres, will probably chew you up until you learn some of its secrets.

Adding their own touch of class, owners Mike and Tenna Merchant used Dante's Divine Comedy, Puratorio, as an inspiration to name each hole.

No. 16, a 409-yard par-4 (from the blues), is an engineering marvel. Standing on the tee, players will be intimidated by the 14 bunkers that lie in ambush. But standing on the green looking back, none of the bunkers are visible!

Blink twice and head for No. 17 because those scary sandpits will return in force. Nicknamed "Hell's Half Acre" for the seven hungry bunkers surrounding the green, the 173-yard shot (from the tips) demands your full attention. No. 18, a fine 543-yard finishing hole called "The Gryphon," gives players the choice of split fairways.

Although the Bear Slide Golf Club, located in Cicero, has had a somewhat bleak history since opening in 1994, its future is bright.

The course's founder, James Culley, was forced to sell the club to Heritage Golf Management Inc., which subsequently landed in bankruptcy court in 1998. New owners have since stepped in and given the course the TLC it required to earn a ranking among the top 10 public designs in the state.

The 7,041-yard Bear Slide, set on 250 acres, has a split personality. The front nine is open and flat, but the back nine is traditional, with plenty of doglegs, trees and elevation changes.

Architect Dean Refram hit a home run with the back nine. It mixes long, brutal par-4s - the 446-yard 10th, the 448-yard 13th and the 449-yard 18th - with birdie opportunities at the 344-yard 11th and the 337-yard 15th.

It's safe to say with its price tag (roughly $50), Bear Slide might be the best bang for your buck in Hamilton County.

The Verdict

Indianapolis/Hamilton County just recently started marketing itself as a golf destination -- for good reason. Most of its top course are less than 10 years old. Although a handful of good courses are sprinkled throughout Indiana, this is the state's only true golf destination that features good places to play and great off-course entertainment. The experience isn't on par with Gaylord or Chicago for golf, but neither are the prices.

Off the Course

Indianapolis is one of the true great towns in the Midwest. It is a safe, clean city and easy to navigate on foot.

The Indianapolis Zoo will be a great getaway for the kids. Nearby, is an IMAX theatre and plenty of museums, including the NCAA Hall of Fame. The Circle Center Mall (www.circle-centre.com) is the epicenter of downtown and connected with most area hotels via skyways.

Where to Eat

Two great restaurants are the Loon Lake Lodge in Indianapolis (www.loonlakelodge.com, 317-845-9011) and the Ye Olde Library Restaurant in Carmel (317-573-4444). Loon Lake has an eccentric mix of food from tasty seafood to a specialty dish with elk meat.

The Library is a 1913 Carnegie Library that was redid into a quaint eatery that accepts only reservations for four or more - a perfect place for your foursome.

Where to stay

Maybe the best thing about a golf trip to Hamilton County/Indianapolis is the incredible mix of stay-and-play packages. The Hamilton County Golf Guide (www.indianaspremiergolf.org, 317-598-4444) lists eight hotels with packages.

October 7, 2004