Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1532460
The n e w S a n d Cr e e k C o urs e at French Lick Resort is do wn the hill about a mile or t wo fro m Dye and Ross, and adjacent to French Lick's 9-hole regulation course, Valley Links. Sand Creek isn't a par- 3, it's not Topgolf or mini golf, but rather the s weet spot in bet ween all three. For golfers who just had their nerves and drivers tested up at Pete Dye, Sand Creek should be a refreshing wind-do wn round and an opportunity to chase a hole-in-one with hole lengths bet ween 3 5 and 9 0 yards. "It's so me of the most fun you'll ever have on a golf course," Harner pro mises. " A si mple, easy place to play. It adds to our experience in that it gives you an alternative to the cha mpionship course – a place where beginners, fa milies, corporate groups, whether they all play golf or not, they'll be able to play this course. When people get out there and play, they'll get hooked on it." Sand Creek will be lit for late-night play, piped-in music will play on the course, and a food truck will keep the par ty rolling all day. While short yardage and a casual at mosphere give Sand Creek a wide appeal, the experienced golfer will be able to spot features borro wed fro m the resort's t wo cha mpionship courses. "It's going to have a fe w miniature versions of the Dye volcano bunkers, and so me of the Ross greens contours. The rock for mation that we use around the lakes at Dye we're using around the water retention area at Sand Creek," Harner said. "You'll see a fe w things that are co m mon to both golf courses." If a brand-ne w course wasn't enough to stir excite ment, French Lick recently found itself in the national spotlight on a Tuesday in the middle of June. That was the day Good Good Golf ca me to to wn and put on a sho w for golf's ne w generation of fans. The future of the sport? That's ho w so me have described Good Good, the group of golfing buddies-turned social media stars who've built a follo wing of 1. 7 million YouTube subscribers since launching in 2 0 2 0. Good Good initially discovered French Lick in 2 0 2 3, touting Pete Dye as " Our Ne w Favorite Course in the US A" in a 4 5- minute video fetching 8 0 0, 0 0 0 + vie ws. When Good Good recently started branching out into organized tourna ments, they found an eager partner in French Lick. Bringing together tour pros, fello w influencers, celebrities and pro athletes — including Mic h a el Bl oc k ( who won the event with son Dylan), P ai g e S pir a n ac and A usti n R e a v es of the L. A. Lakers — the Good Good Mid west Open proved what a tour de force social media can be. Teen and t wentyso mething fans strea med into Pete Dye 2 ½ hours before the first tee ti me to get in line for the putting contest and grab autographs and selfies with the Good Good cast. Nearly 3, 0 0 0 fans watched in person, with thousands more tuning in for the livestrea m on Peacock and Good Good's YouTube channel. 56 G OLF N O W! Chicago