On this date 99 years ago (December 29, 1925), Pete Dye was born in Urbana, OH to Paul Dye, Sr (Pink) and Elizabeth Dye!! One of history’s greatest and legendary golf course architects, Pete (along with his wife, Alice) designed over 150 world-class golf courses, including TPC Sawgrass (Stadium course), the courses at Whistling Straits, Kiawah Island (Ocean Course), Teeth of the Dog, Harbortown Golf Links, Crooked Stick and many other infamous courses.

Pete’s courses have hosted major tournaments, Ryder Cups, and hundreds of PGA, LPGA and European Tour tournaments. His designs are renowned for signature design elements including angular hole routings, large sweeping bunkers, multi-tiered greens, and other unique features like the use of railroad ties, the first ‘waste bunkers’, and popularizing ‘island greens’.

Pete Dye received the Old Tom Morris Award in 2003 from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, their highest honor. In 2004, he was the recipient of the PGA Distinguished Service Award, the highest annual honor of the PGA of America, which recognizes individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf.

In 2005, Dye became the sixth recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2008 in the Lifetime Achievement category. The American Society of Golf Course Architects bestowed the Donald Ross Award on Dye in 1995. Dye was named Architect of the Year by Golf World magazine, awarded a Doctor of Landscape Architecture degree from Purdue University, received Indiana’s Sagamore of the Wabash award and was honored as Family of the Year by the National Golf Foundation.

Happy Birthday, Pete!!!