RIP, Pete Dye

[Tripping William]

Man, could that dude torment a golfer. He passed today at the age of 94.

[left_hook_lacey]

Man, could that dude torment a golfer. He passed today at the age of 94.

Amen to that.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

His courses were too “tricked up” for my taste. Didn’t like his Landfall course (Wilmington, NC) at all.

RIP Pete.

[Tripping William]

His courses were too “tricked up” for my taste. Didn’t like his Landfall course (Wilmington, NC) at all.

RIP Pete.

Like wine (Ymm, Wine), beer (Ymm, Beer), and bourbon (Ymmm, Bourbon), Dye’s courses strike different people differently. For instance, Oak Hollow (High Point) and Cardinal (Greensboro) don’t strike me as tricked-up at all. Harbor Town is one of my very favorite layouts anywhere. And the Ocean Course at Kiawah is a tour de force, IMO (no pretense of an H).

I had a love-hate relationship with that man ...

[duketaylor]

Like wine (Ymm, Wine), beer (Ymm, Beer), and bourbon (Ymmm, Bourbon), Dye’s courses strike different people differently. For instance, Oak Hollow (High Point) and Cardinal (Greensboro) don’t strike me as tricked-up at all. Harbor Town is one of my very favorite layouts anywhere. And the Ocean Course at Kiawah is a tour de force, IMO (no pretense of an H).

I had a love-hate relationship with that man ...

all the Dye courses I've played, looks like 6. The Cardinal, one of my 2 college wins, TPC Sawgrass, which we played in 1982 or 83 as a golf team. Oak Tree (Edmond, Ok) for the US Amateur in 84, La Quinta and PGA West (finals for Tour School, maybe '86), Kingsmill (State HS Chcampionship).

Coach asked me after playing Sawgrass, I replied I think it's too penalizing when a ball can land within a one-foot circumference and have vastly different outcomes due to all his mounding and slopes in the greens, bringing too much luck into the equation. I broke par that day but didn't like the course much.
The Cardinal is my fave Dye course I've played, tough but fair, with plenty of risk/reward shots.

Oak Tree was pretty good, but the USGA grew the rough way too deep for the Am, couldn't play out of it, missed making match play by 3 shots.

La Quinta's a cool course, save the 10th hole which has a forced carry of about 240 over a lake. I heard in a Q-School past that guys were making double-digits on the hole because the wind was blowing in, and hard, and they couldn't get across. The PGA had to cancel the round.

PGA West was a beast at 7500 yards in the mid-late 80's, including a par 3 on the back that could play 260 across a lake. We never played the back tees and played it about 203-220 yards. Had one of the first Skins games there the week before, so I went early and watched them: Nicklaus, Trevino, Fuzzy and Arnie.

Kingsmill is 45 minutes from my home. Have played it prolly 8 times. First 3 times were as a senior in HS, finished 3rd in the state. Was in contention, shot 41 on the front final day to take myself out, then returned 32 on the back to get closer. I thought it was a little tricked up for back then, but it isn't long enough for today's skilled men's players. The LPGA still plays a tour event there. They like it.

Pete Dye revolutionized golf course architecture. I'm more a fan of old-school courses than some of his designs. I always like Hope Valley (Donald Ross) in Durham, Maumelle CC in Little Rock ( http://www.maumellecc.com/golf.asp), etc. Favorite designers are Donald Ross, Jones', Flynn, MacKenzie, etc. Viniterra, by Rees Jones, is 25 minutes from here, nice course, then nearby is Royal New Kent (Mike Strantz), much too hard for Joe Golfer. Jefferson-Lakeside, here in Richmond is quite short, but all the test one needs, designed by Ross. Also, William Flynn designed CCV's River course here, which hosts the Senior Tour each October, absolutely great course.

Wow, a trip down Memory Lane...getting old

RIP Mr. Dye!!!!

[duketaylor]

William Flynn didn't design, CCV River course, Fred Findlay did, as well as Farmington, two of my faves anywhere. If any of you want to play either, I can prolly get us on them, golf mecca, IMO.