R.I.P Pete Dye

[Irishman1979]

Have to say he is the last other than Arthur Hills of the guys that did it the old school way. Arthur Hills is near the end of his life too and I'm sure will pass in the near future.

I must say if I was to vote on what course I would play if I had to choose as my last round in my life, it would have been Wolf Run in Indiana. Its a shame they closed it but when it was around it as probably the most beautiful golf course I had ever seen by Pete Dye. The thing about Pete as you can see from the photos here is how visually intimidating he makes the holes look. But at the same time , he still made his courses playable. For example the pic below shows a very narrow fairway but if you look closely there is plenty of room to miss it right. IF they don't have the rough up, you can easily get to the green in two but remember to just take your medicine and play to the middle of the green.

 

[PappyVanWinkle53]

This just inspired me to book a round at Virginia Beach National, which is right around the corner. RIP, Pete!

[farmer]

Sorry to hear about your dad.

[munichop]

I have played a few of his courses and always felt they were better suited for match play instead of stroke play. He tends to dictate to the player more than allowing a player to choose from multiple options. Once he a got better known his work became too penal for my taste. Golf pundits like to express course design as “examinations”. His courses were beyond algebra and geometry always venturing into differential equations to the point where even if you passed your brain would ache.

By most accounts he and his wife had a fulfilling life that left a legacy and memories for all that knew them. Hard to top that.

[lowheel]

His name will live on forever.His courses will continue to mess with our minds for generations!

[spbrooks]

I love Pound Ridge golf club which he did in Westchester, NY ( I wasn't aware to recently that it's his only NY design) Also Casa De Campo was awesome to play in the DR

Cheers Pete RIP

[ryanslone]

Having been born and raised in Indiana, I have had the pleasure of playing a lot of Pete Dye designs in my home state with my favorites being the Kampen Course at Purdue, Crooked Stick and Brickyard Crossing. But those are easy ones to choose. He has several others that aren't as well known that I love as well. However my favorite will always be the Pete Dye Golf Club in West Virginia, so much story and uniqueness to it. Rest In Peace Pete.

[woods991]

Great loss for the golf world, btw I am lucky to play one of his courses in Cleveland, Fowler’s Mill a true gem. Thoughts and prayers for the Dye family.

[SilverBullets]

I did the exact thing. Tried to hit a draw to hold the left to right wind... ended up pull hooking it. I didn't get all the way down to the beach but I was about 1 foot off (had 1 foot and the ball on grass and 1 foot on the beach/rocks). Hit a full open face flop shot to about 6 feet and made par LOL

 

I have exactly 2 highlights from my round at Straits. I birdied 1. And then made that up and down on 17. The rest of the round was BAD... I shot 90, as a 4 index... the wind was HOWLING all damn day. It calmed down in mid afternoon and I went to on to shoot 75 at the Irish course and I felt like I hit it worse (much easier track and WAY less wind).

[forrester_fire]

13 pages of people discussing DeChambeau gaining 25lbs and only 2 pages of responses to Pete Dye's passing....this forum's members should be ashamed of themselves.

[Hondabuff]

Golf is supposed to be fun, Pete Dye courses are not fun. Beautiful courses but fun is the last thing that comes from my mouth when I have played them.

[LICC]

I had a blast playing Sawgrass. Lots of fun.

[dpb5031]

I appreciate your opinion, but couldn't disagree more. I think Dye courses are a blast. They F with you, especially visually...but deciphering those visual challenges is all part of the fun

[Hawkeye77]

Never played one, but this description makes me want to!

[Christosterone]

I once chipped in on 17 at sawgrass for an 11....

The valley course at sawgrass and TPC Louisiana are 2 criminally underrated courses...

 

-Chris

[dcfas]

Pete gave us countless hours of enjoyment, whether we were playing his courses or watching pros compete on them. RIP Pete and Alice.

[Hondabuff]

I have played Mystic Rock and Shepard's rock a few times. My buddy and I got paired up with a kid who caddies part time for the resort and was basically the Pete Dye decoder for us. It was all about tee shot placement and approach angles into the greens. You can not just fire at the flag and hope to make par. I had one hole where from the mens tees the traps are on the left and its 235 to carry them. First instinct is to just blast the ball over them but there is a weird collection area past them. The caddie said hit a hybrid or 3 wood and stay even with the traps. I hit driver over the traps and had a uphill shot from 75 yards to the pin and it was one of my best drives of the day. He hit a hybrid that bounced to about 230 and was level with the traps. He hit a 9 iron for his approach which I thought was 30 yards right on the green and I thought was a offline shot. I was feeling my self pride an hit a wedge straight at the pin executed the shot to perfection. We walked up to the green and his ball hit the green 30 yards right and rolled down to the pin for a 12 foot put. My wedge left a pitch mark 8' short of the flag and the Prov1x rolled off the green. To this day Im still mad about it. He made birdie and I bogeyed the hole because I chunked my chip and 2 putted from 15 feet. The caddie said you cant shoot at the pins on this course and thats exactly what Pete wants to fool you into doing. Jack Nicklaus courses are fun, Pete Dye courses require a battle plan.