Pete Dye Golf Club MPT (Montesano Photo Thread) FROZEN

[Ronald Montesano]

I've been informed by national security that back-room discussions on a PDGC thread are in the works. As a result, I'm freezing this one.




This was the first national golf club that I saw. Since my conversion to GCA, I was looking at different elements, but not to the degree that I do today. I haven't looked at these images in a while, so who knows what's in the hopper. Pete Dye GC certainly has an extended-build history. It is located in Bridgeport, West Virginia, very close to I-79 and quite accessible. The build began in 1978 and was finished in 1995. It didn't take that long to blast through the coal. There is a nice semi-local piece on the club here: http://www.huntingtonquarterly.com/articles/issue41/golf.html

The club was in the process of being sold when I was there around 2010. It now is part of the Pacific Links group of course (https://www.pacificlinks.com/petedye) with all the amenities that come with club membership. There are cabins on the course and a pretty cool clubhouse that we may or may not have had a beer in after the round.

All around the course are tributes to the areas mining history. Copper creek here, coal tunnel there, coal cars here, mining equipment there. Since it comes with an element of infrequency, it doesn't bother you in the manner it would if it were an every-hole, museum tour. As acknowledgements go, it's proper in my estimation.









So here goes with the tour, photos circa 2010.



First hole is a manageable par four, measuring 390-375-360-322-283 from the five tee decks. The two-shot dalliance is a slight bender to the left. Behind the tee, you see the clubhouse across a pond. Ahead you see a series of bunkers down the left, pushing you over a hill to center-right, where the fairway lingers. Advice is to avoid that left side, as you'll be bunkered below fairway level, hitting a shot toward an unseen green.





What lies ahead is a double-dogleg fairway. I presume that long hitters might carry all the bunkers left, finding the lower fairway and wedge to the green. The majority of us stay safely right and come in with a long to mid iron. From my recollection, the upper fairway slopes downward and slightly to the left, a friendly accomodation.







From these last three images, you have a sense of the look of the hole from each vantage point. You're never quite in possession of the entire trace as a whole, so having the overhead image helps to consolidate matters. I suspect that multiple playings would reveal multiple avenues of approach, a hallmark of an interesting, worthwhile course.





In deference to the multiple trips that the Dyes made to Scotland, Pete gives you that all-important run-up to the green from high right. The aerial game at times wins the day at Pete Dye Golf Club, but not always. Here, you have options. Although there is a bunker adjacent to the green on the left side, it is utterly avoidable.

The green is divided nicely: low front left; a bit higher but still low front right; separating, angled spine; dangerous back left and semi-dangerous back right. A look back affirms the decision to come this far to play this course. The next look you'll have begs the question, is this paradise?

[Jason Thurman]

Ron, I would encourage you to let this thread develop slowly. I know there has been some interest in a hole-by-hole discussion of Pete Dye Golf Club, much like the Ballyhack discussion that's been underway for a few weeks. I think you'll get quite a bit of discussion about a course that I consider to be perhaps the most underdiscussed modern design on this forum.

As you mention, the coal-mining theme is ubiquitous throughout the course, but not overdone. Elements like the carts and coal tips on 10 or the walk through the mineshaft after 6 seem like they should be cheesy, but they feel appropriate when you see them on the property. The coal-mining history of the site (and my understanding is that it's still being actively mined, or at least was up until a few years ago) is never far from your mind. Even the driving range appeared to have been top-dressed with a cinder mix, as divots reveal a coarse black surface lying underneath.

The photos above do a nice job of capturing everything going on at the first hole. The Dye courses I've played reveal a tendency toward shortish par 4 openers that present options from the tee that heavily influence the difficulty of the ensuing approach. The approach shot difficulty is not so much a question of execution - most Dye openers that I've seen feature a short iron approach to a large-enough and receptive green. However, a player's VISUAL comfort is greatly influenced by how aggressively he plays off the tee on such holes, as Dye uses blindness and doglegs to ensure that the man who plays it safe from the tee will face an awkward approach shot while the man who makes the more aggressive play can find a more welcoming visual for his second.

The first at Pete Dye Golf Club is perhaps the best of these shortish par 4 opening holes from Pete Dye. A simple long-iron or hybrid played straight down the middle of the fairway off the tee will set up a short iron approach, but the green will be largely obscured by the hillock that the fairway wraps around near the 100 yard mark. Meanwhile, a bold drive over the bunkers off to the left leaves a half-wedge approach that, at least for me, feels very inviting as a simple flip over the fronting bunkers will land softly on a green with fallaway edges that make it feel smaller than its true size.

The opening hole at Pete Dye Golf Club is not a long hole, nor a difficult one, but it's a good introduction that really captures the psychological essence of the course. It's a subtle design on an electric property, and that juxtaposition creates some really unusual challenges. PDGC has some brawny holes and plenty of length, but its central battle is one of nerves and ability to handle visually uncomfortable shots. The fact that you won't likely see your first shot land is an omen of what's to come.

[Kevin Lynch]

Jason -

I spoke with Ron about our plan to start a detailed hole-by-hole analysis of Pete Dye Golf Club after the Ballyhack thread wraps up.  These posts certainly would be a good opener for that.  I spoke with Joe Bausch as well about piggy-backing off of his photo tour from a few years back.

I'll send a PM to you and Joe to coordinate the kick-off, since the Ballyhack thread just reached the 18th. 


This can also serve as a teaser to people re: the detailed discussion, if people want to be ready to contribute their thoughts.

[BCowan]

Can someone who has played Honors and PDGC let me know if PDGC has a huge man made pond(s)/lake(s) like Honors does?  If so, how many holes does it come into play on?   The land at PDGC looks fantastic from photos.   

[Ronald Montesano]

If it does, it's #15 and that's the only hole it affects.

[Greg Tallman]

If it does, it's #15 and that's the only hole it affects.

#4 also

[Mark Bourgeois]

So what's with the "MPT" branding, how do these tours differ from others? They get frozen and need to be thawed out/moved from Buffalo/rebooted, is that it?  

[Michael George]

There are 3 man made ponds on the property on the following holes:

#1 (right of the tee)
#4
#15

[Ronald Montesano]

So what's with the "MPT" branding, how do these tours differ from others? They get frozen and need to be thawed out/moved from Buffalo/rebooted, is that it?  

I wanted to get the jump on Rory vis a vis branding.

A few years back, a few sacks of Sheeeeet on GCA squawked about photo tours, so I went on hiatus. It also turned Mark Saltzman off a bit, which was a shame.

I decided to do the Teugega one for Bogey and Kevin and a few others, to see if I still had the enjoyment. I did, but wanted to make sure that mine stood out as my own work, for whatever reason.

There is a contingency of GCA denizens that has had a PDGC thread plan in the works for a few weeks, about which I did not have awareness. I decided to step aside and let them have at this. I have a few others in the satchel after Highland Links.

[Ronald Montesano]

If it does, it's #15 and that's the only hole it affects.

#4 also

You are so correct. I hated that hole. Freaking Golden Tee hole. There's not a single hole at Ballyhack that I come close to hating, but that 4th at PDGC has no value, in my opinion. That's probably why I blocked it out of my mind when it came to reservoirs.

[Ronald Montesano]

There are 3 man made ponds on the property on the following holes:

#1 (right of the tee)
#4
#15

You're right, Michael. I didn't consider #1 because I couldn't imagine it coming into play.

[Richard Hetzel]

I missed out on playing here a ew years back. What a great looking golf course.

[Ronald Montesano]

Richard,

It is a terrific golf course. The mobilizing thread should reveal that.

[Greg Tallman]

If it does, it's #15 and that's the only hole it affects.

#4 also

You are so correct. I hated that hole. Freaking Golden Tee hole. There's not a single hole at Ballyhack that I come close to hating, but that 4th at PDGC has no value, in my opinion. That's probably why I blocked it out of my mind when it came to reservoirs.

I agree and it seems Dye is intent on putting the same hole on nearly every course. Such a shame as he had the room and terrain to create a really good long par three in that area. Heck I think they still could, pushing the green back and right away from the pond.

[John Kavanaugh]

So what's with the "MPT" branding, how do these tours differ from others? They get frozen and need to be thawed out/moved from Buffalo/rebooted, is that it?  

A few years back, a few sacks of Sheeeeet on GCA squawked about photo tours, so I went on hiatus. It also turned Mark Saltzman off a bit, which was a shame.

And this whole time I thought I was alone. This sack of Sheeeeet simply wants fewer higher quality pictures. Thanks in advance.

[Ronald Montesano]

And this whole time I thought I was alone. This sack of Sheeeeet simply wants fewer higher quality pictures. Thanks in advance.

So, more low-quality pictures?  Of feet, nostrils and eyelids?

The problem is when people quote others and include the images. I don't think they know that they can eliminate the photo from the quote.

See how I changed your name credit at the top? MAGIC!

[Tommy Williamsen]

I played PDGC the year it opened and can remember most every hole.  I thought it was exceptional. I look forward to the tour.  Thanks for doing it.