By
Joy Neighbors
Pete Dye |
The
Pete Dye Golf Course has been called a golfer’s paradise. It’s rated as the
number one course in Indiana and ranks in the Top 100 of courses around the
country. This iconic course was designed by the legendary golf architect Pete
Dye in 2007.
Original Napkin Plan |
Dye
originally turned down the offer to create the course, saying the Mt. Airie
location would be too difficult to redesign; he
felt that the land was too hilly and the slopes too severe. But after thinking
it over, Dye decided he couldn’t pass up the challenge. He showed up at the resort
and sketched his ideas on a napkin. He later said that he decided to “build the
course whether they want me to or not." (Dye was no
stranger to the resort, he won the 1957 Midwest Amateur Championship, playing
on the beautiful Hilltop Course designed by the legendary Donald Ross.)
The Pete Dye Course |
Dye
has played golf since childhood and helped his father build a nine-hole
course on their Ohio farm. He won several amateur tourneys and continued to
rise in the ranks until he was a championship golfer. But his interest in
course maintenance and design continued to grow. During the 1950s, he designed
two courses located near Indianapolis but it was a trip to Scotland in 1963 that truly
influenced his style: undulating fairways, wooden bulkheads and pot bunkers
became a part of his iconic designs. Dye has been called the
father of the modern golf course and hailed as the most influential golf course
architect of the last five decades. At the age of 90, Pete Dye is still
designing courses worldwide.
Andy Fortner |
Andy
Fortner, Head PGA Professional at the Pete Dye Course reported that it's very
challenging. “The distance and very narrow fairways; the slope and terrain; it’s
just very visually intimidating, but most golfers like a challenge on the
course. And it’s just tough to have a bad day up here with the views.”
Undulating Grounds |
The
Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort officially opened in 2009 and held its
first major PGA event during the summer of 2010. Since then the course has
hosted numerous PGA, Senior PGA and LGPA Championships including the Legends
Championship Tour last weekend. The 18-hole course is a par 72 with volcanic bunkers, three man-made lakes and a variety of
elevations – all surrounded by that breath-taking 40-mile panoramic view.
Dye Course on a Foggy Hoosier Morning |
When
asked what he loved about working here Fortner replied, “I like it because it’s
not so crazy-busy as other courses. That give us more personal time with the
guests and we get to know them better. We want guests to feel at home, like
this is their private club for the day. I love watching people who have never
been here before – they’re just blown away by the views and vistas.”
Course Information:
Pete Dye Course
8670 W State Road 56
Open daily 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(812) 936-5558
Course Accolades:
No. 2 Casino Course in the U.S., Links Magazine, 2014
No. 27, Top 100 Best Resort Courses, GolfWeek Magazine,
2014
No. 93, America’s 100 Greatest Courses, Golf Digest
Magazine, February 2013
No. 17, America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses, Golf Digest
Magazine, February 2013
Indiana Golf Course of the Year, NGCOA, 2012
Top 3 Finalist, NGCOA, 2012
Indiana Course of the Year, Indiana Golf Course Owners
Association, 2012
No. 1 Course in Indiana, GolfWeek’s Best You Can Play,
2011 - 2015
Top 100 Best Public Courses, Golf Digest, 2010
No. 5 Best Casino Course, GolfWeek Magazine, 2010
Best Public Course in Indiana, GOLF Magazine, 2010, 2012,
2014
Indiana’s Best Course You Can Play, GolfWeek Magazine,
2010
America’s Best New Public Course, Golf Digest, 2009
Best New Course of the Year, Golf Magazine, 2009
Rated One of The Best New Courses, Links Magazine, 2009