Purgatory GC - Hole #17

Golf Travel Guide To Hamilton County Indiana Golf

An Interview With Sarah Billman, Hamilton County CVB

By Brian Weis

Looking to plan the perfect golf trip to Hamilton County Indiana Golf? Planning a buddies trip or a romantic golf getaway can be a full time job not to mention pressure filled to deliver a memorable experience. Below is an interview with Sarah Billman, Sales Coordinator at the Hamilton County CVB, who shares some insider information about golfing and traveling to Hamilton County Indiana Golf, must play courses, a sample itinerary and where you can go for more planning tools.

Give our readers an overview of your destination and why they should consider it for their next golf trip?
Hamilton County, just North of Indianapolis, has a number of championship-caliber courses, updated hotel accommodations, and plenty of restaurants, shops, and attractions to choose from to make your stay a memorable one. We find golf groups returning year after year due the convenience and variety of courses. Hamilton County is a safe and friendly community, packing our Hoosier hospitality into everything we do.

What are the must play courses in Hamilton County Indiana Golf?
River Glen features numerous water hazards and bunkers, but is most loved for its scenic appeal and mature trees.

Purgatory is truly unique in that it's 'sinfully' long yet playable. It offers six sets of tees at every hole to meet the needs of every player. If you were to play it from the championship tees, Purgatory plays at 7,200 yards, making it the longest par-72 course east of the Mississippi River.

Prairie View, the area's most awarded courses, features an open front and several holes surrounded by tall, native grass. On the back nine, oak and sycamore trees line the fairways. Overall, Prairie View is a challenging course resting on the state's most beautiful prairie land.

Plum Creek is a gem in "Indiana's Pete Dye Trail". Plum Creek offers varying degrees of difficulty, allowing for all ranges of abilities to play.

The Fort Golf Resort and The Brickyard Crossing Golf Course are just a short drive from Hamilton County and are a part of "Indiana's Pete Dye Trail". At The Brickyard Crossing, you can play four holes inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, creating a truly unique playing experience. The Fort is nestled in a scenic knoll of Historic Fort Harrison Start Park and is consistently ranked as one of the top courses in the nation.

Bear Slide is yet another unique course offering a Scottish links-style on the front nine and a more traditional and tree-lined style on the back. One hole even features sand bunkers that line up and look like a bear claw.

What is the hidden gem and/or best value course?
They are all very special.

Can you provide our readers with an ideal itinerary for a long weekend?
As you drive into town, wherever you may be coming from, it would be fun to start at one of the seven courses on the Indiana Pete Dye Trail. The seven courses are sprinkled throughout the state, allowing you to break up your road trip and experience a famous Pete Dye course. That evening you could spend at one of our local restaurants and breweries, featuring a local Bicentennial Brew, resting up for the next day. The next day, now rested, you can begin with a challenging yet playable course, Purgatory. From the championship tees, this course plays at 7,200 yards. You can make a day out of this course. The next day, starting your day Plum Creek or River Glen would be a good decision. After Purgatory you will need a breather, and they both offer varying levels of difficulty with a little more relaxed atmosphere. Prairie View is just down the road from Plum Creek and close to River Glen so you can easily play two courses in one day. Your last day could consist of Bear Slide, The Fort, or The Brickyard Crossing, all notable for different reasons. Perhaps you decide based on what direction you'll be driving home. Bear Slide is farther north while The Brickyard and The Fort are closer to Indianapolis.

After golf, what are the "must do" things or attractions to see?
After a perfect day on the links, treat yourself to a taste of local favorites! Hamilton County serves up local neighborhood eateries featuring all of your traditional favorites. 2016 is Indiana's Bicentennial, and breweries around town are featuring their own Bicentennial Brew. You won't want to miss out on these historical brews! In addition, you can visit Carmel Arts and Design District and City Center for locally owned restaurants and a great all-around atmosphere. Swing by Clay Terrace or Hamilton Town Center to satisfy your appetite for steak, seafood and American fare. Nearby, you can visit historic Noblesville Square, quaint Westfield or Fishers Nickel Plate District and sample each community's unique local flavor.

What is the best time to travel?
With summer hotel rooms filling up fairly quickly, we've noticed fall is becoming the best time to travel. The weather is cooling off and the tree leaves are starting to turn. The days are beautiful and sunlight is still on our side. Stay and Play packages are also discounted in October and November, creating a winning situation for golfers.

Where can golfers go for more information to research and plan their trip?
Golfers can visit www.IndianasPremierGolf.com for more information.

As you'll seen on the website, golfers just have to decide their courses, days and time of play, hotel choice, and we'll take care of the rest.
Hamilton County Indiana Golf
317-660-4042
www.indianaspremiergolf.com

Revised: 02/09/2016 - Article Viewed 30,694 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying 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), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.