Don't run, GALLOP to Sultan's Run in Jasper, Indiana

Indiana is perhaps the most under-the-radar great golf state in the nation. Avid golfers can find top-notch courses not only at the state's best universities and luxury resorts, but also scattered across the rolling countryside. North to south, east to west, you can tee it up at these hidden gems for a fraction of the cost of more well-known facilities.

Take, for example, the course that was recently chosen by the Golf Channel's GolfPass membership as the 4^th Best Public Course in America: Sultan's Run. Located in quaint Jasper, Indiana, the 6,859-yard Sultan's Run is a thrilling rollercoaster-ride of a course that culminates with a closing hole that is billed as "The Most Dramatic Signature Hole in Indiana." (More on that later...)

In 1992, a local consortium opened Sultan's Run on the sprawling acreage that used to be a horse farm (hence the course's name and logo). In 1996, one of Pete Dye's accomplished protégés, Tim Liddy, undertook a renovation that included rebuilding some greens and bunkers and slight tweaks to the routing. Today, the zoysia fairways and bentgrass greens deliver outstanding playing conditions in the often extreme southern Indiana climate.

Conditions, layout, and challenge are of such high quality, in fact, that Sultan's Run was chosen to host the 2023 Senior LPGA Championship, adding to a long list of high-profile tournaments held here. The day we visited, the vexingly contoured greens were running about 12 on the Stimp meter. The day after we were there, an Indiana high school sectional was played, and the scores ranged from 68 (-4) to 142 (+70) from the gold tees (6,429 yards).

The course itself isn't the only notable feature of Sultan's Run, however. Co-owner Chris Tretter reports that he and his partner have poured $6-$7 million into the facilities over the past five years. "And we're just getting started," says Tretter. "Our goal is to not just have a great golf course, but to be a premier entertainment and hospitality provider in southern Indiana." Soon there will even be a closed-circuit live-stream of the 18^th fairway and green in the clubhouse so people can watch groups coming in and maybe lay down a bet or two on their performance.

The clubhouse itself was just doubled in size, and on-site lodging has been added. Bordering the final few holes, up to 20 guests can stay in the King of Siam Chalet (12) and the adjoining cottage (8) with gorgeous views of the course. We stayed in the cottage during our visit and were highly impressed with the attention to detail and quality of every single aspect. "I could live here!" my son kept exclaiming.

Greens fees at Sultan's Run max out during peak season weekends at $105, and they often can be considerably lower. (They would easily be double that in the Indianapolis area.) As for pricing of stay-and-play packages, Tretter says, "We do custom pricing for everyone. Just call, and we'll work something out." A true example of Hoosier hospitality!

Playing Sultan's Run

There is simply no space here to describe all the memorable holes at Sultan's Run. Before the round, I asked for advice from one of the exceedingly friendly workers in the well-stocked proshop. Aside from keeping the ball out of the woods and beneath the hole, he said, "There aren't a lot of blind shots. It's all out in front of you."

This description, however, turned out to be total fiction. We counted easily a dozen holes with some sort of blind or semi-blind shot - tee shot, approach, lay-up - especially if we happened to be coming in from a less-than-ideal angle. Fortunately, the golf carts come with precision GPS, which helped a little. (If you're a masochist and want to walk up and down the substantial hills, buy a yardage book!)

One of the features of the layout that is most difficult for first-timers is the change in elevations you experience from hole to hole. For example, the 194-yard, par-3 2^nd could play up to 3 clubs less due to the steep drop (over water) to the green. Unless there's wind, in which case you need at least a masters degree in engineering to pull the right stick. In fact, the entire collection of exquisite par 3s requires some expert surveyor skill.

There's a brilliant mix of short and long par 4s, and I don't think my notes for any course have included more uses of the words "wild" and "crazy." The 347-yard 7^th is, according to said notes, the wildest short par-4 I've ever seen. The fairway heaves and then falls off, and the green itself drops off on the left and back 90 degrees, so even the perfect drive over the blind hill then requires a deft touch for your second shot to hold the putting surface.

But it's not just the short holes that are crazy-fun. The 409-yard 14^th presents another blind tee shot to a fairway that tumbles dangerously downhill (seriously - we lost count of the number of signs warning against cart rollovers). A good drive is equally likely to stick high on the slope for a long, tricky second as it is to roll all the way to the bottom of the valley for a flip-wedge in.

And then there's the 429-yard, par-4 18^th. The GPS lets you know it's "The Most Dramatic Signature Hole in Indiana." When you stand on the tee to address the forced, downhill carry over a ravine, you think, "OK, but the carry on the 9^th was longer." (And it was-that was an intimidating tee shot!) But then, if you're lucky, you get to your ball in the middle of the left-to-right dogleg, and you look uphill toward the green, and you see a 20-foot waterfall ringing the backside of the putting surface. The GPS wasn't lying!

Sultan's Run: The Verdict

I've played a lot of golf in Indiana, including nationally-ranked bucket-listers like The Dye Course at French Lick. But I am being completely honest when I say that none of them have been more fun - nor more challenging first time out - than Sultan's Run. In fact, the final five holes here rank as one of the best extended stretches of closing holes I have seen on any course.

My recommendation is to give Chris Tretter a call, book the chalet or cottage for a night or two, and play Sultan's Run at least a couple times. After your first round, you will DEFINITELY want to take another crack at it. The greens were inscrutable to us, and intimidating in their speed, but smooth and true. The zoysia fairway grass sort of teed up the ball for you on every shot. Just about every shot looked and felt longer than the GPS said, which took real mental discipline to get used to. And the staff were without exception as friendly as we have ever found anywhere. This Hoosier hospitality extends to the rest of Jasper, too - take the time to treat yourself to the famed tenderloin sandwich or an alligator tail platter at the historic Snaps restaurant in town. (Snaps is on Indiana's "Tenderloin Trail.")

So saddle up and gallop down to Jasper for a golf experience you won't soon forget!