When Carl Fisher and James Allison first mentioned the idea of a golf course on the IMS grounds during their negotiations with soon-to-be owner Eddie Rickenbacker, they were simply brainstorming ways to generate revenue outside of race day. Little did they know that the course would grow to have a proud history of its own, hosting stars of professional golf like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Lee Trevino, Indy 500 champions, and international superstars like The Beatles.
Originally designed by legendary Indiana architect Bill Diddel, the Speedway Golf Course first opened in 1929 with 9 holes outside the track and 9 in the speedway infield. Nine additional holes were added in 1965, and the 27-hole facility featured a championship 18-hole layout outside the track, with the “Track Nine” still on the infield. This layout endured until world-renowned architect Pete Dye redesigned the facility in 1992, and the renamed Brickyard Crossing Golf Course opened in 1993 in its current form; 14 holes to the East of the backstretch and four holes in the infield.
The golf course has hosted a myriad of professional events, beginning with the 500 Festival Open in May of 1960. The tournament, which ran for nine years from 1960-1968 was played on Memorial Day weekend, with rounds 1-3 taking place Thursday through Saturday, a break for race day on the Sunday, and the final round being played on Monday. In addition, Brickyard Crossing became one of the few courses to host a PGA and LPGA tournament in the same year when the 500 Ladies Classic was played in June of 1968. The PGA Champions Tour visited the course from 1994-2000 and most recently, the LPGA Tour held the Indy Women in Tech Championship for three years from 2017-2019.
Listed below are the events that Brickyard Crossing has hosted over the years, along with their winners.
LPGA Indy Women in Tech Championship by Group 1001
- 2019 Champion Mi Jung Hur
- 2018 Champion Sung Hyun Park
- 2017 Champion Lexi Thompson
Comfort Classic at the Brickyard PGA Champions Tour
Brickyard Crossing Championship Produced by the Brickyard Foundation
Brickyard Crossing Championship
Brickyard Crossing Championship presented by GTE
500 Festival Open PGA Tour
- 1968 Billy Casper
- 1967 Frank Beard
- 1966 Billy Casper
- 1965 Bruce Crampton * played at Greentree CC(Twin Lakes)
- 1964 Gary Player
- 1963 Dow Finsterwald
- 1962 Billy Casper
- 1961 Doug Ford
- 1960 Doug Ford
"500" Ladies Classic 1960 LPGA Jun 13 - Jun 16
- MICKEY WRIGHT Champion
212 (-4)
Winnings: $2,250 - Kathy Whitworth Runner Up
Despite the rich on-course history at Brickyard Crossing, the course’s most famous claim to Indianapolis history may not have gotten past the practice green. In September of 1964, The Beatles made a last minute change-of-plans and spent the night at the old Speedway Motel after two shows at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The following day, the group grabbed whatever golf clubs they could find and took a few photos on the putting green next to the clubhouse. One of the pictures can be seen in the entrance to the Brickyard Crossing clubhouse, and another was used as a cover for a two-track, 45 RPM LP featuring the songs “Eight Days A Week” and “I’m A Loser” released in 1964.