By From the earliest days of competitive opportunities for female golfers, French Lick Resort has been a proud supporter of women who love the game.
Just one of the many surprises this small-town, southern Indiana golf mecca has to offer.
It’s a tradition that started at the 1958 French Lick Women’s Open. Louise Suggs took home the trophy there, but more importantly, the tourney paved the way for the coming LPGA Championships the next two years.
Some of the pioneers of the early days of women’s golf etched their mark at French Lick, which hosted the fifth and sixth annual LPGA Championship in 1959 and 1960 at the “Hill Course” (now the Donald Ross Course at French Lick). Betsy Rawls reigned over the field in 1959 to win the fourth of her eight major titles. Mickey Wright, who went on to claim 13 majors in her career, was the 1960 champion.
Suggs, one of the founders of the LPGA in 1950 and one of the trailblazers for the modern women’s game, finished third in 1959 and second in 1960 — she went on to accumulate 11 major titles and still ranks fourth all-time with 61 professional titles.
Fast-forward to the present day, and the legends of the game starred at the 2017-2019 Senior LPGA Championships at French Lick Resort’s Pete Dye Course. The future stars are using French Lick as a launching point, too — including Jiwon Jeon, who won the Epson Tour’s 2023 French Lick Charity Classic at The Pete Dye Course en route to earning her LPGA Tour card for 2024.
As for the future? That’s all up to you. Come and play championship Pete Dye and Donald Ross courses in the heart of the Midwest and add your own chapter to a tradition of excellence.
