Donald Ross #13

Getting To Know: The Donald Ross Course at French Lick

An Insightful Interview With Andy Fortner, PGA, Head PGA Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Andy Fortner, PGA who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
The Donald Ross Course is a favorite amongst people in Indiana. A challenging layout that underwent a 5 million dollar restoration in 2005 headed up by Dave Harner and the Cook Group. Ranked as the #2 Public Course in Indiana according to Golf Week Magazine. The historic course was host site of the 1924 PGA Championship won by Walter Hagen and hosted the 1959 and 1960 LPGA Championships. After the renovation, the Cook Group's vision for golf at French Lick is once again great tournament golf. The Pete Dye and Donald Ross Courses were home to the 2010 PGA Professionals National Championship and they will host the 2012 through 2014 Mens (Dye) and Womens (Ross) Big Ten Golf Championships along with the Indiana State Open in July of 2012. Come be a part of great golf, great hospitality and great memories at French Lick Resort.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Most of the greens at The Donald Ross Course are elevated, most people dont take that into account when playing it the first time and feel like they are always coming up short. Club up, but dont club up too much as the greens slope back to front.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
Hole #16

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Hagen's Restaurant is home to some of the best food in town and also boasts some great great views of The Donald Ross Course at French Lick.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 70
Yardage: 7030
Slope: 74.7
Rating: 135

More Information
The Donald Ross Course at French Lick
11260 West State Road 56
French Lick, IN 47432
812-936-9300 ext 7215
www.frenchlick.com

Revised: 05/11/2012 - Article Viewed 38,964 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.