Strategic Golf

#7 Royal Lytham and St. Annes

It would not be right to go through the week of the British Open without a mention of the influence of golf courses of Great Britain on how Mr. and Mrs. Dye build golf courses. Much has been written about their trip to Great Britain in 1963. My favorite story is how Mr. Dye had Mrs. Dye get in each of the bunkers and he took her picture to give him a reference for the size of the bunker. I have heard that Mrs. Dye told him next time he could be the one to get in the bunkers and she would take his picture. If you look at the depth and size of some of the bunkers at The Open this week you can easily understand her position.

Today on the telecast for The Open Championship, commentator and Hall of Famer, Peter Alliss described the bunkering of Royal Lytham & St. Annes as “proper” bunkers. They are a part of the golf course the players should avoid and penalized if they do not. On many golf courses, in the USA especially, a ball in the bunker is no particular penalty. For skilled players, on these courses, a ball in the bunker is an advantage over most lies in the rough.

Kampen Course at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex

Personally, I love the strategic challenge of a course where the layout of the course dictates where the ball should be played. Hit it as far as you can and then hit it again golf does not do much for me anymore. That is what I love about playing the golf courses on the Pete Dye Golf Trail, there is a mental challenge as well as a physical one.

We are fortunate in Indiana to have so many Pete and Alice Dye courses to play. In many parts of the country access to strategic courses like those on the trail have limited access. I hope you can find the time to play a Pete Dye Golf Trail golf course this summer. When you do send me an email and tell me about it. Nothing I like better than to replay a round after it has been played. I am easily reached at petedyegolftrail@gmail.com.