Indy Golf Junket - Great Time, Great Value

The best way to describe this Indianapolis golf junket is - Simply Fabulous!

Our latest venture took us to Indianapolis, IN, an easy four-hour drive down Hwy 70 through the scenic fields of Illinois.

Golf:

Signature hole at Purgatory Golf Club

We left on a Friday morning and drove to the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course, which is located in central Indy. This Pete Dye designed masterpiece features several holes located within the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and features championship caliber play. We encountered sun, wind and finally rain which made the round a real test. Well worth the time and money.

Saturday we played Purgatory Golf Club. What a treat. Open, Scottish style links with plenty of sand and rough terrain. Fast greens are wind swept from lack of trees. Course played soft and long. Greens were hard and undulating. And many of the greens didn't have landing zones for your approach shots. On one par 5, my approach shot landed close to the pin, only to come to rest in a bowl 40 ft. away. The afternoon round, I hit the shot 10 yds. short of the green and bounced and rolled it on to 12 ft. from the pin. Fun course.

Sunday we tackled The Fort Golf Course. Carved out of the trees with natural hilly terrain, this course presented a different challenge: you had to consider the terrain and anticipate the role. Numerous lay ups to landing zones on downhill fairways. Any closer and you were too close to hold the green. Another Pete Dye design, the Fort was named one of the "top 10 most playable new courses" by Golf Magazine. Played two rounds, which gives you a chance to gain a little course knowledge. Another fine tract.

Par 3 at The Fort Golf Course

Final day, Monday. Played Bear Slide Golf Club. Is one of the "Top 10 Indiana Courses" by Golf Magazine and it lived up to its ranking. We played the open style Scottish course in 30 mph winds. Every shot was demanding and had to be well struck. You have lay ups, lots of sand, lots of length in some areas, and generally tough conditions. Fairways are pretty much lined with knee-high prairie grasses. Bear Slide was the crowd favorite. Wished we could have played a second time.

Lodging:
We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Fishers, IN. Located just north of Indianapolis on North by Northeast Boulevard. Web address is www.DoraBros.com. Jennifer Abel (317-578-9000) handled the accommodations and booked the tee times in advance for us.

Dining:

Putting the 18th Green at Bear Slide Golf Club

One evening at the Loon Lake Lodge featured steaks, seafood and wild game. It was fun, we ate in the bar area. Next night at the Malibu Restaurant in downtown Indianapolis. Good time and then we walked around the downtown area, which is lively. Final night at St. Elmos Steak House. Established in 1902, you'll see why they are still in business. Great steaks and great atmosphere. You can't go wrong here.

Cost:
We had eight players and the cost was $450 per player. The package included three nights lodging at the Holiday Inn, continental breakfast, six rounds of golf with cart included and a sleeve of Nike balls.

Final Thought:
Too bad you can't go there in January. It's a great venue and you can't beat the price.

Review provided by Mike Drone.