Sand Creek borrows features from
the nearby Pete Dye and Donald
Ross courses, including miniature Dye
volcano bunkers and Ross' contoured
greens. And with every hole ranging
between 40 and 90 yards, there's
serious hole-in-one potential. Year 1
produced 52 aces in total.
"Sand Creek's been a huge success,"
Harner says. "Golfers who have a
mid-morning tee time at the Ross or
Dye will take advantage of Sand Creek
as a warmup. Golfers who finish in
the evening will come to Sand Creek
if they're still looking to get more golf
in. It's also a good family activity
during the day — we have a lot of
people enjoy it with their kids."
For those eyeing a 2026 trip, heed
Harner's advice: "Get in now," he
says. "And don't overlook the weekday
stay; it's a better experience because
it's generally a little less crowded."
Weekends in 2026 are expected
to sell out soon, though the resort
is already booking into 2027.
To accommodate the uptick in golf
demand, Harner expects to add 4-5
PGA professionals this year to a staff that
includes Rob Koontz (the 2025 PGA
National Merchandiser of the Year) and
Donald Ross Course Head Professional
Lori Atsedes (LPGA Midwest Pro of
the Year). Also coming to the French
Lick Resort courses in 2026 are 180
new Yamaha carts equipped with the
new Fairway IQ GPS technology.
On top of that, the resort is adding
Airbnb-type accommodations at
RidgeView Cottages, perfect for
groups of 8 or 16. "Golfers really
like the idea of being here, yet not
here — getting off the main property
and having privacy," Harner says.
Harner hinted that the cottages
will feature views of "the next
big thing in French Lick golf."
There's that buzzword again.
But wait … there's more.
"More golf coming," Harner
promises. "We've got exciting
new things in the works."
GOLF NOW! Chicago 59
