CaddieTrail Guide

The Best Pete Dye Golf Courses

Pete Dye was golf's most provocative modern architect — island greens, railroad ties, forced carries, and diabolical angles that made every round feel like a battle. Eight of his greatest designs span Florida to Wisconsin to the Dominican Republic. Six are resort-accessible. Two are private. Start with TPC Sawgrass and the Ocean Course. Work your way to The Golf Club.

Pete Dye Trail

Mixed AccessMultiple Trips
Resort

#1 on trail

TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Course)

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Pete Dye's 1980 design hosts The Players Championship annually. The island-green par-3 17th is golf's most-played pressure shot. Resort access, Ponte Vedra Beach.

Resort

#2 on trail

PGA West (Pete Dye Stadium Course)

La Quinta, California

Pete Dye's most punishing desert design, opened in 1986 and home to the Skins Game from 1986–1991. Island fairways, railroad ties, and the notorious par-3 17th define this resort track in La Quinta.

Private

#3 on trail

The Golf Club (New Albany)

New Albany, Ohio

Pete Dye's 1967 private masterpiece in New Albany, Ohio — one of his earliest and most influential designs. Rugged terrain, railroad ties, and minimal concessions to comfort define the experience.

Resort

#4 on trail

Whistling Straits (Straits Course)

Haven, Wisconsin

Pete and Alice Dye carved this Lake Michigan shoreline layout in 1998, bringing Irish links character to Wisconsin. Host to four major championships, as well as the 2021 Ryder Cup.

Resort

#5 on trail

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Pete and Alice Dye's 1991 design stretches along 2.5 miles of Atlantic coastline, exposing all 18 holes to ocean winds. Host of the 1991 Ryder Cup and 2021 PGA Championship.

Resort

#6 on trail

Harbour Town Golf Links

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Pete Dye crafted this 1969 Hilton Head layout with Jack Nicklaus serving as design consultant, built around tree-lined fairways, small greens, and the iconic 18th beside the lighthouse. Host of the PGA Tour's RBC Heritage annually.

Private

#7 on trail

Crooked Stick Golf Club

Carmel, Indiana

Pete and Alice Dye design from 1964 in Carmel, IN. Private club that hosted the 1991 PGA Championship, where John Daly's breakout win made history. Classic Dye risk-reward layout.

Resort

#8 on trail

Casa de Campo (Teeth of the Dog)

La Romana, Dominican Republic

Pete Dye carved seven holes directly along the Caribbean coastline in 1971, making this La Romana resort course one of the most sea-exposed layouts in the world.

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