Purgatory GC
Noblesville, IN (just north of Indianapolis)
#17, "Hell's Half Acre"
7,754 YARDS / PAR 72
#25 Toughest Course in America, Golf Digest 2007: "Who knew? Turns out hell's waiting room has 133 bunkers, knee-high rough and only three par 4s less than 450 yards. The unlucky 13th is a 741-yard par 5. Devilish."
#20 Golf World 2008 Reader's Choice poll
Golf.com Review: Just northeast of Indianapolis is Purgatory Golf Club. Open since August 2000, this par 72 Ron Kern design measures in at 7,700 yards from the back tees, and offers six sets of tees to challenge a variety of handicaps. Constructed on 218 acres, the course claims to be the "longest non-mountain par 72 in the world", if played from the back tees. There are over 120 bunkers on the course to challenge golfers, hence the club's name – Purgatory. Although best suited for the experienced high handicap or scratch golfer, Purgatory will reward proper club selection and the ability to get out of the sand. The club has a large 40-station practice range, and a four-hole junior golf course.
Best Bar Nearby: A bunch of Indiana Pacers once got in a well-publicized altercation at a Gentlemen's club called Club Rio in Indy, so you know it's dope, but judge the neighborhood and clientele for yourself, cuz I ain't never been there.
Where To Grub: Philly Daily News says the real-life Jimmy Chitwood from the real-life Hoosiers of Milan High was a guy named Bobby Plump. Tiny Milan High upset Muncie Central in the 1954 Indiana State High School basketball championship, 32-30, on a last second shot by Plump. Check out Bobby's restaurant, Plump's Last Shot (6416 Cornell Ave, Indianapolis, 317-257-5867). For the best of heartland beef, St. Elmo Steakhouse (317-635-0636) makes many "Best Steakhouses" lists.
ESPN.com digs:
Cajun Food
Yats Cajun Creole
5363 N. College Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317-253-8817 | Web site
This is a small place with funky Crescent City decor on every wall. Entrees are cheap and plentiful, ranging from red beans and rice to homemade peanut butter cream pie. If it ain't hot enough for you, Yats has a full selection of spicy sauces for you to try. The soft drink policy is, "Refills are free, and necessary."
Family dining
Moe & Johnny's
5380 N. College Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317-255-6376 | Web site
Hold on to your raccoon coat, this place is even older than Hinkle. It incorporates three old buildings that date back to 1922. The menu goes on forever, and the family dining room features an open-flame stone oven that makes for a cozy setting on a cold, winter night.
Bar
Plump's Last Shot
6416 Cornell Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317-257-5867
The sharpshooting Jimmy Chitwood character in the flick "Hoosiers" was based on real-life local legend Bobby Plump, who really did hit the last-second shot that led tiny Milan High to the state championship at Butler's Hinkle Field House in 1954. Plump later became a legend at Butler and has remained a popular figure at his namesake bar. The walls are loaded with vintage hoops memorabilia from Plump's playing days, and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed for those who might find the college crowd in Indianapolis' Broad Ripple Village district a bit exhausting.
Museum
NCAA Hall of Champions
700 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-916-4255 | Web site
The NCAA campus is a few miles from Hinkle, smack in the heart of the city, and it's a must-see while you're in town. The Hall was remodeled in March 2009 and features interactive displays, championship banners for every sport the organization sponsors and an archive of "One Shining Moment" videos from the past several years of NCAA basketball tournaments. Located at the edge of White River State Park, in case you feel like taking a nature walk afterward.