Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Special Offer to Pete Dye Golf Trail Passport Holders

When I speak to golfers about visiting Indiana and playing the courses of the Pete Dye Golf Trail much of our discussions are about other aspects of the trip. Primarily, we talk about where to stay and what to eat. We are fortunate to have a wide variety of options available. Obviously, we have a one of a kind facility like French Lick Resort. We have the quaint and comfortable lodging options of The Fort Golf Resort at Fort Benjamin Harrison, and we have the dining options provided by all of our Pete Dye Golf Trail member facilities. Beyond that, we have some great friends in the food, hospitality and entertainment industry who have supported the Pete Dye Golf Trail from the start. 

One of our greatest supporters is the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott and The Champions Sports Bar. In a previous post on May 31, we wrote about The Downtown Indy Experience and featured the hotel and restaurant in that post. For those of you not familiar with Champions Sports Bar  here is some information from their website.
Champions Sports Bar & Grill is the hottest destination in Downtown Indianapolis. With 28 brand new HD TVs, two jumbo projector screens, and a vast array of delicious dishes and refreshing drinks, Champions is the best place to catch the big game in Downtown Indy. Settle in for a great meal with some friends, bring your alumni or corporate group by for some drinks, or forge some new friendships at Champions.
Delectable menu items include zesty quesadillas, a towering nacho platter, refreshing salads and sandwiches, mouthwatering burgers, pasta, and more. Appease your sweet tooth with a brownie, ice cream sundae or our signature dessert, Chocolate Nachos—crisp flour tortillas tossed in cinnamon and sugar, topped with chopped Baby Ruth candy bars, marshmallows and vanilla ice cream. Indulge in an impressive bar menu of draft and bottled beer, wine and signature cocktails. When seeking Indianapolis sport bars with a friendly staff, delicious food, convenient location, and an incredible sports-watching experience, head to Champions and get ready to eat and feel like a winner.
Chocolate Nachos
Make a Reservation
Champions Sports Bar Indianapolis
Phone: (317) 405-6111
Hours: Lunch and Dinner
Dress Code Casual
Speaking of the restaurant, They have graciously offered your choice of their famous ChocolateNachos…
or a delicious appentizer....

Onion Ring Tower

to any golfer who brings their copy of the Pete Dye Golf Trail Passport to the restaurant.



Don’t have your copy of the Passport? You can get one at any of the Pete Dye Golf Trail member facilities. They are also available at the Hamilton, Marshall, Lafayette/West Lafayette CVB’s and the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association. Finally, you can always contact me at bruce.rearick@petedyegolftrail.com. I will be glad to get you one.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

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.


Monday, July 16, 2012

Pete Dye "Builds".

People frequently ask me, "How many golf courses has Pete Dye designed?" I was never sure of the exact number, I am not sure anyone knows for sure, so I would answer, "hundreds". After a recent visit with Mr. Dye, I now know the exact answer.


None.


If you had the chance to ask Mr. Dye in person, he would tell you,  "I never "designed" a golf course in my life. I have built a few, but never designed one."


As a golf lifer, that comment was enlightening. In the media, we always hear about the great designs, when in reality the prebuild drawings or design has very little to do with the final product. It is the build that makes them great. The ability to move and shape to create the final product. The ability to predict where the water will drain, where the ball will land and how the ball will roll. This can only be done during the build process, in conjunction with those doing the moving and shaping.












So my new answer is, "He has built hundreds."








Here is a list of the golf courses "built" in Indiana. If I missed any please let me know.The highlighted courses are the members of the Pete Dye Golf Trail.
Public
The Pete Dye Course - French Lick Resort
Maple Creek Country Club (formerly Heather Hills Country Club) - Indianapolis
Eagle Creek Golf Club (Pines and Sycamore Courses) at Eagle Creek Park - Indianapolis
Sahm Golf Course - Indianapolis
The Fort Golf Course - Fort Harrison State Park - Indianapolis
Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex at Purdue University (Kampen Course) - West Lafayette
Oak Tree Golf Course (front nine) - Plainfield
Mystic Hills Golf Course - Culver
Forest Park - Brazil
Private
Maple Creek Golf & Country Club - Indianapolis First 18 Hole design


Dye's Walk  (formerly Eldorado Country Club) - Greenwood Very first design - Back Nine.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Pete Dye and The World's Best Players

Last week’s, USGA Women’s Open, got me thinking about how many professional events would be played on Pete Dye built golf courses this season. Here is what I found.
RBC Heritage Championship – Harbor Town Golf Links (with Jack Nicklaus)
Valero Texas Open – TPC San Antonio (with Greg Norman) 

Zurich Classic of New Orleans - TPC Avondale

17th TPC Sawgrass
 The Players Championship – TPC Sawgrass
Travelers Championship – TPC River Highlands

PGA Championship – Kiawah Island Ocean Course

PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament – PGA West Stadium Course
BMW Championship – Crooked Stick Golf Club
For the Women
USGA Women’s Open – Blackwolf Run
Kingsmill Championship – Kingsmill Resort River Course
I may have missed some. Certainly, I have not listed the dozens of regional professional events like the Indiana State Open, held at The French Lick Resort this week, or the hundreds of amateur and collegiate tournaments held at Dye courses all over the country.
Are you playing or attending a golf tournament at a Pete Dye Golf Course this summer? We would like to hear about it. You can contact me at bruce.rearick@petedyegolftrail.com. We want to know how you did. Of course, you do not have to be an elite player or play in a competition to have your own Pete Dye Golf Experience this summer. The challenge of playing a round on The Pete Dye Golf Trail is available every day.

HARBOR TOWN GOLF LINKS


Monday, July 2, 2012

A Pete Dye Golf Experience

This week the USGA holds the Women’s Open golf Championship for the 67th time. Always special, that the tournament location is a Pete Dye design makes it extra special. Blackwolf Run at The American Club in Kohler Wisconsin opened as 18 holes in 1988. The Kohler Company added 9 holes in 1989, and the complex expanded to 36 in 1990. The Championship Course follows the original 18 hole routing and is composite of holes of what is now know as the River and Meadow Valleys  courses.

This is the second USGA Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run. The first was held in 1998 won by Se Ri Park in a playoff. The Original Championship Course will be set up at 6,954 yards and will play to a par of 36-36—72. I can remember when we used to play the Men’s Championship at that length. Needless to say I think this is going to be a very challenging golf course for the best women players in the world.
If you cannot visit the tournament in person, I would suggest the next best thing is a round of golf at one or more of the Pete Dye Golf Trail golf courses and then watch the tournament on television.  Have a Pete Dye Golf experience this week.