Crooked Stick Golf Club

Overview: Crooked Stick Golf Club, located in Carmel, Indiana, is a legendary, brawny championship parkland course designed by the iconic architect Pete Dye. Winding through rolling, heavily wooded terrain, the course is highly celebrated for introducing Dye's signature "Dye Style" to the Midwest, characterized by railroad ties, deep pot bunkers, and severe water hazards. It presents a long, challenging, and highly strategic test of golf, demanding both length off the tee and a precise short game to navigate the heavily guarded, multi-tiered greens.

History: Opened in 1964, Crooked Stick was Pete Dye's first major design project, which he routed alongside his wife and design partner, Alice Dye, on what was once flat farmland. Over the decades, Dye continuously tweaked and refined the holes, using it as a personal laboratory for his architectural theories. The course has hosted numerous major championships, including the 1991 PGA Championship, the 2005 Solheim Cup, and several BMW Championships, cementing its status as a premier tournament venue.

Did You Know? During the 1991 PGA Championship, a young, unheralded John Daly went from ninth alternate to champion at Crooked Stick, overpowering Dye's brawny layout with his legendary "grip it and rip it" driving style. The club houses a beautiful museum dedicated to Pete and Alice Dye, honoring their massive impact on golf course architecture.