Pfau Course at Indiana University

Overview: The Pfau Course at Indiana University occupies a 265-acre property on the east side of Bloomington, where rolling southern Indiana ground meets woodland, open space, and forest edges. Steve Smyers and Fuzzy Zoeller created an 18-hole championship course that uses the natural movement of the site rather than imposing a flat grid. The par-71 layout offers several tee options and can stretch well beyond 7,000 yards, with broad views and a varied sequence of holes. Bunkers, changing approaches, and the movement around the greens reward thoughtful positioning and a willingness to use more than one style of shot.

History: Indiana University had used the property for golf since the 1950s, and the former IU Championship Golf Course dated from 1957. The university later undertook a $12 million transformation that replaced the old layout and added a new clubhouse. The Pfau Course was dedicated in 2019 and opened for public play in June 2020. It was created to support the IU men's and women's teams while also serving Bloomington and the wider Indiana golf community.

Did You Know? The land has hosted two distinct generations of university golf. The former 1957 course staged the 1961 Big Ten Men's Golf Championship, where Ohio State's Jack Nicklaus won the individual title, before the modern Pfau layout took its place on the same property.