This article was written in partnership with Visit Dubois County.
“We have such good people, and that’s the beauty of Dubois County,” Chris Tretter, General Manager/Co-owner of Sultan’s Run, explained about the success of the renowned golf course.
His words echo across the 18-hole course set in the rolling hills of Southern Indiana near Jasper, where American Saddlebred Stallion, Supreme Sultan, once roamed. The course, a Boardroom Magazine and Forbes Travel Guide Distinguished Golf Destination, is 300 acres of sculptured serenity.
Even in this setting, he insists the heart of hospitality at Sultan’s Run is its staff.
“It sounds so cliche,” he said. “But, man, is it true. These people are solid individuals. Good at what they do, passionate about what they do, and they want Sultan’s Run to be successful.”
Whether it’s the welcome waves from the outside staff as guests enter the parking lot at the end of the scenic drive up through the heart of the course or the helpful conversation with the attendant in the pro shop, every guest is treated like a friend. It’s one of two guiding principles for the club.
“Number one, make our guests feel special,” Chris said. “If that’s what we’re trying to do, it’s pretty hard to go wrong.”
His first principle overlaps with his second: details matter.
Details like providing a small towel in every golf cart cup holder and custom tees with the Sultan’s Run crest for every golfer to use and keep.
“Little touches like that are what elevate the experience and hopefully make the guests feel special,” Chris said.
A country club experience without the required membership.
Then there’s the work in the background and offseason that elevates the atmosphere and the course’s aesthetic. This offseason’s projects included adding another bunker on hole six, renovating the driving range and planting no-mow native grasses to “make the course pop”, as well as completely updating the golf cart fleet.
It’s a constant drive toward improvement that has been the foundation of Chris’s leadership of the course since joining in 2019.
A decision that came from a path that began as he was searching for ways to deepen his faith and service.
Around 2004, Chris found himself on the treadmill of life, coming up empty. In that emptiness and through prayer, he brought some newfound golf skills back to his hometown, Ferdinand, looking to help kids through the game.
He became the Forest Park Boys’ coach and helped start the local chapter of The First Tee, a core group of golf enthusiasts and coaches who work with youth to instill character, self-confidence, determination, and leadership through golf.
His dedication to the game and coaching built the program at Forest Park from six players in his first season to 17 players in his final season. He did this by visiting local elementary schools and introducing the game to third-grade students.
He still runs into kids, now adults, whom he coached or introduced to the game.
It was during this time that he was approached by Steve Braun, former owner of Sultan’s Run, about becoming a partner. Steve was seeking someone with a vested interest in building Sultan’s Run into the world-class course it could be.
Chris saw the vision and the beauty of the land he would be working with, and agreed to partner with him. And as with everything in his life, he’s dedicated himself to making Sultan’s Run better while building on its legacy since making that decision.
He’s driven by a work ethic instilled in him at an early age, bound by his faith and connection to golf.
“I love the game,” Chris said.
Whether it’s improving Sultan’s Run, taking some time in the evening after work to hit some balls on the range or using it as a foothold for mentorship, golf has filled that emptiness he had those many years ago. It’s also filled his life with people from all over the country who want to experience Sultan’s Run, and an opportunity to work with all three of his children.
These days, when asked what Sultan’s Run is, Chris is quick to say they are a hospitality company. Every improvement he’s made has been aimed at creating a complete experience for guests — not just 18 memorable holes, but a place to gather, celebrate and stay awhile.
He’s expanded the clubhouse into an event venue for weddings, showers, corporate outings and celebrations of all kinds, each framed by one of the most dramatic finishing holes in the region. And with the addition of Starina Ranch near hole 14, along with the King of Siam Cottage and King of Siam Chalet near 17, Sultan’s Run has answered the growing demand for stay-and-play experiences.
Those names carry the weight of a legacy built on Supreme Sultan. Each property carries the name and legacy of a descendant of Supreme Sultan, just like the individual holes of the course are also named after champion foals sired by the stallion.
It’s a distinct legacy that reflects the land’s origins as the home of a celebrated American Saddlebred horse farm, anchored by a world champion.
It’s an important connection for Chris.
“This place is very special,” Chris said. “The legacy of Supreme Sultan stands on its own. No other course in the world can claim what Sultan’s Run can claim.”
For him, honoring that legacy isn’t just about preserving history. It’s about extending the same sense of pride, excellence, and welcome that built it — ensuring every guest who walks the grounds leaves feeling like they were part of something special.