[Phil Benedict]

In the article about Pound Ridge in the Times, the writer said that Pete Dye was good at playing mind games with golfers.  I agree and would add that Dye is particularly adept at playing mind games with elite golfers.  He positively seems to revel in messing with tour pros' minds.

Aside from Dye, what other architects are best at getting into golfers heads?

[Mitchell Schneringer]

Ever played Firethorn in Lincoln, NE?  He definitely plays with one's mind on that course.  It's a great mental test of golf, due to the design work.

[Adam Clayman]

 You've touched on what separates Pete's work. He makes you think. I love how he fooled me at Firethorn. There's also always something funny.

 

[Rich Goodale]

If you want to see Pete mind-gaming at his best, just check out his feature interview on this site.  It's just to the left of where you are looking NOW!

[Joel Zuckerman]

Reminds me of a great Dye story--He was playing the then-under construction TPC Louisiana with design consultant Kelly Gibson--he the New Orleans native and long-time PGA Tour pro.  The headwind was brutal on the long par-3 17th--Kelly was short with 3-wood, Pete was short with driver.  Kelly said perhaps the hole was too long/tough from the back tees.  Pete replied there's no rule that says a golfer has to reach a hole in regulation!

[Phil Benedict]

Dye seems to revel in playing mind games.    Do we have quotes from other archies where they basically say "I like to mess with their heads."  Pete comes right out and says it, in so many words.

[Matt Varney]

I think it is great Pete Dye uses the mental side of golf to his advantage.  I truly believe the inner idiot in all of us golfers makes us do things like get up at 3 AM and drive 3 hours to play golf course in another state just because we want the challenge and the golf experience.

Golf is a test of mental toughness much more than physical toughness.  I am a big fan of Pete Dye and his risk reward - I dare you to do it challenging approach to course design.  If you watch him during the course design process he walks all over each golf hole in the dirt shaping stage looking at angles of the tee in the fairway and contours from bunkers that make a shot more inviting or more intimidating.  His mind is just different he says something and you say to yourself "are your serious" then they start shaping it and the grass starts growing and the golf holes look killer with challenging angles and visual sight lines into greens that just make you excited to play the course.

This approach makes golf holes different because the player sees a different look playing from the left side vs. the right side of the fairway vs. the guy in the fairway bunkers.  I like a golf course that challenges you everytime you play it over and over again.

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