Pete Dye's Golf Courses and Daring Design Traits

You might not connect Pete Dye's "Dye-abolical" golf courses with the classics from Old Tom Morris, but the two golf architectural legends are separated by just one middle-man: Donald Ross.

Pete Dye was an American golf course designer who lived an incredible life surrounded by golf, architecture, and the pursuit of creating golf drama. Some of golf’s most notable and unique holes and courses carry the "Dye" label. From the par-3 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass to the unmistakable Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, Pete Dye knew how to appeal to the senses.

The legacy that Pete Dye left behind after his passing in 2020 tells the story of a man devoted to his craft. His innovations and accolades are still highlighted at each professional event played on his courses. With over 150 courses to his credit, golfers everywhere can experience Dye's vision and immense talent.

Pete Dye was born Paul Dye Jr. on December 29, 1925, in Urbana, Ohio. Shortly before he was born, Pete’s father, Paul, tried his hand at golf course design when he built a 9-hole course on some family land called Urbana Country Club. This was the site of Pete’s first job and was also where he practiced golf. In high school, Pete became a state champion and played well in state amateur tournaments.

In 1944, however, Dye enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 18. He served two years while stationed near Pinehurst, North Carolina. It was while practicing at Pinehurst that he met Donald Ross and began to understand his true direction in life. Donald Ross helped nurture Dye the way another legend, Old Tom Morris himself, mentored Ross, helping pass on the lineage of world-famous golf course architecture.

After being discharged, Dye moved to Florida and met his wife (and fellow course architect) Alice. Pete chased his professional golf dream until his mid-30s, even qualifying for the U.S. Open in 1957, before committing to a career as a golf course architect.

Dye had some success in the early going. In 1964, he finally hit it big when Crooked Stick Golf Club opened its doors. That's when Dye became the hottest name in course design and he, along with Alice, carried out some of the most interesting and notable courses in the U.S. and beyond.

Dye died January 9, 2020 in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He is buried behind the 8th green at Casa de Campo, a course in the Dominican Republic. 

Pete Dye’s eye for the dramatic knew no bounds, and this trait all but smacks you over the head on his golf courses. Dye let his imagination take over and he made some of the most incredible decisions without hesitation. He even routed a golf course through Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Brickyard Crossing). Here are some key Pete Dye signature traits you'll see when playing a Dye course, or watching one on TV:

• Dramatic shots in every possible location
• Holes that look much more difficult than they actually play
• Difficult contours on greens
• Short par-4 holes with risk/reward opportunities

We mentioned several signature Pete Dye courses already, but here’s a list that captures much more of his impressive architecture.

RELATED: Pete Dye's Best Public Golf Courses