In 1987, the Little Blue River flooded the town of English in south-central Indiana for the last time. All 614 residents of the town were relocated, leaving behind abandoned buildings filled with generations of memories and local history. But the love of the place runs deep in this rural community 45 minutes north of Louisville, and old time residents could not simply allow the land to become overgrown flood plain.

Poor farm land often makes great golf ground, so when Glenn Gulick and wife Lucinda got discouraged farming, their thoughts turned to finding alternative uses for land. It was too rolling for row crops, too dry to be good pastureland and too remote to sell to a housing developer. They contacted ASGCA member firm Hurdzan/Fry, who saw their land as well adapted for building a practical golf course, which meant keeping all expenditures low. After going through an extensive research phase, followed by equally exhaustive schematic and design development phases, a master plan emerged that showed very little clearing, earthmoving or drainage was needed.