Extol Magazine

APR-MAY 2015

Extol Magazine Celebrating Southern Indiana is a local publication that covers stories about businesses people places or events throughout the cities of New Albany Jeffersonville Clarksville Sellersburg and Louisville KY

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"COOK"-ING UP A LEGACY West Baden Springs, a historic landmark hotel built in 1901 as a part of the French Lick Resort, is a mesmerizing structure well-known today for its massive dome atrium. It serves as the perfect complement to the French Lick Springs Hotel, which was built in the same year. But the allure was not always so efervescent. Decades after their respective construction, both hotels slowly turned decrepit. A facelift was desperately required. In 2006, that much-needed revitalization found its leader when the late Bill Cook stepped to the plate with a vision, enthusiasm and a hefty checkbook. With wealth derived from the success of the Cook Group, a medical device company he founded with his wife Gayle, the Bloomington native orchestrated a $500 million restoration efort that ultimately invigorated the property, rejuvenated the community and revived a sagging economy by generating jobs and bringing forth a hearty desire to turn his dream into a tangible success. Wanting to create a one-stop resort destination that included all the luxuries and amenities imaginable and would extol the virtues and traits he held dearest, Cook's commitment also included a yearning to resuscitate the golf scene in French Lick and create a course ft for a king. THE BIRTH OF THE PETE DYE COURSE One of the wealthiest men in the world – before his death at the age of 80 in 2011 – Cook knew a good thing when he saw it. No matter what he did, Cook wanted to do it right. So when he put his mind to adding a world-class golf course to the French Lick Resort property, Cook brought in the best in the business. Bryan Karns, who was brought on board as the Senior PGA Championship director in December 2013, has been living in French Lick in an apartment a mile down the road from the resort since accepting the position. Now well-versed on the subject matter and all things Orange County, Karns says Cook was undeniably integral in changing the culture at the resort and within the community. "He changed the mentality as a result of his commitment to making things great," Karns said. "And a big part of that was having a premier, world-class golf course and making something really incredible." Enter Pete Dye, one of the world's most well-respected golf designers and architects, who was personally sought and recruited by Cook. Born in Urbana, Ohio, but a native of Carmel, Ind., Dye grew up playing on a nine- hole golf course built by his father. Tat passion stayed with him for decades and eventually materialized into a career centered around the art of molding, designing and shaping some of the top courses in the world. Today, Dye is credited with over 100 courses in 15 U.S. states, including 17 in Indiana alone, and several countries around the world. Etched into the hilltops of the Hoosier National Forest, the course at French Lick Resort, which bears Dye's namesake, is one of four in existence on the property, but by far the most difcult and most picturesque – neither of which are by mistake. At 7,400 yards, and possessing the fexibility to be stretched to more than 8,100 yards, the par-72 course is ranked as the top course in Indiana, one of the top 100 in the country and was designed by Dye to be challenging and charming all at once. "I've seen a lot of golf courses, but Pete Dye is unbelievable. It's really one-of-a-kind," Karns said. "Te challenges this course provides, and just how incredibly beautiful it is, will allow us the chance to provide our players a unique challenge. And for fans tuning in on TV, it's going to look just unbelievable." PREPPING FOR PGA With a completed resort restoration that includes a combined 700 rooms between French Lick and West Baden Springs, and then the Pete Dye Golf Course, which was ofcially made available for play in 2009, the resort continued its journey of working to attract a top-notch golf event to its location. 2014 Senior PGA Champion Colin Montgomerie held up the Alfred S. Bourne trophy he received after winning the tournament. 18 EXTOL • APRIL/MAY 15

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