Conversation between Pete Dye and Chris Buie from 2015

[Ran Morrissett]

https://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview/interview-with-pete-dye/

In a break from a 20 year old tradition, this month's Feature Interview isn't in written form. Rather it is a conversation that Chris Buie had with Pete Dye 5 years ago when Chris was researching his book The Life & Times of Donald Ross.

Why was Chris even interviewing Dye for a book on Ross? Many of you know the answer but some may not. Chris was trying to gain a better sense of Donald Ross the Man v. Donald Ross the Legend and he reasoned the best way to do so was to talk to people who knew and spent time with Ross. When Dye was stationed at nearby Fort Bragg in the 1940s, he would come over to Pinehurst '30 or 40 ... or 50 times,' occasionally spending time with Ross.

After Dye's passing on January 9th, our intent became to run this taped conversation in September when the Ryder Cup was to be held at Whistling Straits. Well... that didn't happen but that doesn't alter the fact that people will get a kick out of listening to it. FYI, Dye knew the conversation was being taped and told Chris to use it as he saw fit. Chris has edited it to 23 minutes and Dye does talk about several non-related Ross matters such as green speeds and the need for back tees. However, please note that this conversation is NOT an interview with Dye about his own his career or an in-depth probe into his specific views on architecture. That was simply not the intent of the call and Chris certainly wasn't go to overstay his welcome with Dye who had already been generous with his time.

This conversation is a rare glimpse not only into Ross's character but also into a young Pete Dye. Peter Dobereiner once wrote, "While I have never met Pete Dye, I know him well. He is 500 years old and has absorbed the wisdom of the ages. He has a pointed hat and a flowing robe embroidered with occult symbols. When he speaks, he becomes extremely animated, and gesticulates a lot with flashes of blue static crackling from his long fingernails."  The man on the call is a man that first served his country and then served the sport of golf for seven decades. That makes him a perma-hero of mine and we have Chris to thank for allowing us to spend time listening and learning.

Somewhat akin to Old Tom Morris, Dye witnessed changes in technology that greatly concerned him. Though an advocate for bolder contours and green speeds in the 8 to 9 range, Dye had no choice but to adapt to speeds of 11 and 12 as certain slopes simply don't function properly when the green speeds approach 12. Nonetheless, Dye acknowledges that some things never change, including how good players still have 'the same problem of getting the ball into the hole.'

Historians appreciate that Pinehurst played a central role in the process of passing the baton from the Golden Age to the Modern Age. The first ASGCA annual meeting in 1947 was famously held here (talk about assembled luminaries!) and though Dye was a 'nobody' in architecture in the 1940s, he spent the next 7 decades leading, innovating and altering that profession. If only Ross knew where their conversations would lead!

Best,

[Chris Buie]

This interview happened only because of Tom Paul. I was telling him about talking to several people who knew Ross personally. I offhandedly mentioned it would be great to interview Mr. Dye. In typical Tom Paul fashion, he said 'oh, Pete's a friend of mine. I think he'd be happy to talk to you'. I shouldn't have been surprised.
So, a call was set up. Tom Paul, Pete and Alice Dye...there's a golfing trio for you. All totally gracious about helping some kid with his project. Then again, golf has always had a way of attracting kind people, as Mr. Dye reminds us based on his own personal interactions with Donald Ross himself!

[Peter Pallotta]

Thanks, Chris
Very enjoyable.
One line in particular stood out for me, not despite but because of its simplicity.
"I've built 6 or 7 courses for him, and they're all different -- for different people".
Just so basic: a wide-range of designs for a wide-range of golfers/types of golf.

[Steve Lang]

   Thank you Chris & Ran... 


This great conversation, a bit of priceless oral history, is a very nice way to capture the real personality of someone like Pete Dye and one has to wonder what something similar with Donald Ross would have been like.  Perhaps Ross would rib his field supervisors for plan changes but in the end agree they did pretty good...


Would love to hear more conversations with golf course architects and superintendents... transcripts can always be made later as backup archiving. 

[Bill Healy]

Enjoyed the conversation between Pete Dye and Chris Buie.
Appreciate comments on the personal characteristics, evolution, and impact of Donald Ross.
Thanks,  Bill Healy